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### Calibrating the CW43 Probe Changer

The following topics describe how to calibrate the CW43L Probe Changer. This documentation uses the term "slot" to refer to the "port", "station", or "garage" where different probes or extensions will be held.

Vertical CW43 Probe Changer with Five Slots

The CW43 Probe Changer can hold two different kinds of slots: normal slots and three axis slots (slots that hold probes that can rotate in three axes).

| A - Slot four in this picture shows a three axis slot. B - Slot five in this picture shows a normal slot.

Important: Before staring the calibration process, ensure that the installation personnel have mechanically aligned all of the slots so that the front face and the top of the slots are parallel to the movement of the machine's ram. If the slots are not properly aligned in this fashion, you will experience problems during a probe change operation.

#### Step 1 - Select the CW43 Probe Changer

1. Select Edit | Preferences | Probe Changer Setup to access the Probe Changer dialog box.

2. Select the Type tab.

3. Specify the number of probe changers. Generally this will be 1.

4. From the Probe Changer Type list, select CW43L.

5. Click Apply. The Active Probe Changer list now reads: Probe Changer 1: Type=CW43L

#### Step 2 - Define Slots

In this step you will define the number of slots for your probe changer as well as the hardware held in each slot.

1. Select the Slots tab.

2. In the Number of Slots box, specify the number of slots used on your probe changer.

3. Click Apply.

4. Expand each slot in the list, and define the probe file names that correspond to the hardware (probe or extension) that each slot holds. You can do this now or anytime after this point.

5. Click Apply when finished.

Getting Around Three Axis Slots

If you have a three axis slot, you will notice it sticks out from the rack a more than the normal slots. This may cause clearance problems when performing a probe change operation. To help avoid crashing into these slots, we recommend that you install this type of slot on the ends of the probe changer: either on the top or the bottom on a vertical probe changer or on the left or right sides of a horizontal probe changer. If you cannot do this due to space constraints in your environment, you will need to modify the default clearance distance that the probe uses when moving to and from the different slots. You can do this by accessing the PC-DMIS Settings Editor and modifying the TCRackClearance entry or the TCRack3AxisClearance entry in the next step.

- TCRackClearance - This registry entry is the clearance distance in front of a normal slot. It has a default value of 150 mm.

- TCRack3AxisClearance - This registry entry is the clearance distance in front of a three axis slot. It has a default value of 300 mm.

#### Step 3 - Define the Three Axis Slot and Change Clearance Distances

You only need to perform this step if you have a three axis slot (a slot capable of storing a three axis probe). If not, go to the next step. You can perform this step later, but we recommend doing it now. This step essentially tells PC-DMIS which slot is the three axis slot and whether or not you intend to perform load or unload operations automatically for that slot.

1. Click OK to close down the Probe Changer dialog box.

2. Exit from PC-DMIS.

3. Launch the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.

4. Navigate to the Leitz section.

5. Select the CW43LThirdAxisTCSlot registry entry. By default, this entry has a value of -1 which means a three axis slot is not available on the probe changer.

1. - If you plan on manually loading and unloading the three axis probe from the slot yourself, you should set this value to 0.

   - If you plan on having PC-DMIS automatically load and unload the probe, you should set this value to the slot number holding the three axis probe.

6. Ensure that the CW43LTTest3AxisSlotTC registry entry is set to True. There are two LED lights in a magnetic relay located on the back of a three axis slot, a green light and an amber light. The green light means the slot relay has power. The amber light is only illuminated if the three axis joint is physically located in the slot. A True value for this entry checks for the amber light, and is an indication to the CMM controller that it is safe to apply the 24 volt DC motor power to the three axis joint.

   Solenoid Connection with Green and Amber LED Lights

Warning: During a Probe Changer operation, NEVER attempt to manually change the three axis probe while the green LED light on the top of the three axis joint is illuminated. An illuminated green LED light signifies that motor power (+24V DC) is present. If a probe change is done while there is motor power, it could cause a voltage spike that would damage the third axis motor. The same is possible for other voltage signals (+5V DC, +12V DC, and so on) needed for items that may attach to the third axis (Perceptron probe, NC100 video probe, and so forth). This applies only when the joint is connected to the probe head.

