### Feature Frame

A Feature Frame is used only on machines that have more than three axes such as machines with a rotary table.

To add a Feature Frame to your program, NCGage requires the software to be configured appropriately.

1. Follow the instructions for Setting a Work Offset.

2. After the Work Offset is defined, the Select a Work Offset softy key will change to the Define Feature Frame soft key . Select the Define Feature Frame soft key from the main screen's Navigation Bar. The Define Feature Frame screen is displayed.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to define the Feature Frame parameters.

Parameters Definition:

- Safe Point X, Y, Z - Defines the home or safe X, Y and Z coordinate location for the probe to start from prior to execution of the program. The probe will return to this location prior to each program execution.

- Zero Point - Defines the location of (0, 0, 0) for the feature frame being defined. It can be expressed in Part coordinates or in Rotated Work Offset coordinates by selecting the appropriate check box.

- Number Axes Learned - Displays the total number of axes found during the learn process.

- Rotation A, C - Displays the learned values (in degrees) for each of the system axes.

Available Navigation Bar Soft Keys on this Screen:

| Set One Axis With Point This soft key displays the screen used to define a measurement axis using a single point. |  | Set Two Axes With Bore This soft key displays the screen used to define two measurement axes with a bore.
| Set Two Axes With Boss This soft key displays the screen used to define two measurement axes with a boss. |  | Set Two Axes With Inside Corner This soft key displays the screen used to define two measurement axes with an Inside Corner.
| Set Two Axes With Outside Corner This soft key displays the screen used to define two measurement axes with an Outside Corner. |  |

Learn Process:

A Feature Frame is defined by a set of table rotations, a translation and a safe point. If known, the Zero Point can be manually entered into the system at any time or it can be learned by probing the appropriate part features.

Note: Only features measured in the same Feature Frame may be used.

1. Manually set the probe to the Safe Point location. When the command is executed, the machine will move to this position prior to executing the table rotations.

2. Press the Read Probe Position soft key to read and store this location.

3. Move the tables to the required angles then press the Read Probe Position soft key again. The learned values are written to the form.

Defining the Origin of a Feature Frame:

If the user does not know what the origin of the feature frame should be, he can learn it. This is done by pressing the left or right menu buttons to see a new set of menu options.

The Safe Point is defined in the same coordinates as the zero point. If the coordinate type (rotated work offset or part coordinates) is changed and the safe point has been learned, the safe point coordinates should be transformed to reflect the change.

As part of defining a feature frame, the user must enter or define the Zero Point. This can be done in one of two coordinate systems: “Part Coordinates” or “Rotated Work Offset” coordinates.

Navigate to the secondary set of menu buttons on this form to access the Point, Bore, Boss, Inside Corner and Outside Corner to define part of the zero points. The point will establish one axis, the other features will establish two axes.

The Number Axes Learned field shows how many axes have been established by measurements. It is expected that this value will be 3 after the user is done measuring the zero point.

For example, if the user needs to measure a Point (this applies to a Bore, Boss, Inside Corner or Outside Corner as well) to measure pieces of the feature frame:

1. Select the Set One Axis With Point soft key .

2. Position the probe in preparation for learning the point location.

3. Select the feature face to be read.

4. Perform the measurement. The results of the measurement will be displayed in the selected coordinate system.

5. Press the Confirm and Append Current Command to End soft key . The axes measured will be transferred back to the main Feature Frame screen.

Refer to Creating Feature Commands topic for details of measuring bores, bosses and corners.

Note: If the user selects the Bore, Boss, Inside Corner or Outside Corner, the user will be requested to define the approximate location of the feature prior to measuring that feature. The results of the feature will be written to the axes that lie in the work face plane.

Note that these features work similar to the Work Offset Setting forms in that the user defines the target (which may be different than zero), and measures the feature. NC Gage determines where the origin should be so that the measured feature agrees with the target.

When a feature is successfully measured, the components of the origin calculations are written to the zero point edit controls.