Inspect Surface reference

Fusion Manufacturing Extension

This feature is part of an extension. Extensions are a flexible way to access additional capabilities in Fusion. Learn more.

Use the Inspect dialog to specify the details of an Inspect Surface operation.

Manufacture > Inspection > Probing > Inspect Surface inspect surface icon

The dialog contains the following settings:

Tool

Click Select to open the Select Tool dialog, where you can find and select a probe.

Tip: A selection of sample probes is available in the All > Samples > Sample Probes folder.

Defines the speed of the probe during link moves, which are performed before and after the probe leads in and then touches the part. Link moves are displayed in yellow on the canvas.

link move

Lead-In Feedrate

Defines the speed of the probe during lead moves, which are performed before and after the probe touches the part. Lead moves are displayed in green on the canvas.

lead move

Note: Increasing the Lead-In Feedrate does not change the accuracy of the measurements, as it does not affect the measure moves. However, the value can cause false triggers if the acceleration and deceleration of the machine is too high, triggering the probe.

Measure Feedrate

Defines the speed of the probe during measure moves, which is when the probe touches the part. Measure moves are displayed in blue on the canvas.

measure move

Note: The Measure Feedrate must match the calibration feedrate on the machine to ensure best accuracy.

Tool Orientation

Select an option to determine how the probe is oriented.

Positions

Click positions on the CAD model on the canvas to specify the contact points that are to be probed. Arrows are displayed on the model and their positions reflect the surface normal.

To reposition a contact point, click and drag the corresponding point on the model.

select point example

To delete a contact point, hold the Shift key and click the corresponding point on the model.

Order

Lets you choose the order that the specified contact points are probed.

You can have the points probed in the order that you created them. Or choose an optimized order that minimizes the distance that the probe travels along the X and Y axes. If you choose an optimized order and you create, reposition, or delete a point, the order is automatically updated.

order

Example of Order by Selection (left) and Optimize XY Travel (right).

Reverse Order

Swaps around the order that the specified contact points are probed, so that the point that is probed first is instead probed last.

Surface Offset

Enter a positive or negative value to compensate for surface thickness. This offset is applied normal to the surface at the contact points, with positive values in the direction of the probe.

A value of 0 measures contact points at the surface.

Upper Tolerance and Lower Tolerance

Enter a positive or negative value to specify the acceptable range of deviation of the measured contact points from the Surface Offset.

When the inspection results are imported, any measured contact points outside the tolerance range are considered out of tolerance and any points within the range are considered in tolerance.

Approach

Enter a value to specify the distance from the surface normal where the probe starts to approach the surface at the Measure Feedrate. By default, Approach is twice the probe diameter.

approach example

Overtravel

Enter a value to specify the maximum distance the probe can move beyond the expected contact point and still record a measurement.

If no contact is made within this distance, the probe returns an invalid measurement.

overtravel example

Heights

The different heights for the probe.

Tip: When you select a From option other than Selection, you can click and drag the heights on the canvas.

gif

Clearance Height

The first height that the tool moves to on its way to the start of probing and the point that it returns to after the process is finished. This position can be defined in reference to the stock, the model, another reference, or a user-selected position. The height is shown in orange.

probe clearance height

From defines the reference for the Clearance Height:

Offset is a shift relative to the From selection. Enter a value, or drag the orange height on the canvas.

Retract Height

Sets the height used between probing individual contact points. The height is shown in dark green.

probe retract height

From defines the reference for the Retract Height:

Offset is a shift relative to the From selection. Enter a value, or drag the dark green height on the canvas.

Out of Position

When enabled, instructs the CNC machine to stop probing and display a message on the controller when a measured contact point is out of tolerance. Evaluation of surface inspection results at the controller provides real-time verification.

When deselected, no action is taken.

Note: To view inspection results in Fusion, you must import the machine-generated results file.

Clearance and retract heights and approach and overtravel distances

heights speeds example

1 Clearance Height

2 Retract Height

3 Approach

4 Overtravel