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www.ADandP.media AD&P; ∕ SEPTEMBER 2016 SOFTWARE machines (CMMs), including probing and laser scanning. "The first dimension of the PolyWorks universality consists of delivering a digitizing hub that can interface with all 3D metrology devices used by our customers," says Marc Soucy, president of InnovMetric. The universal nature of the "digitizing hub" is a challenge, he continues, because "some measurement devices require contact with the measured surfaces, while others use optical, non-contact measure- ment principles. Some measurement devices are driven by operators; others are operated in a fully automated mode." However, the universality in PolyWorks is not limited just to the communications between inspection software and measurement devices. It also applies to creating universal workflows for performing inspection tasks. Case in point: Only minimal changes are needed to adapt a PolyWorks inspection project from one measurement device to another. Soucy lists several reasons why this level of universality is appealing, starting with "it minimizes the costs of software ownership. First, the cost of training is reduced because there is only one platform to master. Second, a standard platform facilitates broader collaboration between different teams, possibly located in different lands and even different coun- tries. Third, a universal platform ensures consistency in your measurement results. Last, a universal platform increases mobility. PolyWorks lets anyone measure anywhere with nearly any hardware device with minimal training." MAKING INSPECTION ROUTINE Two new features in PolyWorks 2016 help in the ability to "reuse inspection projects with different measurement devices from different vendors that possibly use different measurement principles," says Soucy. Start with the PolyWorks Play Inspection tool, which can automatically generate step-by-step measurement sequences to capture part inspection data using portable metrology devices. The measurement sequence editor introduced in PolyWorks 2016 lets operators customize the automatically generated sequences, including changing the order of measurement operations (using drag-and-drop), control device position moves, trigger CMM-specific operations (such as moving the probe head to a specific location or reorienting the probe), add prompts and images, define conditional oper- ations, and insert macro scripts. Intelligence in the sequence editor watches for mistakes, such as if the operator should delete a step, and will activate an error message, prevent the deletion and recommend a solution. Creating repeatable measurement sequences tailored to immediate inspection needs improves the efficiency of metrology operations on the shop floor and minimizes hiccups in those measurement routines performed by an operator. In PolyWorks 2016, this can be done without the need for macro scripts. That said, users can still define and use macro scripts in PolyWorks 2016 for advanced inspection sequences, data analysis, reporting and other customizations. The PolyWorks sequence editor also lets operators control the measurement context, that is, the exact conditions of measurement. By triggering the object measurement in the editor, the resulting inspection sequence can activate the appropriate alignment of the coordinate systems and device positions. PolyWorks' offline simulation functions automatically generate simulated point cloud data and probed points from CAD geometry. Operators can simulate measured object components, data alignments, data color maps, geometry control tables, 3D-scene snapshots and inspection reports before the real task of inspection measurement. 43