### Creating a New Part Template

Before a part can be measured, its dimensions, tolerances, nominal values, trace data, and any measurement helps must first be defined as a part template. A part template is just a part with pre-defined dimension variables but without any transactions or measurement data. A part template can also help to speed up initial part creation by providing a starting base. Use existing part templates if you often use the same dimension types on different parts.

You, as the administrator, can do this by using the New Part Wizard.

1. Login as an administrator.

2. From the ribbon, choose the File tab, then from the Part Template group, choose New to display the New Part Wizard.

3. The Part Name screen appears.

New Part Wizard - Part Name screen

4. Type a unique, short, but descriptive name for the new part. If you want to use an existing part's structure as a starting point for the new part, mark the From an existing Part check box. Then use the drop-down list to the right and select the existing part.

5. To change the part image, click on the existing starting image in Part image. From the Open dialog box, navigate to and select an image that represents your part. Click the Open button to load the image into the wizard.

6. When done, click Next to display Trace Definition screen. Traces provide data that gets stored with the measurement transaction into the database. During execution the operator is prompted to fill in the trace information. For example, you might want to track the operator name as well as a part's serial number and so forth. You can define these sorts of trace values using this screen.

New Part Wizard - Trace Definition screen

7. In the Traces box, type how many traces you want to use and click Add. The number you type adds a corresponding number of trace rows in the Trace Name column. Click Add to add additional items as needed. Select rows and click Delete at any time to remove selected rows from the trace list. Click Up and Down to arrange the Trace Name column in any order.

8. In the Trace Name column, give each trace a name by typing a value. Mark the Show check box for each item you want to display to the operator during part measurement so the operator can input information. Click on the New and Delete buttons to add or remove Trace field rows.

9. When done, click Next to display the next screen. This is where you define the bulk of the part structure. You need to decide what features you want measured and what dimensions you want reported.

New Part Wizard - Dimension Information screen

10. In Session size, type the number of parts to measure for this measurement session.

11. In the Add Rows box, define the number of initial dimensions you want in the part and click Add. The software creates the same number of dimension rows in the dimension list area. You can click Add later to add additional items as needed. Select rows and click Delete at any time to remove selected rows from the dimensions list. Click Up and Down to arrange the list items in any order.

12. For each dimension you want measured and reported on, do the following:

- Name - Provide a short, descriptive ID for the dimension.

- Axis - Type an axis. M is a default label that stands for "Measurement" but you can define whatever you want. Generally, you'll be tracking discrete information like width, height, length, weight, and so on. For example, if you want to track the X, Y, and diameter values of a hole, you might have CIRCLE1 three times in Name and then X, Y, and D for the axes. Note that the Name and Axis together must be unique.

- Data Type - Choose how the results will be entered into the database. Numeric means the field expects the actual measurement value. PassOrFail means the field expects a single character that represents a pass or fail state, so a P (for Pass) or an F (for Fail). An in-tolerance measurement is a Pass. An out-of-tolerance measurement is a Fail.

- Nominal - Type the perfect nominal value for the dimension.

- Upper Tol - Type the allowed upper tolerance.

- Lower Tol - Type the allowed lower tolerance.

- Input - This defines how the data is input into the database. If it's coming from a gauge device automatically through digital output, choose Gauge. If it's going to be manually typed by the operator, choose Keyboard. If you want to use either input type, choose Both.

- Group - For most users this can be ignored. It is provided for unique cases where dimensions need to be grouped together. Mark a check box to begin a new group. The marked item and any unmarked dimension under it form the group. For example, if you have four items in the dimension list, and you mark the first and third items, it results in two groups: the first group, consisting of items 1 and 2, and the second group, consisting of items 2 and 3.

- Description - Click this button to provide the operator with measurement instructions. A small Description input box appears. Type a brief set of basic measurement instructions for measuring that axis. When finished, click OK. The description is stored with the part and is displayed to the operator during the measurement of that feature.

- Image - Click this button to provide the operator an image. From the Open dialog box that appears, navigate to a directory containing an appropriate image that provides additional measurement instructions for that axis, and click Open. The image is stored with the part and is displayed to the operator during the measurement of that feature.

- Port Name - From the list, select the port the operator needs to use to receive the dimension's measured data.

- Channel ID - Provide an ID for the channel the operator use to receive the measured data of this dimension.

13. Click Back at any time to return to the previous wizard screen.

14. Once you are done filling out the Wizard, click Finish to store the updates and return to the main DataGauge+ screen. Click Cancel to exit the wizard without saving your changes.