VR
BUILDING BLOCKS
A VR-5000 Training Workbook
Introduction
This workbook was developed to give new users a simple start to mastering the VR-5000 system, give seasoned users a
refresher, or act as a reference booklet for long time users
None of the modules in this workbook are meant to be comprehensive manuals for the system; the official VR-5000 User
Manuals provided with your system go in-depth for every button, setting, parameter and measurement for the system. If
you run into a question that isn’t answered in this book, feel free to reach out to your sales representative or the VR Support
Team
It is highly recommended that you go through this workbook in order. The “Building Blocks” title is a very intentional one (not
just because Legos are easy to scan). Like a stack of legos, each of these modules and tools build off of the one before it.
FAQ’s
“Do we still get onsite support?”
Absolutely.
This workbook was created to supplement Keyence standard support- in no way shape or form to replace it. This document is
great for new users, questions that might not require an on-site visit, reference, etc.
“My company doesn’t make Legos. How does this help me?”
Completely understand. Your company likely didn’t purchase a top of the line metrology tool to measure children’s toys. That
being said – the time to value of the tool speeds up dramatically the faster you can comfortably operate the tool. The tools
taught in this workbook are the same ones you’ll use on your parts when you’re ready to go.
Side note: New Keyence employees on the VR train with bananas, quarters, & pen caps to start with. (not to mention Legos)
“When can I start running programs?”
Theoretically, at the end of this sentence – but it’s going to be difficult if you start without knowing how to take your
measurements first. It’s highly recommended that you go through the basics in this workbook before you start making
programs. There’s actually a Programming module at the end of this document!
Table of Contents
Viewer
How to take a scan; Magnifications; Getting around the stage; Measurement Settings
Analyzer
Reference Plane; Brief overview of tools; Layout of the Analyzer; Assist Tools
Profile
Taking a profile; Workflow
Plane
2D Measurements
Roughness
Explanation of Roughness; ISO Standards; Surface vs. Line Roughness
Avg. Step (Flatness)
Flatness; Best Practices; VR Flatness vs. CMM
Volume & Area
Volumetric Measurements; Plane Angles; Area/Surface Ratios
Inspection/Programming
Basics of making an inspection protocol
VR Building Blocks
VIEWER
The Viewer - Overview
• The Viewer is the starting point for any
and everything done with the VR
• From the Viewer you can take scans,
images, change measurement settings,
begin writing program logic, etc.
• Understanding how to use the viewer well
is one of the first steps to mastering the
VR
The next page shows the overall layout of the
Viewer
Switch between
magnifications within
lens sets
Toggle between
Low & High Mag
lens sets
Auto Focus (uses
center of Field of
View)
Change settings of the
VR camera (color,
brightness, etc.)
Maintenance Options – rarely needed
day-to-day
Manually adjust Z-focus
level.
•
•
Single Arrow: Small adjustments
Double Arrow: Large adjustments
For scanning
3D data
Return to VR
start screen
For imaging
(sometimes called
“microscope
mode”)
•
•
•
Focus Guide –
used to see what
levels of the FOV
are in focus.
XY Stage
Navigation
Full Auto: Default.
Automatically
adjusts all settings.
High Res.:
Roughness
Manual: Options to
adjust lighting,
scan speed, stage
movement, etc.
Automatically
map part & set
stitch area
(5200 only)
Stitch area
preview
Start scan
The Viewer – Stage Navigation
Option 2 – Mouse
Option 1 – Navigation Panel
Scroll Up/Down –
Centers the stage in
X&Y
Takes the XY stage to outer
origins (5200 only) – used for
maintenance
Adjust Z Stage (focus)
Autofocus on
where you
double click
“Step” the stage by a set
amount (ex: 10mm left)
x2
x2
Center FOV on
where you
double click
Click & dragnavigate XY stage
TIP:
Using these interchangeably is the best way to get around the stage on the VR. Personally, I use the
navigation panel to move larger distances, and the mouse for small adjustments & focus steps
The Viewer – Magnification
The VR has 2 sets of lenses (low & high mag) with 4 magnifications for each set
Best for Roughness
measurements
(using Hi Res mode)
Widest Field of
View on the VR
Okay, but which one do I need?
