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We've got the go ahead to purchase a new DCC CMM. Since it's such a large purchase, I'd love to get feedback from you guys as for what to look out for, and to separate truth from sales-guy speak. Size-wise, I'm looking at something as large as our biggest CNC, which would be a 1000x2100x600mm CMM. We've checked out a Zeiss Contura G2 w/ the active scanning VAST XT head, but getting quotes from their local reseller & sales guy has been like pulling teeth (can I be the customer for once?!! Please?). If the service is like this now, I can't imagine what it'd be like after we've bought the machine...
Accuracy specs for that size machine are 1.9+300/L microns for length and probing error, 3.0 for scanning, and 1.9 for form (catalog shows that it's per ISO 10360-2, -4, and ISO 12181, but I'm not familiar with those specs yet). We'd be getting Calypso software w/ an offline seat for programming, and also the curve add-on. The demo we were given was OK, but I managed to stump the reseller's engineer several times, so it seems like it's not too user friendly (not that I know anything different).
A comparable machine from Wenzel would be the LH 10.20.8 Series with the Renishaw SP25M scanning head (1.9 + L/350 for volume, and 2.5 for scanning, so slightly better accuracy). Wenzel makes a big deal about their OpenDMIS software, and how the error tables are open vs proprietary (so only a Zeiss tech could adjust). We haven't had that demo yet, but we'll see. We don't have many solid models (our CNC programs are generated from Mastercam in 2.5D mostly), so we'll be making programs from scratch as we inspect. Not having used either Calypso or Open-DMIS at all, I'm not really able to see the weaknesses of either.
The CMM would be in our inspection department, we have a good, clean air supply. This is our first DCC CMM (have a manual now, with Metronics QC5000 software that I'm not thrilled about), and I just want to make sure I'm aware of everything that I need to be (i.e. I don't want to regret my decision a year from now!).
Thanks for any help!
Accuracy specs for that size machine are 1.9+300/L microns for length and probing error, 3.0 for scanning, and 1.9 for form (catalog shows that it's per ISO 10360-2, -4, and ISO 12181, but I'm not familiar with those specs yet). We'd be getting Calypso software w/ an offline seat for programming, and also the curve add-on. The demo we were given was OK, but I managed to stump the reseller's engineer several times, so it seems like it's not too user friendly (not that I know anything different).
A comparable machine from Wenzel would be the LH 10.20.8 Series with the Renishaw SP25M scanning head (1.9 + L/350 for volume, and 2.5 for scanning, so slightly better accuracy). Wenzel makes a big deal about their OpenDMIS software, and how the error tables are open vs proprietary (so only a Zeiss tech could adjust). We haven't had that demo yet, but we'll see. We don't have many solid models (our CNC programs are generated from Mastercam in 2.5D mostly), so we'll be making programs from scratch as we inspect. Not having used either Calypso or Open-DMIS at all, I'm not really able to see the weaknesses of either.
The CMM would be in our inspection department, we have a good, clean air supply. This is our first DCC CMM (have a manual now, with Metronics QC5000 software that I'm not thrilled about), and I just want to make sure I'm aware of everything that I need to be (i.e. I don't want to regret my decision a year from now!).
Thanks for any help!