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To create a Compound Ellipse item

Use the Compound Ellipse item to create a combined ellipse and reference plane item. You must measure a minimum of four points distributed around the circumference of the ellipse, and a minimum of three points for the plane.

To create a Compound Ellipse item:

  1. Open a Geometric group in the Sequence Tree.
  2. Click Geometry tab > Features panel > Ellipses > Compound Ellipse.
Note: Compound items are available only when creating inspections for CNC and Manual machines.

The Compound Ellipse dialog contains the following areas:

Name — Enter a name for the item. The name is used in the inspection sequence, in the Report and Info tabs, and when referencing the item in other items.

Use nominals — Select this check box to enter or change the item nominals, and to compare the item measurements to their nominal values. Deselect this check box to disable comparisons with the item nominals.

When this check box is selected, an in-tolerance or out-of-tolerance indicator is displayed on the measured item's icon in the inspection sequence; the border of the item label is coloured to indicate whether the measurements are within tolerance; and the tolerance, nominal, deviation, and error values of the item are shown in the report.

When this check box is deselected, the Nominal boxes are disabled, no tolerance indicators are displayed and no tolerance, nominal, deviation, and error values are shown in the report for this item.

Note: To replace the nominals with the results saved in the current Measure, click and select From Active Measure.

Visible — Select this check box to display the item in the CAD view.

Output in report — Select this check box to include the item in the report.

Coordinate system — Select the alignment relative to which the item's measurements are to be reported.

To specify the alignment during the inspection, select <Active Alignment>. You can then select the alignment from the Active alignment list, or by adding an Active Alignment item to the inspection sequence.

Start angle — Enter the start position of the feature relative to the Main axis.

End angle — Enter the end position of the feature relative to the Main axis.

Note: The start and end angles control the display of the item in the CAD view and in full-screen measurement.

Material side — Choose the side from which you want to probe the feature. Select:

    • Hole (ID) to probe an internal feature.
    • Boss (OD) to probe an external feature.
    • Not specified to leave the probing direction unrestricted.
Note: Hole (ID) - Only for CNC and Boss (OD) - Only for CNC provide backwards compatibility for items created in previous versions of PowerInspect. You cannot select these options when creating new items.

Centre — Enter the nominal and tolerances for the position of the feature's centre point.

Major axis length — Enter the nominal and tolerances for the length of the feature's longest axis.

Minor axis length — Enter the nominal and tolerances for the length of the feature's shortest axis.

Profile — Enter the Maximum difference between the points with greatest positive deviation and greatest negative deviation from the best-fit ellipse. If the difference between the greatest positive deviation and the greatest negative deviation exceeds the Maximum value, the profile is out-of-tolerance.

Normal vector — Enter the nominal and tolerances for the normal vector of the plane.

Main axis — Enter the nominal and tolerances for the orientation of the major axis.

Auto-accept plane points — Select the check box to save the plane measurements as soon as you have probed the number of points specified in the Points box.

Auto-accept ellipse points — Select the check box to save the ellipse measurements as soon as you have probed the number of points specified in the Points box.

Deselect a check box to choose how many points to probe and save your measurements manually.

Guided measure — Select this check box to restrict the probed points to the reference plane when measuring the feature with an articulated arm. Only points taken within the Capture tolerance (specified in the Feature Probing dialog) are recorded. To adjust the plane along its normal, such as when probing a hole, enter an Offset distance. This check box has no effect when probing the part with a CMM.

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes.

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