### Probe Setup

The Setup button on the Probe Utilities dialog box displays the Probe Setup dialog box.

Probe Setup dialog box

This dialog box allows you to further customize your probe settings. Most of the settings here are used globally for all probe files. Note, however, that the Use Tip Size Averaging check box applies only to the current probe file.

Using the options in this dialog box you can change or select the following information:

Dialog Box Item | Description
Warn when using tips that have not been calibrated for this long (in days): | If set to any positive number, PC-DMIS will warn you if a an AB tip angle has not been calibrated in this many days. If you don't want to receive any warning, set this to a negative number.
Warn when using tips that were not all calibrated within this interval (in hours): | If set to any positive number, PC-DMIS will warn you if a an AB tip angle has not been calibrated in this many hours. If you don't want to receive any warning, set this to a negative number.
Clearance distance along the qualification tool shank vector: | This defines the clearance distance along the qualification tool's shank vector. The measurement units are the same as those used by your part program. This controls the distance the machine moves away from the qualification tool in the direction of the shank vector. This is useful in avoiding collision with the tool when changing to a new AB tip angle. This setting is for non-continuous wrists.
Clearance distance along the qualification tool shank vector for continuous wrists: | This defines the clearance distance along the qualification tool's shank vector for continuous wrists. The measurement units are the same as those used by your part program. This is the same as the above setting except it is used with continuous wrists. Since continuous wrists are somewhat larger, they need more clearance.
Clearance distance in Z when qualification tool shank is perpendicular to the Z axis: | This defines the clearance distance in the Z axis when the qualification tool's shank is perpendicular to the Z axis. The measurement units are the same as those used by your part program. When the qualification tool is mounted on a horizontal shank it sometimes needs extra Z clearance movement, especially on horizontal arm machines, to avoid collisions.
Clearance distance along the tip shank vector during qualification: | This defines a clearance distance that is added to the retract move during qualification that is based on the tool diameter. If you do not want to retract by even that tool diameter base value, you can set this value to a negative number to offset part of this retract distance.

This sets the value for the AutoQualClearanceTipDirection registry entry located in the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.

When using this dialog you should specify values in the same units as your part program.

The default value is 0.75 inches (19.05 mm).

Clearance distance for tool changer slot when this probe is loaded: | This defines a probe-specific slot clearance distance that overrides slot clearance distances defined on the probe changer. Using this you won't have to continually update slot clearances in your probe changer setup when switching between part programs with different probe configurations for a given slot.

See "Using Probe-Specific Slot Clearance Distances" in "Setting Your Preferences".

Warn during qualification when the standard deviation of the sphere is more than: x | x represents the field value. The measurement units are the same as those used by your part program.
Warn during qualification when the diameter error for the probe tip is more than: x | x represents the field value for the diameter error. The measurement units are the same as those used by your part program.
Minimum number of calibrated tip orientations for size averaging: | This defines the minimum number of validly calibrated tip orientations that must be present for averaging to take place. The default values is 5 and can never go below 2. Even if the Use tip size averaging check box is marked in the Probe Setup dialog box, you must still have the minimum number of validly calibrated tip orientations.

This sets the value for the MinimumTipOrientationsForSizeAveraging registry entry located in the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.

Include subdirectories in global used search | If selected the Global Used search includes subdirectories. See "Global Used".
Don't ask operator for currently loaded probe file when using a probe changer | When you first start PC-DMIS, it doesn’t know what may have taken place on the machine while PC-DMIS wasn’t running, so by default it prompt you to confirm/select the currently loaded probe before attempting the first change after startup. If you mark this check box, PC-DMIS will assume the last known loaded probe is still correct instead of prompting you for confirmation.
Append the calibration results to the results file | This determines whether or not existing calibration results report data are overwritten or appended during the next calibration.
Use tip size averaging | This averages the calibrated tip size for all AB tip angles used for a physical tip. Normally when a physical tip is calibrated at a specific AB tip angle, the calibration results includes the measured tip size for when calibrated at that angle. These stored tip sizes may vary slightly, even though they all use the same physical tip.

In some very specific cases, selecting this check box will improve the overall measurement accuracy.

Important: This is not intended for general use. Generally, you should only select this if recommended to do so by the machine's manufacturer for your specific configuration. Misuse may cause loss of accuracy.

If you select this check box, the following occurs:

- After completing a given calibration, the tip size will be averaged for all calibrated AB tip angles for that same physical tip, regardless of whether or not they were included in the same calibration or not.

- Non-calibrated AB tip angles using that same tip are excluded from the averaging calculation.

- Any AB tip angles in the current calibration that exceed warning limits for standard deviation or for size deviation from the nominal will also be excluded from the averaging calculation. However, their sizes will still be set to the calculated average value for that physical tip.

By default you must have at least five validly calibrated tip locations before size averaging will take place. You can use the MinimumTipOrientationsForSizeAveraging entry in the ProbeCal section of the PC-DMIS Settings Editor to specify a different minimum number, but you must have at least two.

Currently loaded probe file: | If you're using a probe changer, PC-DMIS needs to know what (if anything) needs to be dropped off first; this list provides that information by displaying and allowing you to manually specify what is currently loaded on your machine.
Probe file used with probe changer to force unload only: | This list lets you choose a dummy probe file used to force an unload of the current probe without loading a new probe from the probe changer. See the "To Drop off a Probe without Picking up a New Probe" topic in the "Setting Your Preferences" section.