Point

In the Create Features toolbar, click Point to expand the drop-down list, where you can select CMM, Anchor, Extreme Position, Numerically, From Features and From Cross-Section creation methods.

CMM

Simulate the rectangle, probe and disk contact methods of an actual Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) probe¹ to create point features.

Note

• Before creating point features using the CMM method, please import a reference model or a measured model.
• If you choose the submode as rectangle, please ensure the selected created plane can not be vertical with the search direction.

The steps for creating point features through CMM as well as extracting measured features are as follows:

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1. Select CMM in the drop-down list of Point to open the corresponding window.
2. Select a submode:
   • Rectangle: Select a constraint plane (XY plane / XZ plane / YZ plane / a created plane feature), customize the search depth (mm), length (mm) and width (mm), select a direction (point normal / X axis / Y axis / customize), and define the feature as Reference Feature.
   • Probe or Disk: Select a direction (point normal / customize), customize the search radius (mm) and search depth (mm), and define the feature as Reference Feature.

3. After completing relevant settings, you can click on the model in the 3D scene to create points; then click Confirm to save the reference point feature, and the reference point object will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view.

   Note

   If you check Extract Measured Feature (you can enable Auto Extract Measured Features in Setting > Feature), then the corresponding measured feature will be the automatically extracted after you create a reference feature.

4. Right-click on that point feature group in the left-side tree view, select Extract Measured Feature and determine the measured model on which the feature will be extracted.

5. In the Point window, select an align mode and click Apply to create the corresponding measured point feature.
6. The measured point object will be displayed in the corresponding point feature group in the left-side tree view.

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Anchor

Directly anchor points on the model to create point features.

Note

• Before creating point features using the anchor method, please import a reference model or a measured model.
• This method supports specifying features as reference features or measured features.
• If you Define the Feature as Reference Feature, then you can extract the measured feature to generate feature pairs before importing at least one measured model.

The steps for creating point features through anchor as well as extracting measured features are as follows:

1. Select Anchor in the drop-down list of Point to enable the anchor tool.

2. Click on the model in the 3D scene to create, define the feature as Reference Feature and click Apply in the Anchor window to save the reference point feature, and the reference point object will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view.

   Note

   If you check Extract Measured Feature (you can enable Auto Extract Measured Features in Setting > Feature), then the corresponding measured feature will be the automatically extracted after you create a reference feature.

3. Right-click on that point feature group in the left-side tree view, select Extract Measured Feature and determine the measured model on which the feature will be extracted.

4. In the Point window, select an align mode and edit parameters including max distance, and click Apply to create the corresponding measured point feature.
5. The measured point object will be displayed in the corresponding point feature group in the left-side tree view.

Extreme Position

Usually, when inspecting irregular workpieces, it is necessary to measure distances between two extreme positions. In such cases, you can use this feature to create point features at the extreme positions.

Note

• Before creating point features using the extreme position method, please import a reference model.
• This method supports specifying features as reference features or measured features.
• If you Define the Feature as Reference Feature, then you can extract the measured feature to generate feature pairs before importing at least one measured model.

The steps for creating point features through extreme position are as follows:

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1. Select Extreme Position in the drop-down list of Point to enable the extreme position tool.
2. Click on the CAD model in the 3D scene to pick a surface where the extreme position points need to be created, and this surface wil be determined as the calculation region.
3. Select direction in the window of Extreme Position:
   • Pick specified direction: support customizing direction or selecting X / Y / Z axis, and define the feature as reference / measured feature.
   • Pick line: select a created line feature and define the feature as reference / measured feature.

4. After completing relevant settings, click Preview to preview the extreme position point to be created; Then click Confirm to save the reference point feature, and the reference point object or measured point feature will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view.

   Note

   If you check Extract Measured Feature (you can enable Auto Extract Measured Features in Setting > Feature), then the corresponding measured feature will be the automatically extracted after you create a reference feature.

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Numerically

Customize the coordinates of points to create point features.

Note

• Before creating point features using the anchor method, please import a reference model or a measured model.
• This method supports specifying features as reference features or measured features.
• If you Define the Feature as Reference Feature, then you can extract the measured feature to generate feature pairs before importing at least one measured model.

The steps for creating point features numerically are as follows:

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1. Select Numerically in the drop-down list of Point to open the corresponding window.
2. Input X coordinate, Y coordinate and Z coordinate and define the feature as reference / measured feature.

3. After completing relevant settings, you can preview the point feature in the 3D scene; then click Confirm to save the reference point feature, and the reference point object or measured point feature will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view.

   Note

   If you check Extract Measured Feature (you can enable Auto Extract Measured Features in Setting > Feature), then the corresponding measured feature will be the automatically extracted after you create a reference feature.

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From Features

Create new point features based on the center of existing circles or spheres.

Note

• Before creating point features using this method, please import a reference model or a measured model, and ensure that there exists at least one created circle or sphere feature.
• This method does not support defining features: If the selected feature is a reference / measured feature, the created new feature can only be a reference / measured feature.
• If a reference feature is created, then you can extract the measured feature to generate feature pairs before importing at least one measured model.

The steps for creating point features from features as well as extracting measured features are as follows:

1. Select From Features > Find Sphere Center / Find Circle Center in the drop-down list of Point to open the corresponding window.
2. Select the corresponding created reference feature, and click Confirm to save the feature, which will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view ( indicates the feature group created through this method).
3. Right-click on that point feature group in the left-side tree view, select Extract Measured Feature to create the corresponding measured point feature.
4. The measured point object will be displayed in the corresponding point feature group in the left-side tree view.

From Cross-Section

Directly anchor points on the cross-section to create point features.

Note

• Before creating point features using the from cross-section method, please import a reference model or a measured model.
• This method supports specifying features as reference features or measured features.
• If you Define the Feature as Reference Feature, then you can extract the measured feature to generate feature pairs before importing at least one measured model.

The steps for creating point features from cross-section are as follows:

1. Select From Cross-Section in the drop-down list of Point to open the corresponding window.
2. Select an existing cross-section feature, and define the feature as reference / measured feature.

3. After completing relevant settings, you can click on the cross-section in the 3D scene to create; then click Confirm in the From Cross-Section window to save the reference point feature, and the reference point object will be displayed in the feature module in the left-side tree view.

   Note

   • When you move the cursor over the line of the cross-section, you can preview the feature point in real-time. After creation, you can drag the feature point along the current line to adjust its position.
   • If you check Extract Measured Feature (you can enable Auto Extract Measured Features in Setting > Feature), then the corresponding measured feature will be the automatically extracted after you create a reference feature.

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1. A CMM probing system generally consists of a probe head and a touch-trigger probe. The probe makes slight contact with the surface of the measured workpiece, and by measuring the position of the probe in a three-dimensional coordinate system, the coordinates of the measurement points on the workpiece are obtained. ↩