Clearance Coordinate System

The Clearance CS Manager is a tool that allows you to build clearance coordinate systems around your part where you can move your probe without interfering with the part preventing accidental probe trips. The Clearance CS tool is most often used when creating auto features such as lines and circles.

There can be any number of Clearance CSs created, but only 1 can be active at any time. The Clearance CS contains 3 base planes and an origin. They have the same composition as any Part Coordinate System.

To start the Clearance CS tool, click on the <Clearance CS> button from any auto-feature tool, see figure 1, or from the PCS drop down menu, [PCS→Build Clearance CS].

figure 1, CCS Tools within a Feature Generator	figure 2, CCS Setup Tool

In figure 2, we have two display lists, one identified as Available Coordinate Systems (PCS) the second Available Clearance Plane CS. The first list as defined shows all PCSs in your current inspection. The second list shows all created Clearance CSs already associated with the inspection.

figure 3, Selecting an Existing PCS	figure 4, Clearance CS to PCS Relationship

To create a Clearance CS, start by highlighting a PCS in the available list, see figure 3 where PCS #1 is highlighted. Click the <Select PCS> button or double click on the PCS name in the list. Control will pass to the "Offset / Translate Values" group allowing you to enter XYZ offset values. These values should be carefully understood, as they will directly affect the motion of your system. The 1-2-3 block example in figure 4 , shows that the Part Coordinate System is established on the top surface and lower left corner.

We will enter offset values of:

X Offset: -0.500

Y Offset: 2.500

Z Offset: 0.500

After entering the values, press the <Create> button and a new Clearance CS will appear in the list with the next available number. As shown in figure 4, the Clearance CS has its origin outside the part creating three planes that will allow motion within those planes that will not intrude into the part.

You can create as many Clearance CSs that are required to provide zone transition planes around your part and any fixtures being used.

Translate allows you to quickly take an existing Clearance CS and create a new Clearance CS based on XYZ Offset values. To illustrate, we will take Clearance CS #1 and create a second Clearance CS 3.000" in the –Y direction. Start by highlighting the name "Clearance CS #1", the current values will display in the Offset / Translate Group. Edit the XYZ translation values to:

X Offset: -0.000

Y Offset: -3.000

Z Offset: 0.000

Press the <Translate> button and a new Clearance CS is created and entered into the available list.

This feature allows you to update the current offset values for an existing Clearance CS. In some cases it may be required to extend an offset for better motion path generation. To update an existing Clearance CS, highlight that Clearance CS in the list and when the current entered values are displayed in the Offset / Translate Group, you can then edit them. Make the changes to the Clearance CS by pressing The <Update> button.

NOTE: Any feature that currently uses the Clearance CS being updated will have all motion relating to the Clearance CS updated automatically.

Deleting a Clearance CS will remove all references to the clearance planes defined in the selected Clearance CS. To delete, highlight the name in the Available Clearance Plane CS list. Click on the button <Delete> and it will be removed permanently from the inspection program.

NOTE: Any features that refer to the deleted Clearance CS must be reviewed and corrected manually.

This feature will remove all Clearance CSs from you part program. Caution should be taken when using this feature. If your part program has any Auto-IPs, they will lose reference to the Clearance CS and motion behavior can be greatly affected.

NOTE: Unlike Part Coordinate Systems, Clearance CSs contain relative offset values based on a recalculated PCS. Every time a part inspection is performed, any PCSs are rebuilt based on current features. Clearance CS are then build against the assigned PCS and therefore it is considered dynamic during the part inspection.

Activating a Clearance CS will allow all other editing tools to use the clearance planes defined in the Clearance CS. To set it active, highlight the name in the Available Clearance Plane CS list. To change its status, click on the button <(de)Activate> .