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## Working with Rotary Tables

Except where specified, the following Rotary Table commands were developed to support the PC-DMIS/NC (Numerical Control) for use on CNC machine tools. However, you can use them in regular CMM part programs as well. See the PC-DMIS/NC help file for more information on using CNC machines with PC-DMIS.

Ignore Rotary Table

The Insert | Parameter Change | Probe | Ignore Rotary Table menu item inserts an IGNOREROTAB command into the part program. The only two options are:

IGNOREROTAB/ON or IGNOREROTAB/OFF

When you have a rotary table defined for use, PC-DMIS usually assumes that you will place parts to measure on the rotary table. Essentially, PC-DMIS expects you to use the Rotary table. This means it is not ignoring the rotary table. And so IGNOREROTAB is set to OFF:

IGNOREROTAB/OFF

In this state, PC-DMIS adjusts any measured data collected from the machine by using the data from the rotary table's calibration.

If you insert IGNOREROTAB/ON command, PC-DMIS ignores the rotary table calibration data. Thus, measured data collected will not have a rotary table adjustment applied to it. The two most common cases where this might be used are

- A part measurement where you want to measure the part without using the rotary table even though your table exists.

- A part program where you want to execute a new table calibration and you need to ignore the old calibration results.

Calibrate the Rotary Table

The Insert | Calibrate | Rotary Table from Features menu item inserts a CALIBRATEROTAB command into the part program:

CALIBRATEROTAB/PLANE=TABLE_PLN, CIRCLE=TABLE_CIR,

MEAS/XYZ=0,0,0, MEAS/IJK=0,0,0

This command tells a suitable part program to calibrate the rotary table during program execution.

To use this command:

1. Attach a proper calibration artifact (a sphere) to the table.

2. Measure in an appropriate series of angular positions.

3. You create a constructed plane and circle through the resulting sphere centers. Once you have a constructed the plane and circle, you can use them as inputs to this command.

4. Insert the CALIBRATEROTAB command.

5. Press F9 on the command and a Calibrate Rotab dialog box appears.

   Calibrate Rotab dialog box

6. From the Constructed Plane list, select the constructed plane. From the Constructed Circle list, select the constructed circle.

7. Click OK. PC-DMIS updates the command to use the constructed features.

8. When you execute the part program, PC-DMIS will use the constructed features to update the rotary table calibration data. The MEAS/XYZ and MEAS/IJK portions in the command block will show the result for the center point and plane of rotation for the table.

For information on setting up your rotary table, see "Defining the Rotary Table" in "Setting Your Preferences"

Rotate the Table to the Active Angle (Not Supported in PC-DMIS NC)

The actual rotary table angle on the machine and the active angle specified in your part program don't always match. The Operation | Rotate Table to Active menu item automatically causes the actual table to rotate until its angle matches the active angle in the program at your cursor's location.