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Americanmachinist 2472 88000am0929geom00000060589
Americanmachinist 2472 88000am0929geom00000060589
Americanmachinist 2472 88000am0929geom00000060589
Americanmachinist 2472 88000am0929geom00000060589

Software Integrates with Probes for Product Inspection

Sept. 29, 2011
Geomagic introduction lets users measure, compare, and report quickly

A new software product from Geomagic advances the developer’s 3D software for creating and inspecting digital models of physical objects to work with various hard probe precision measurement devices from hardware suppliers, including FARO, Creaform, Hexagon, and Nikon, among others.

The Geomagic Qualify Probe lets users employ touch probes, portable CMM arms, and similar equipment to measure physical parts quickly and compare them with CAD models to determine manufacturing quality. The method will work for first-article inspection (FAI) and in-line product inspection, as well as supplier management. The software is user friendly and affordable, the developer said, but among the most powerful in its category. Working from insights gained from the built-in probing capabilities of Geomagic Qualify 3D inspection software, the new Geomagic Qualify Probe software includes redesigned device and HMI interfaces that make it intuitive for users.

Geomagic Qualify also brings automated reporting tools, the developer said, along with free CAD-data importers for native formats of CATIA, Autodesk Inventor, NX, SolidWorks and Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER.)

Geomagic Qualify Probe software connects the Geomagic Qualify 3D inspection software with users’ touch probes, portable CMM arms, and similar equipment to measure physical parts and compare the results with CAD data.

“Geomagic Qualify Probe will enable us to rapidly expand our productivity and accuracy when using hard probed data, and it includes truly outstanding reporting tools that now have ‘focus’ and ‘magnify’ functions,“ stated Schneider-Electric’s process improvement specialist, Rus Emerick. “The direct CAD importers now mean our inspection professionals can work directly with the MCAD models from design engineers, without having to purchase expensive additional options or asking for files to be converted to vendor-neutral formats.”

Measurements collected and evaluated using Geomagic Qualify Probe can be published via integrated reporting tools, including 3D color-mapped models to illustrate deviations over an entire model, evaluation of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD&T) callouts, profile curves and user-defined annotations. Reports published in PDF format can include a live 3D model so that everyone in the supply chain can easily comprehend the inspection results.

Using the same user interface and with file format compatibility, Geomagic Qualify Probe users can migrate to Geomagic Qualify to add full scanning and point-cloud handling capability when they add a scanning accessory to their compatible hard-probe equipment.

"Geomagic Qualify Probe brings a whole new dimension of productivity to the Geomagic software product line,” according to Exact Metrology application engineer Kris Bowers. “With the broadly enhanced functionality and features like the new Quick Probe option, teamed with a very affordable price point, Geomagic Qualify Probe is poised to become a key solution for companies looking to perform tactile measurements out on the shop floor."

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