## Creating a Blade Scan Command

To create a Blade Scan command, do the following:

1. Select the Insert | Modules | Blade Scan... menu option. The Blade Scan dialog box appears:

Blade Scan dialog box

2. Align the blade according to the CAD model in the View area. The nominal data will be in this coordinate system.

3. Complete the items in the Blade Scan dialog box.

Item | Description
ID box | Enter the name of this Blade Scan command.
Import Nominal File... button | Use this button to import the nominal file for the blade. As required by the PC-DMIS Blade Analysis software, a folder with the name "Blade" will be created in the BladeRunner installation folder. All of the relevant files should be placed in this folder. The names of all the files should be same as the name of the folder. The nominal file has the extension .nom and resides in the "blades" folder of the BladeRunner installation directory (usually C:\BladeRunner\blades).

PC-DMIS will read the nominal file and display the information from it in the appropriate parameters in the Section Parameters area. When you import the nominal file, the Blade Scan command refers to the Blade Scan Lookup Table (BladeScan.LookupTable.xml) and inserts the suggested scan speed and point density for the chord length of the blade. You can then modify these parameters. For more information about the table, see Modifying the Blade Scan Lookup Table.

Side list | Select the side of the blade section you want to scan:

- CC – Scans the concave (CC) side.

- CV – Scans the convex (CV) side.

- BOTH – Scans both sides. You can perform this scan by a single tip, which can move completely around the blade section without any collisions. This option will help you scan a very small blade.

The side that you select will be highlighted in red in the View area.

Scan pattern list | Specify the pattern in which the blade sections will be scanned:

- Bi-Direction – Scans the CV sections from the leading edge (LE) to the trailing edge (TE), and the CC side from the TE to the LE. The scan direction of any additional sections will be in the opposite direction of the previous section. The bidirectional pattern can save time when you measure blade sections.

- Uni-Direction – Scans the CV sections from the LE to the TE, and the CC side from the TE to the LE. A unidirectional pattern will always measure the CV sections from the LE to the TE, or the CC sections from the TE to the LE.

Clearance height box | Enter the absolute Z coordinate of the clearance height in the current coordinate system. The clearance height should be able to clear the probe to move from the CC side to the CV side.
Flip option | If you need to change the side that you selected in the Side list, right-click in the View area and then click Flip on the shortcut menu to correctly identify the side as CC or CV.
Auto-Fit button | Click this button to fit the CAD model in the View area.
Sections area | This area displays all of the section names in the nominal file that you imported. The Blade Scan command will scan only the blade sections that are selected in this area. By default, all of the blade sections are selected for scanning. If you do not want to scan a certain blade section, clear its check box. To select a blade section, click its check box.

Setting the Parameters for Multiple Sections at One Time:

You can set the parameters in the Boundary Condition, Distance, Fast Speed Zone, and Slow Speed Zone areas for multiple sections at one time by doing the following:

1. In the Sections area, click the check box for the first section.

2. Press and hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.

3. Click the check box for the last section. The check boxes for all of the sections between the first and last sections you selected will be automatically selected.

You can also select multiple sections by holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and then clicking the check box for each section you want to scan.

4. Set the desired parameters.

5. Click the Ap ply button.

Note: Only the parameters modified in this way will be changed.

Copying Parameters from One Section to Multiple Sections:

You can copy the parameters in the Boundary Condition, Distance, Fast Speed Zone, and Slow Speed Zone areas from one section to another section as follows:

1. Click the check box for the desired section in the Sections area, and set its parameters.

2. Right-click on the selected section, and then select the Copy menu option to copy the section's parameters.

3. Right-click on another section in the Sections area, and select the Paste menu option.

You can also select multiple sections by holding down the Ctrl key and then left-clicking the sections you want to update. When all of the sections are selected for updating, right-click and then select the Paste menu option to copy the parameters into the selected sections.

Creating a Parameter Set:

You can set the parameters in the Boundary Condition, Distance, Fast Speed Zone, and Slow Speed Zone areas for each section by creating a Parameter Set that you can save and import. To create a parameter set:

1. Click the check box for the desired section in the Sections area, and set its parameters.

2. Right-click on the selected section, and then select the Export Parameter Set menu option.

3. Name this parameter set. The file extension will be .ini.

4. Save the parameter set in the desired location.

To apply a parameter set to another section in the Sections area:

1. Right-click on the section or sections you want to update.

2. Select the Import Parameter Set menu option.

Note: The Parameter Set that you created can be applied to the blade sections in any program.

