Method and apparatus for generating part programs for use in image-measuring instruments, and image-measuring instrument and method of displaying measured results therefrom

• US 6,968,080 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Inventors: Takada, Akira, Ariga, Kozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kanjibhai
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US09/852,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 382/152, 382/153, 382/203, 382/291, 382/199, 702/155, 702/156, 702/158, 702/167, 706/45, 706/46, 706/47, 356/495, 356/496, 356/600, 356/394, 356/625, 356/601, 700/182, 700/175, 700/173, 700/174, 250/251.1, 250/559.08, 250/559.33, 451/9, 451/6
• US Class Current: 382/152
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

A method of generating a part program for use in an image-measuring system and in an image-measuring instrument is provided. The method can be employed easily by an operator without complicated operations to efficiently generate a part program for a CNC image-measuring instrument. This method facilitates the operator to visually identify a work to be measured, through reading CAD data of the work; setting measurement conditions and a positioning coordinate system; calculating a size of the work when it is practically imaged; and displaying an image of the CAD data with the same size. Then, through setting tolerance information; and selecting an objective graphic to be measured, an edge detection tool is placed for a graphic element of the objective graphic selected. Further, through performing a process to accommodate as many edge detection tools in a determination circle as possible; generating a part program only requiring the least stage movements; performing a practical measurement; checking an image obtained from the measured data with an image obtained from the CAD data, information such as an error from a design value can be displayed on a screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a part program with description of measurement procedures to be used in an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said apparatus comprising:

a work data input means for reading work data of said work;

a display means for graphically displaying said work data read by said input means;

a graphic selection means for selecting a graphic corresponding to an element to be measured in said work among said work data displayed by said display means;

a measurement condition setting means for previously setting measurement conditions containing a generation condition on an edge detection tool applicable to each graphic type; and

a part program generation means for generating an edge detection tool corresponding to said each selected graphic based on said measurement conditions set in said setting means, and for generating a part program containing an edge detection command by said generated edge detection tool.

2. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said part program generation means determines a position and direction of said edge detection tool based on vector data of said each selected graphic, and determines a length and number of said edge detection tool(s) based on an edge detection tool generation condition with respect to that graphic.

3. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, further comprising an editing means for editing said edge detection tool placed by said generated part program, wherein said display means graphically displays said work data by the same magnification as that of an image to be imaged during an operation of editing said edge detection tool by said editing means.

4. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said measurement condition setting means sets tolerance information for tolerance checking per said element to be measured, and said part program generation means records tolerance information for tolerance checking in said part program based on said tolerance information set by said measurement condition setting means.

5. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said measurement condition setting means sets an auto-focus execution condition for allowing said image-measuring instrument to execute an auto-focusing operation, and said part program generation means records an auto-focus command in said part program based on said auto-focus execution condition set by said measurement condition setting means.

6. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said part program generation means sets a determination area, for generating an edge detection tool, in a display area for image information obtained by practically imaging said work, describing said edge detection command based on said generated edge detection tool in said part program only if an edge detection tool generated in accordance with said edge detection tool generation condition set by said measurement condition setting means is contained in said determination area, and alarm displaying and terminating to generate edge detection tools if said generated edge detection tool is not contained in said determination area.

7. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said measurement condition setting means sets primary and secondary candidates of edge detection tools generated per each graphic type as edge detection tool generation conditions, said part program generation means sets a determination area, for generating an edge detection tool, in a display area for image information obtained by practically imaging said work, describing said edge detection command based on said generated edge detection tool in said part program only if an edge detection tool generated in accordance with said primary candidate of said edge detection tool generation condition set by said measurement condition setting means is contained in said determination area, and generating said edge detection tool of said secondary candidate if said generated edge detection tool is not contained in said determination area.

8. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said part program generation means generates a part program, when a plurality of edge detection tools are contained in a certain determination area set in a display area for image information obtained by practically imaging said work, so as to allow said plurality of edge detection tools to successively execute edge detection commands without any stage movement in said image-measuring instrument.

9. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 8, wherein said part program generation means generates a part program containing a stage movement command that allows the greatest number of edge detection tools to be contained in said determination area.

10. The apparatus for generating a part program according to claim 1, wherein said work data comprises CAD data of or image data of said work.

11. A method of generating a part program with description of measurement procedures to be used in an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said method comprising:

reading work data of said work;

graphically displaying said work data read;

generating an edge detection tool, for a graphic corresponding to an element to be measured in said work selected by a selection operation among said work data displayed, based on said measurement conditions containing a generation condition on an edge detection tool applicable to each graphic type previously set; and

generating a part program containing an edge detection command by said generated edge detection tool.

12. A medium for recording a part program generator for generating a part program with description of measurement procedures to be used in an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said part program generator comprising the steps of:

reading work data of said work;

graphically displaying said work data read at said step of reading;

selecting a graphic corresponding to an element to be measured in said work among said work data displayed at said step of displaying;

previously setting measurement conditions containing a generation condition on an edge detection tool applicable to each graphic type; and

generating an edge detection tool corresponding to said each selected graphic based on said measurement conditions set at said step of setting, and generating a part program containing an edge detection command by said generated edge detection tool.

13. A program stored on a computer readable medium for generating a part program with description of measurement procedures to be used in an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said part program generator comprising the steps of:

reading work data of said work;

graphically displaying said work data read at said step of reading;

selecting a graphic corresponding to an element to be measured in said work among said work data displayed at said step of displaying;

previously setting measurement conditions containing a generation condition on an edge detection tool applicable to each graphic type; and

generating an edge detection tool corresponding to said each selected graphic based on said measurement conditions set at said step of setting, and generating a part program containing an edge detection command by said generated edge detection tool.

14. An image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, comprising:

a part program input means for reading a part program with description of measurement procedures containing CAD data corresponding to said work;

a part program execution means for executing said part program read by said part program input means to obtain a measured result for each element to be measured in said work;

a graphic information generation means for generating graphic information of said measured result for each element to be measured, based on said measured result obtained by said part program execution means; and

a display means for displaying graphic information of said measured result generated by said graphic information generation means and graphic information as a design value in the corresponding CAD data, superimposing them in an identifiable form.

15. The image-measuring instrument according to claim 14, wherein said display means numerically displays, in the proximity of said graphic information of said measured result and said graphic information as said design value, error information on both graphic information.

16. A method of displaying a measured result from an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, comprising:

executing a part program with description of measurement procedures containing CAD data corresponding to said work to obtain a measured result for each element to be measured in said work;

generating graphic information of said measured result for each element to be measured, based on said measured result; and

displaying graphic information of said measured result and graphic information as a design value in the corresponding CAD data, superimposing them in an identifiable form.

17. A medium for storing a program of displaying measured results from an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said program comprising the steps of:

reading a part program with description of measurement procedures containing CAD data corresponding to said work;

executing said part program read at said step of reading to obtain a measured result for each element to be measured in said work;

generating graphic information of said measured result for said each element to be measured, based on said measured result obtained at said step of executing; and

displaying graphic information of said measured result generated at said step of generating and graphic information as a design value in the corresponding CAD data, superimposing them in an identifiable form.

18. A program stored on a computer readable medium for displaying measured results from an image-measuring instrument for measuring a work based on image data obtained by imaging said work, said program comprising the steps of:

reading a part program with description of measurement procedures containing CAD data corresponding to said work;

executing said part program at said step of reading to obtain a measured result for each element to be measured in said work;

generating graphic information of said measured result for each element to be measured, based on said measured result obtained at said step of executing; and

displaying graphic information of said measured result generated at said step of generating and graphic information as a design value in the corresponding CAD data, superimposing them in an identifiable form.