Aberlink CAD Comparison0 pages

Aberlink 3D
CAD Comparison
…sometimes measuring to CAD is the only solution.
Aberlink 3D geometric measurement software has become the industry standard, easy-to-use software when
geometric features need to be measured against a drawing. However, sometimes components also contain
complex surfaces, or maybe conventional drawings for a component simply don’t exist. In this situation the
only way to inspect a part maybe against its CAD model.
Aberlink’s CAD comparison module
allows users of the Aberlink 3D
software to import a solid model from
CAD in either a STEP or an IGES
format, and then take measurements
using the CAD model as master
data. This can be done on either a
manual CMM or in full CNC mode.
The solid model appears in an
additional floating window on top of
the main Aberlink 3D screen. The
user can manipulate the view of the
model by rotating, zooming, panning
or simply use the buttons provided to
produce a standard isometric view,
one of six 2D views, or alternatively
up to three custom views that can be
saved as required.

Alignment of the part to the CAD model can be done in a number of ways using either geometric features, or
by best-fitting through measured points on the component’s surface, or by a combination of both methods.

Having aligned to the CAD model, any points taken in any measured feature will now appear in the CAD
window. These points will be displayed as a colour-coded dot on the model, and can either have a line
leading to a box showing the error of the measured point, or alternatively the length of the attached line can
be proportional to the error. In this way it is easy to visualise the distortion of a surface relative to the
theoretical model.

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