Highest optical resolution
on the VR
For geometric profiles, 12x will handle
most things. As a rule of thumb, start
with 12x, and if you don’t consistently
Optical Zooms –
Resolution does not
decrease
catch what you’re looking for, cycle
through 12, 25, 40, & 80x until you do!
Depth of Field
= 10mm
Depth of Field
= 1mm
Digital ZoomsMagnification increases,
resolution decreases
The Viewer – Focus Guide
The Focus Guide gives you a 2D representation of what’s in focus in your field of view
IN
Low mag – 10mm DoF
Both sets of white
lines within green zone
= both planes are in
focus
OUT
IN
IN
IN
High mag – 1mm DoF
One set of lines within
green zone, one out =
only top plane is in
focus
IN
Why does this matter?
For big parts, holes, difficult areas- the focus guide lets you know
if the VR can “see” an area or not.
Always start with focus on the lowest area of the part, as the VR
will always stitch the stage down
The Viewer – Stitching
The VR Stitches in X, Y, and Z
Z Stitching- up to 80mm
X&Y Stitching – up to 4x8in
Focus here
to start!
Map area travels around the part and finds the edges
based on contrast – Auto setting will stitch the whole
part, or you can click & drag the stitch (blue) box
To stitch in Z, start with focus at the lowest area of
measurement. The VR will always stitch the part
down to avoid parts colliding with the head
VR Building Blocks
ANALYZER
OVERVIEW
Analyzer
• The Analyzer is the foundation data management/analysis
software for the VR
• The vast majority of the tools in the analyzer are the same
ones used in programming – It’s generally a good idea to get
comfortable with the Analyzer before creating programs
This module covers:
•
General Overview of the Software
•
Assist Tools
•
Profile Tools
•
Reference Plane
•
Image Processing
•
Height Range
Set a Reference Plane
on selected scan
Add data, Save,
or Output data
(Report, Excel,
etc.)
Group Processing
Tools (see
Programming
101)
View a set of 3D
images at once
Process Data
(Smoothing, Cropping,
Rotation, etc.)
View settings for data
(3D View & Height
Color Scale)
Measurement
Modules (more on
these later)
Return to
Viewer (Take
another
scan)
Operation
Guide:
Workflow for
the VR
Group
Processing
Tools
(Programming
101)
Data Viewing
Options
(check/uncheck)
Analyzer- Units
Using English or Metric?
For English, check this box – for metric,
leave this unchecked (default)
You can change the units displayed here
(mm, um, inch, thou, etc.)
Customers use both?
You can switch this back and forth any time
Analyzer- Height Range
What are we looking for?
The Height Range allows you to move the “range” where red to blue scales on your parts (on the height map)
Emphasizes changes across the part at
given levels
Gives you an idea “where
to look” for some
measurements
Analyzer- Height Range
When we move the red and blue sliders up or down, the height
scale is focused around that area
The graph on the right size of the
height range is a histogram of height
data – each spike represents how
much data is at that level in height
Click & Drag the Red and Blue
slider lines (top and bottom) to
rescale the height range
Analyzer- Height Range
TIP:
Hard to see what you’re looking
at?
If your slider bars are close
together, hard to move accurately,
etc; click an arrow on one of the
boxes to the right (doesn’t matter
what arrow). This will rescale the
histogram to where your sliders
are, giving you an easier histogram
of data to look at/adjust sliders
further
(click once)
Analyzer- Operation Guide
The Operation Guide shows the general workflow of the Analyzer
Take a scan/add a
.zon file you have
saved
Set your Reference
Plane
Take the
measurements
needed
Save the whole file,
images,
spreadsheets, or
reports
Analyzer- Reference Plane
What does it do? Why does that matter?