7. If needed, you can also modify the clearance distances in the TCRackClearance and TCRack3AxisClearance. You should only need to do this if your three axis slot could not be placed on the ends of the rack.

8. Save any changes made. Then close the PC-DMIS Settings Editor.

9. Restart PC-DMIS and reload your part program.

10. Select Edit | Preferences | Probe Changer Setup access the Probe Changer dialog box again.

#### Step 4 - Prepare for Calibration

In this step you will define the probe file and tip angle to use during the calibration process.

1. Select the Calibrate tab.

2. Select the probe to use from the Active Probe list.

3. Select tip angle to use from the Active Tip list. The tip angle you use will depend on your specific machine. This tip angle will be used throughout the entire calibration process.

#### Step 5 - Begin Calibration

In this step you will decide to calibrate either a single slot in the probe changer or to calibrate all the slots. You will then start calibration.

1. Decide the type of calibration to perform, either Single Port Calibration or Full Calibration.

   - If you selected Single Port Calibration, the Probe Changer Port list becomes available for selection. From the Probe Changer list, select the single probe to calibrate.

   - If you selected Full Calibration, PC-DMIS will calibrate all the available ports on your probe changer starting with the first slot and moving sequentially through all the slots.

2. Click the Calibrate button. PC-DMIS will ask if it is OK to rotate to the previously defined probe angle.

3. Click OK. The probe rotates to the defined angle and a message box appears asking you to take three hits.

#### Step 6 - Calibrate by Taking Three Hits

In this step you will manually move the probe to take three hits, one on three different faces of each slot being calibrated. For a full calibration you will take the hits on the first defined slot and then move sequentially to the second slot and so on until the last. For a single port calibration, you will only need to take the hits on the one slot being calibrated.

For a Vertical Probe Changer:

- Take the first hit anywhere on the top of the top of the slot. Press Done.

- Take the second hit anywhere on the side of the slot nearest the ram of the machine. Press Done.

- Take the third hit anywhere on the front face of the slot. (If this is the three axis slot, take the hit on the face to which the hinges of the slot cover are attached). Press Done.

Example of Taking Three Hits on a Vertical Probe Changer:

Three Axis Probe Slot on a Vertical Rack | These two pictures provide examples of the surfaces where the three hits should be taken for both a three axis probe slot and a normal probe slot. A - First hit on top surface B - Second hit on the side closest to the ram (depending on where your CMM ram is located, this could be on the other side)

C - Third hit on front face

Normal Probe Slot on a Vertical Rack

For a Horizontal Probe Changer:

- Take the first hit anywhere on the top of the top of the slot. Press Done.

- Take the second hit anywhere on either side of the slot. Press Done.

- Take the third hit anywhere on the front face of the slot. (If this is the 3 axis slot, take the hit on the face to which the hinges of the slot cover are attached). Press Done.

#### Step 7 - Define a Mount Point

In this step you will define a safe location and probe head angle in front of the rack where the CMM is able to reach all the slots. This is called the "Mount Point".

Important: The Mount Point location is NOT the same thing as the distance in front of the probe changer defined in the TCRackClearance and TCRack3AxisClearance registry entries.

1. Click the Mount Point tab.

2. In the Probe Head Angle boxes, use the A Angle and B Angle boxes to define the probe head angle to use when the probe head us at the Mount Point location.

3. Use the jog box, and manually move the probe to where you want your mount point, then click the Read Machine button. PC-DMIS will pull in the XYZ location from the CMM.

4. Click Apply and then click OK.

You are now done with the CW43 Probe Changer calibration and can now perform probe changes.

Warning: Remember, during a Probe Changer operation, NEVER attempt to manually change a three axis probe while the green LED light on the top of the three axis joint is lit. This applies only when the joint is connected to the probe head.