### Cone (Outside)

To create a Cone (Outside) command:

1. Select the Measure soft key from the main screen's Navigation Bar.

2. Select the Cone (Outside) soft key from the Navigation Bar. The Measure Cone (Outside) screen appears.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to insert the command. Pay attention to the graphical description in the upper left section of the screen. It will show you where to position the probe for measurements and changes when multiple steps are required.

Parameters Definition:

- Nominal (XYZ Nominal) - Defines the nominal position of the cone apex.

- Half Angle - The angle that the side of the cone makes with the centerline of the cone.

- Vector Angle 1- Defines the first vector angle of the cone. This is the cone's center line direction in relation to the work face.

- Vector Angle 2 - Defines the second vector angle of the cone. This is the cone's center line direction in relation to the primary axis it is measured in. The primary axis is X in the XY work face, Y in the YZ work face, and Z in the ZX work face.

- Prehit Distance - Defines the distance away from the nominal surface at which the probe will start seeking the surface during measure.

- Search Distance - Defines the distance that the probe will seek for the part during learn mode.

Properties Definition:

- Points per Level - Defines the number of points per level that will be probed for the cone during execution (not learn mode).

- Number of Levels - Defines the number of points that will be measured in a level during execution (not learn mode).

- Start Angle - Defines the starting point for a section of the cone to measure. Rotation starts at 0 along the primary axis and grows such that 90 is at the secondary axis. The primary axis is X in the XY work face, Y in the YZ work face, and Z in the ZX work face. The secondary axis is Y in the XY work face, Z in the YZ work face, and Z in the ZX work face.

- End Angle - Defines the end of the section of the cone that will be measured. The start and end angle will only be used when the featured is measured in execute mode. Learn mode will automatically take hits in opposing primary and secondary axes directions. If the cone does not continue around for 360 degrees, then Learn Using Values on Screen could be used to enter the nominal location with a proper start and end angle defined. Then, with Learn then Measure selected, NC Gage will measure the feature.

- Top Level: (Only visible with Learn Using Values on Screen selected) - This is the axis location of the hits at the top of the cone measurement. This is relative to the current work offset along the axis most closely aligned with the center line of the cone.

- Bottom Level: (Only visible with Learn Using Values on Screen selected) - This is the axis location of the hits at the bottom of the cone measurement. This is relative to the current work offset along the axis most closely aligned with the center line of the cone.

The number of rows and points per row will be equally spaced along the defined cone.

Optional Settings:

- Hit Clearance Plane - Selecting this option causes the probe to move to a clearance plane between each hit of the feature. The edit box to the right will allow the user to enter the distance to the plane. This plane is not the program clearance plane.

- Learn Then Measure - Selecting this option causes the machine to learn the location of the part using default parameters and then immediately re-measure the feature with the properties as set on the screen. This will allow the user to test all the set parameters and should warrant a more accurate and reliable first article inspection.

- Learn Using Values on Screen - This allows the user to enter the nominal values of the feature and have the software measure at that location. Selecting this option displays additional properties that are described in the Properties section.

Available Navigation Bar Soft Keys on this Screen:

| Backward / Forward Back / Forward to previous / next group of soft keys. |  | Select Measurement Face This soft key determines the direction of probing and the location of the clearance moves for the feature. You can press this multiple times to choose a different measurement face. Available faces are: X+, X-, Y+, Y-, Z+ and Z-.
| Return to Previous Step This will remove the last learned probe positions. |  | Read Probe Position and Continue with Next Step This soft key reads the current probe position and then advances to the next step in the procedure.
|  |  | Delete Current Command / Delete Last Created This soft key deletes the current selected command (or the last created command) from the part program. If this icon is disabled, you may need to delete commands using the Edit Program screen instead.
| Learning and Creating a Command This will only be available after all the necessary probe positions to identify the feature location have been learned. It will cause the machine to measure the feature. |  | Cancel All Steps / Abort This soft key stops and resets the current operation. If learning a feature, it removes all the learned probe positions.
| Execute This soft key causes the machine to measure the feature. It will only be available after all the necessary probe positions to identify the feature location have been learned (or typed in). It lets you make changes and test run the feature before committing the feature to the program. |  | Return This soft key returns the view up one level to the previous screen.
| Tolerance Settings This soft key lets you set or modify feature nominal and tolerance values used by the feature command. It is an overview of what will show up in the report screen. |  | Insert Move Point This will read the current position of the probe and insert that as a clearance move into the program.
| Confirm / Add Command For operations this confirms the selection. For commands, this will append the command to the end of the program. For feature commands, this will become available after the machine has learned the feature location or when you have typed the feature's nominal values.
For constructed and dimension feature commands, this will become available once you have specified the proper input features.

Help

This soft key accesses the NC Gage help file.

Learn Process:

1. Position the probe near the surface at the bottom level and press Read Position . The bottom level is the level furthest to the apex.

2. Position the probe near the surface at the top level and press Read Position .

3. Position the probe above the center and press Read Position .

4. Position the probe for automatic measurement, and select Learning and Creating a Command . NC Gage automatically takes hits in a similar fashion as depicted below.

Outside Cone Path: A-C) jog positions 1-8) automatically measured point positions. Red lines show the path for the bottom level. The top level is measured using similar path lines.

5. Once the feature has been measured, the measured values are updated.

6. Press Confirm and Append Current Command to End . The feature command is added to the part program.

The following is the specific feature path and logic built into NC Gage:

Learn Outside Cone Feature Path

- Read position of probe next to side of cone at lowest level, this defines cone XY center and first level height for execution time.

- Read position of probe next to side of cone at highest level, Z value will be measurement height of last level.

- Read position of probe above center of cone, XY define center, Z is safe height

- Move to safe height.

- Prehit radius = projected 2D distance between first and third read position points. This is used to learn both levels.

- Measure lowest level taking points in +X, -X, +Y, and –Y directions, the probe is moved to the safe height between each measurement.

- Return to safe height.

- Measure highest level taking points in +X, -X, +Y, and –Y directions, the probe is moved to the safe height between each measurement.

- Return to safe height.

Execute Outside Cone Feature Path

- Cone geometry is used to determine the prehit and target locations for each measured point.

- If current position is lower than the clearance plane height then move up to clearance plane.

- Move to position above first prehit point.

- Drop down to the lowest measurement level.

- Measure lowest level, start to end angle. Evasive moves between each points are used if needed to avoid collisions.

- Measure the rest of the level(s) using alternating directions.

- If local clearance plane is enabled move to the local clearance plane between each point to get to next prehit point.

- After last point is measured, the probe moves up to clearance plane height.