Moving Into Quality 4.0 with Off-line CMM Programming

Powerful and intuitive, Metrologic Group’s Silma X4 software is an off-line programming tool that allows manufacturing organizations to enter into the Industry 4.0 era due to different advanced coordinate measuring machine (CMM) simulation modules.

Perfect for volume production, especially in automotive and aerospace industries, Silma X4 and its Path Planning module meet the need to simplify, streamline and optimize CMM inspection process. Silma X4 allows measurement programs are creating automatically and hands-free.

Optimized Productivity and Programming Time Savings

Based on years of programming experience, Silma X4 allows to simulate a complete measurement cycle without immobilizing the measuring system. With no downtime during the programming time, the CMM keeps performing its measuring tasks, saving considerable time and resources.

Fully integrated into the measurement process and thanks to its digital twin technology, the tool allows the user to project himself into the complete 3D measurement environment. Measuring systems behavior are simulated as in reality including kinematics of motorized heads, probe change sequence using tool changers, laser line visibility check with the camera of the optical sensor, cloud density according to sensor capability. Ensuring the detection of potential collisions during the inspection, Silma X4 offers powerful automatic avoidance capability.

In a universal approach, Silma X4 allows to program any CMM and to simulate several types of measuring cell configurations, with more than 700 CMM models integrated. It is also compatible with several programming types including Native DMIS and MgProg, and all native industrials CAD formats with PMI data fully supported.

Saving Time and Collisions With Path Planning Advanced Module

For existing Silma X4 users, the advanced Path Planning module allows the programmer to reduce programming time by up to 40% compared to traditional offline programming. This additional module is intended to facilitate the programming by optimizing the measurement system trajectory. For more safety, the module identifies potential collisions (collision free), and autonomously generates an optimized avoidance path to avoid damage to the measuring devices.

Path Planning also provides an automatic probe orientation assistance to ensure the reachability of the different features of the measured part, and manages automatically probe changing when a tool changer is available.

Intelligent Measurement Process 4.0 With PMI-Oriented Path Planning

CAD included PMI combined with Path Planning provides savings of up to 60% of total programming time. Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) avoids any input problems and ensures consistency between the different departments for a fully confident inspection. No more programmer errors or interpretations: Using Metrolog X4, all of the PMI information is extracted in just one click.

For more information: www.metrologic.group