Information area | This area displays the parameters for the section that you selected in the Sections area.
View area | This area displays the CAD model for the section that you selected in the Sections area. (If you selected two or more sections, the View area will be blank.) These zoom options are available:

- Zoom in 100% – Click this icon to zoom in on the CAD model by 100 percent per click. You can click this icon at most five times to get a 500 percent zoom.

- Zoom out 100% – Click this icon to zoom out on the CAD model by 100 percent per click if you are already zoomed in. If you have not zoomed in at all, you will only be able to zoom out by 100 percent one time.

- Zoom to 1:1 – Click this icon to restore the size of the CAD model to the original 1 to 1 zoom size.

- Use the roller on the mouse to zoom in and zoom out.

- Use both the mouse button and the draw box to zoom in.

You can also do the following in the View area:

- Click and hold the left mouse button, and then move the mouse to translate the CAD model in the View area.

- Press and hold down the Ctrl key, left-click at the same time, and drag the appropriate Fast Speed Zone circle, Slow Speed Zone circle, or Clear Distance line to dynamically change its value.

Boundary Condition area | Use this area to describe how to identify the end of scanning. The parameters are:

- Type box – Select Plane or Sphere.

- Crossings box – Enter the number of crossings.

- Radius box – If you selected the Sphere boundary condition, enter the radius of the boundary sphere.

Note: The boundary plane vector is calculated by subtracting the end vector from the vector of the line joining the LE and TE points.

Distance area | Use this area to specify the distance the probe will over travel the start and end points to ensure that the scan on the CV side and the CC side overlap each other as required by the Blade Analysis software. The parameters are:

- LE shank box – Enter the distance for the LE.

- TE shank box – Enter the distance for the TE.

- Clear distance box – Enter the distance in front of the blade section to which the probe travels before the measurement of the next section begins. The distance should ensure that the probe movement from the LE to the TE between sections is collision-free.

Fast Speed Zone and Slow Speed Zone areas | Fast Speed Zone area – The middle zone of the blade section. Typically, this zone is scanned at a higher scanning speed and has a low density of points. Slow Speed Zone area – These zones are near the trailing and leading edges. Typically, these zones are scanned at slower speeds and have a high point density.

Scanning usually uses the speed defined in the Slow Speed Zone area near the LE or TE. A high number of points are collected in the slow speed zone. After the probe crosses the value defined for the Slow Speed Zone Radius parameter, the scan speed increases to the speed defined for the Scan speed parameter in the Fast Speed Zone area, and points are collected at rate of the value defined for the Fast Speed Zone Point d ensity parameter.

When the probe crosses the value defined for the Slow Speed Zone Radius parameter from the end point, the scan speed is reduced.

When the probe crosses the High Density radius, the points are collected at the value defined for the Slow Speed Zone Point density parameter.

When the cursor is in one of the boxes for either the fast or slow speed zone areas, then its radius is highlighted in blue in the View area.

Advanced button | Click this button to specify control points and add additional control points. For instructions, see Using Blade Scan Control Points.
Test button | Click this button to perform a test scan of a section. To perform a test scan, do the following:

1. Select the desired section(s) in the Sections area.

2. Ensure that the correct probe is selected and that it is on the correct side of the part. The probe's path to the section(s) should be collision-free.

3. The test will scan the CV side from the LE to the TE. It will scan the CC side of the blade from the TE side to the LE side.

4. Click the Test button.

If you select two or more sections in the Sections area, the Test button will scan each section in the direction that you selected in the Scan pattern drop-down list.

OK button | Click this button to create a command in the Edit window. This command will create each scan object. If you have not completed all of the required parameters when you click the OK button, PC-DMIS will display a warning message indicating that there are one or more invalid entries that need to be corrected before you can proceed. It then shows the parameters that need to be completed:

Complete the required parameters. Only the sections that you selected in the Sections area are checked.

Apply button | Click this button to set all of the parameters for each section that you selected in the Sections area.