Get the alignment right

Inspecting and analyzing a measured part is only possible if the digitized data is properly positioned and oriented in 3D. Typically, a measured part is aligned to its nominal CAD model to enable the extraction and comparison of nominal and measured dimensions. It can also be assembled virtually to the surrounding mating parts in order to check for interference issues or to analyze flush and gap deviations.

PolyWorks|Inspector offers a broad range of part alignment techniques that let users construct alignments with:

• Surfaces or cross-sections (measured-to-nominal best-fit, constrainable in rotation/translation, and within tolerance zone)
• Features (3-2-1, pairs of center points, and GD&T datum reference frames)
• Reference points and lines (RPS, surface points, and six-point nest)
• Virtual gauges (caliper, flush & gap, and airfoil)

Generate updateable reports

PolyWorks|Inspector provides an outstanding updateable reporting technology that guarantees the exactness of a report and dramatically accelerates multipiece inspection.

Report items, such as 3D scene screenshots and result tables, are automatically updated if a project is altered. You can modify the parameters of a project, or replace the measured data points of the current piece by the data points from a new piece, knowing that the entire inspection report will automatically be updated.

Share inspection results

The PolyWorks|Viewer enables your colleagues, managers, and suppliers to review your inspection projects in 3D.

Manufacture from polygonal models

The first step in a reverse-engineering workflow consists in transforming digitized point clouds into a polygonal model, an operation also called “meshing”. Sophisticated data-processing techniques, including point smoothing and curvature-based sampling, can be applied to raw point clouds during the meshing phase. As a result, polygonal models tend to be more compact, more accurate, and less noisy in comparison to the raw measurements.

Several industrial applications are capable of directly handling polygonal model representations. For example, polygonal models can be either directly milled, built using a 3D printer, or input into aerodynamic simulation software. PolyWorks|Modeler provides two categories of polygon-editing tools to prepare polygonal models for these applications:

• A first set of tools is designed to repair and optimize imperfectly digitized geometry. For example, it may be necessary to interpolate new polygons over unmeasured areas to create a complete surface representation.
• A second set of tools offers CAD operations on polygonal models, such as extrusion, offset, fillet, and Boolean operations.

Build solid CAD models from optimized geometric entities

The solid modeling philosophy of PolyWorks|Modeler consists in optimizing the extraction of geometric entities on digitized polygonal models, and then transferring these entities to your corporate feature-based solid CAD modeler to guarantee the creation of parametric, associative, and fully editable solid models.

A fundamental building block in a solid modeling workflow is the parametric 2D sketch. 2D sketches consist in planar entities, such as arcs, lines, circles, and splines, defined on a plane embedded in 3D space. In solid-modeling software, sketches are used to create solid base features by performing Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, and Loft operations. Sketches are created by:

1. Defining a sketch plane
2. Computing a sketch outline by slicing cross-sections of the digitized model or extracting its silhouette edge
3. Anchoring and fitting sketch entities and dimensions, guided by the sketch outline

The parametric sketches are then transferred to the solid CAD modeler by using add-ins (for CATIA, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, and Inventor) or a neutral format (IGES). You can then combine the sketches and fitted NURBS surfaces, use the dimensions from fitted prismatic geometry, and design the solid model you want—all done directly in the professional CAD solution that you’re most familiar with. The solid modeling possibilities are unlimited with PolyWorks|Modeler, so let your creativity lead the way!

Bring PolyWorks into the palm of your hand

The PolyWorks|Talisman app runs on mobile computing devices and communicates with PolyWorks through a Wi-Fi connection. A major benefit of the app is its capability to remotely control PolyWorks. While being in front of their part, operators can directly connect to their probing or laser-scanning device, configure measurement modes and parameters, launch a probing operation, and perform typical probing actions, such as measuring a point, ending object probing, deleting the last probed point, or reprobing an object.

Total confidentiality guaranteed

PolyWorks|Talisman is designed to guarantee total confidentiality under all circumstances:

• No proprietary information saved on the mobile device
• Encrypted communication
• No connection to Internet or any other computer
• Possibility to explicitly restrict usage to a predefined list of mobile device IDs

PolyWorks|Talisman offers ultimate security characteristics required for ultraconfidential setups.