Cloud-to-CAD / Curve Deviation

Cloud-to-CAD / Curve Deviation

Cloud-to-CAD is a very powerful reporting tool and allows data to be reported in many different ways.  As the name implies, a CAD model is required to report a surface profile.
For all examples, the following CAD model, datum structures, and clouds were used.

A single "line" of points is used for these examples, but since Cloud-to-CAD is a Cloud-to-Surface report, the supplied cloud could consist of any valid combination of multiple lines or random points in a cloud.

Creating a report

The Cloud-to-CAD report dialog is accessed by selecting the Cloud-to-CAD icon from the Report Ribbon Tab.


The Cloud-to-CAD reporting dialog is then displayed.


In all cases, the user must select the appropriate cloud(s) to be reported.  These may be picked from CAD or by using drag-n-drop from the feature list.  Normally, the appropriate CAD Surfaces will be auto-selected.


Several examples will be shown using different configurations to demonstrate how the data is displayed for each type of settings.

Adding Notes

A note may be added to the report header describing various information such as the datums used or maybe print balloon or key characteristic numbers.


The note is displayed in the report header for the feature being reported.

Deviation

In the case of a "free-form" surface, the user would normally select a 3D deviation report.  For planar surfaces, X, Y, and/or Z could be selected instead.
Select the 3D checkbox and enter the tolerances to be use to report point deviations.


The following report will be displayed.

  1. The individual point data is displayed in table format.  Each line includes the individual point deviation as well as a tolerance bar-graph at the end of the line.  The deviation is the 3D distance from the actual point to the nearest point in any direction on the selected CAD surface(s), not the distance to the original target point.  In the case of X, Y, and/or Z, the deviation would be the distance to the nearest CAD surface along the selected axis.
  2. The Max, Min, and RMS deviation values are displayed.
  3. Since there is no overall profile tolerance supplied, the largest of the absolute value of either the Max or Min deviation x2 is displayed here.
By selecting the Report Dev I-J-K checkbox, the IJK values can also be displayed.  Careful consideration should be made to what is displayed.  Selecting X, Y, Z, 3D, and IJK will result in 7 lines of data for each point.

Profile

Select the Profile Tol. checkbox to report the toleranced profile value.


The following report will be displayed.


Using the supplied tolerance range:
  1. If there is no violation of the tolerance zone, the largest of the absolute value of either the Max or Min deviation is displayed along with a tolerance bar graph.
  2. If either tolerance is violated, the value which violated the tolerance is displayed as well as the amount that value exceeds the tolerance zone.

Combined Deviation and Profile

Select both 3D (or X, Y, Z if desired) and Profile Tolerance.  The resulting report will be exactly the same as the Deviation report except the Profile will now indicate the toleranced values and a bar graph.  It is the combination of both the Deviation and Profile report formats.


The following report will be displayed.

  1. The individual point data is displayed in table format.  Each line includes the individual point deviation as well as a tolerance bar-graph at the end of the line.  The deviation is the 3D distance from the actual point to the nearest point in any direction on the selected CAD surface(s), not the distance to the original target point.  In the case of X, Y, and/or Z, the deviation would be the distance to the nearest CAD surface along the selected axis.
  2. The Max, Min, and RMS deviation values are displayed.
  3. Using the supplied tolerance range:
    1. If there is no violation of the tolerance zone, the largest of the absolute value of either the Max or Min deviation is displayed along with a tolerance bar graph.
    2. If either tolerance is violated, the value which violated the tolerance is displayed as well as the amount that value exceeds the tolerance zone.

Best Fit

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