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Mitutoyo America Corp. introduced the MiCAT Planner automatic measurement program generation software that uses 3D CAD models and product and manufacturing information (PMI) to enable one-click automated generation of measurement programs. With this new program, a complex program that previously would have taken five hours to complete manually can now be completed in 15 minutes.
Aerospace, defense and medical device manufacturers will realize significant savings in time and money by making the automatic measurement program generation software MiCAT Planner a part of their digital product definition strategy.
"Mitutoyo's MiCAT Planner software is changing the relationship between people and precision measurement with one click," said Larry Maggiano, senior systems analyst at Mitutoyo America. "Our software program reduces programming time by up to 95 percent, compared with programming using general-purpose software, for a significant potential increase in the efficiency of measurement processes."
MiCAT Planner bypasses the old drawing-based method to directly generate and execute a model-based workflow. "The coordinate measuring machine is configurable virtually," Maggiano said. "A model-based definition (MBD) is imported, a set of rules is applied and matched to the configured CMM, and a measurement plan is generated. With one mouse click, a final probe path optimization is performed to reduce the number of probe changes and to minimize CMM movement to the lowest possible cycle time, and that part program is then automatically generated."
Benefits of MiCAT Planner:
• Streamlined processes
• Improved productivity
• Reduced manufacturing costs
• Enhanced traceability
• Companies can realize up to a 95-percent savings in time compared to drawing-based methods
• Component manufacturers receive a single CAD file and complete all the necessary steps to build and inspect a part
• All pertinent features and characteristics are transferred into the inspection software, reducing the risk of misinterpretation
• Discrepancies arising from differences between the drawing and the CAD model are eliminated
• CMM configurations can be changed at any point
• Workflow automation
• Part measurement consistency
Related Glossary Terms
- computer-aided design ( CAD)
computer-aided design ( CAD)
Product-design functions performed with the help of computers and special software.
- precision machining ( precision measurement)
precision machining ( precision measurement)
Machining and measuring to exacting standards. Four basic considerations are: dimensions, or geometrical characteristics such as lengths, angles and diameters of which the sizes are numerically specified; limits, or the maximum and minimum sizes permissible for a specified dimension; tolerances, or the total permissible variations in size; and allowances, or the prescribed differences in dimensions between mating parts.
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