#### Set Three Axes With Sphere

The Set Three Axes With Sphere soft key can be used to measure a sphere and then use the measured coordinates to update a specified work offset.

The number of Points defines the number of points that will be used to measure the sphere. The lower angle, which is usually 0 (equator) defines the lowest level to measure. The upper angle, which is usually 90 (north pole) defines the highest level to measure.

1. Press the Set Work Offset soft key on the second page of the Main screen. The soft keys at the bottom will change to show the different types of features you can measure to set a work offset.

2. Press the Set Three Axes With Sphere soft key to display the Update Three Axes (Sphere) screen.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions then press the Confirm soft key to complete the procedure. Press the Return soft key to return to the previous screen without saving.

Definition:

- Work Offset - Specifies the Work offset which is chosen to be updated.

- Parameters X, Y and Z define the center of the sphere. The Measured column specifies the measured values of the Work Offset. The Target column defines the theoretical values of the sphere center in work offset coordinates. The theoretical values can be anything but are usually zeroes.

- Tip Offset X, Y and Z - The work offset will be offset this distance away from the measured feature.

- Motion Parameters - Prehit Distance - The Prehit Distance defines how far away from the theoretical position of each measurement the moves will start.

- Properties - Number of Points defines the number of points that will be used to measure the sphere. Lower Level Angle, which is usually 0 (equator), defines the lowest level to measure and the Upper Level Angle, which is usually 90 (north pole), defines the highest level to measure.

Available Navigation Bar Soft Keys on this Screen:

|  |  | Set Work Offsets This soft key displays a new screen with new soft keys for updating work offsets in various situations.
| Select a Work Offset to Update This soft key selects the named work offset from the list of offsets for updating. Pressing this again will select the next work offset from the list. |  |
|  |  | Confirm to Update Work Offset This will be available after the machine has learned the feature location. It will save the command to the program.

Follow the on-screen instructions, select the work offset to update then press the Confirm soft key to update the selected work offset.

Update Process:

1. Position the probe above the sphere center top (Position A in image shown below) and press the Read Position soft key .

2. Press Learning and Creating a Command soft key .

3. Run the system monitor program and NC Gage automatically takes hits in a fashion as depicted below.

Sphere Path: A) jog position 1-4) automatically measured point positions

4. Once the feature has been measured, the measured values are updated. Select the work offset name from the list by pressing the Select a Work Offset to Update soft key until the desired work offset is highlighted. Parameters for each highlighted work offset will be updated on the screen as each one is selected.

5. Press the Confirm soft key to update the work offset. Press the Return soft key to return to the previous screen without saving.

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

Learn Sphere Feature Path

The location and size of the sphere is determined by measuring a point on the top of the sphere and sampling 3 more points near the top. This is how the sphere feature is learned. After the sphere location and size is determined, the sphere is re-measured using the learned size and location, the measurements are performed using the values set in the motion parameters and properties boxes.

- Read position of probe which should be above the top of the sphere.

- Measure point straight down, using search distance.

- Retract to original read position and move 2* probe radius in the +X direction.

- Measure point straight down, using search distance.

- Retract to original height and move 2* probe radius in direction which is 120 degrees from +X axis.

- Measure point straight down, using search distance.

- Retract to original height and move 2* probe radius in direction which is 240 degrees from +X axis.

- Measure point straight down, using search distance.

- Retract to original height.

Execute Sphere Feature Path

- Number of levels and points for each level are determined based on the inputs.

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

- Move to position above the first Prehit point.

- Drop down to lowest level and measure that level, if needed evasive moves are added between each point in a level to avoid collisions.

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

- Measure point on top of sphere (if upper level angle is 90).

- Move to clearance plane height.