No Ref. Plane – Part has tilt
After Ref. Plane – Warpage, not tilt
LOW
HIGH
Without correction, measurements would
be inaccurate
Part is ready for analysis
Analyzer- Reference Plane
• The Reference Plane will be the
first step for virtually all
samples in the Analyzer
• A reference plane sets your
part flat, and gives you a datum
to use for later measurements.
Analyzer- Reference Plane
Allows you to use any area
of the part, by height or
optical data, to set your
plane
Allows you to click a single
level of the part – easiest
method
• There are multiple ways to
set your reference plane,
but as a rule, the best way
will usually be the one
using the most data.
• Area tools, the top 2
options, will work for the
vast majority of parts.
“Plane/Cont. Plane”, under
Continuous Area, will work
for any part where you can
identify a flat surface you
can reference.
Analyzer- Reference Plane
Con Plane
Suitable for
sloping,
curved
surfaces
Plane
Assumes a
flat surface –
in this case
the bottom
of the Lego
After picking a
plane, that area
will turn blue.
Make sure you
have the whole
area you want
selected!
In the case of the Lego, the bottom surface is a good fit
for plane. If the Lego was at a tilt, has an uneven bottom
surface, etc., this reference plane will set our top surface
flat and make sure we have good measurements
Click OK 3x to return to the main screen
Analyzer- Tools
• The top bar within the Analyzer software is the heart of the software – this is where all measurement
modules, image processing, viewing option, etc tools are located
• This presentation explains each briefly – more detailed explanations and tools for each are located in
their own workbooks
Analyzer- Profile
The Profile tool is one of
the most versatile
measurement modules of
the VR, and is what the VR
was built for.
The Profile tool, and the VR
as a whole, is built upon a
set of Assist Tools to help
set datums for profiles and
measurements. See the
“Profile Tool” Module for a
full explanation
Analyzer- Average Step
The Average Step tool is the
VR’s go-to flatness check.
The tool selects an area and
outputs data about the
thousands of points within
it, most often used for a
Max-Min flatness value.
The tool also outputs plane
angles, and general plane
height data- see the
“Average Step” module for
more.
Analyzer- Plane/Pt. Height
The Plane/Point Height tool
is used for planar, or 2D
measurements, as well as
single point heights.
With some exception, many
of the measurements
(example, width of the
brick) can be done in Profile
as well – different parts may
work better with one tool or
the other
Analyzer- Volume & Area
The Volume & Area tool
finds the max height/min
depth of an area, does
volumetric analysis, Cross
Sectional areas, etc. with
the 3D data from the VR
(convexities or concavities)
For more info on this tool,
check out the “Volume &
Area” Module
Analyzer- Roughness
The Roughness family of
tools (Line, Multi-Line, &
Surface Roughness) checks
all 42 ISO roughness
parameters (including Ra,
Rz, Rmr, etc).
Roughness measurements
include a number of filters
and best practices to meet
ISO requirements- see the
“Roughness” module for
the full explanation
Analyzer- Recommendation
The Recommend Tool
compares 2 surfaces against
all ISO parameters to
understand differences
between them – generally
beyond Ra & Rz
The Recommend tool is
generally an analysis tool –
you can find more info about
it in the “Roughness”
Module
Analyzer- Compare
The Compare Tool
compares two objects to
one another and measures
differences. This can either
be done with a part and
another part, or with a
nominal CAD file.
The Compare module is an
optional software package
Analyzer- Reporting
Reporting is how you might “finish” many measurements – either to send to a customer, another department internally, a
supplier, etc.
A pre-formatted report –
customizable to a degree.
One of the simplest options
for a quick, clean report
Outputs a selection of data
as a formatted excel
spreadsheet- can edit
measurement values directly
from this output
Outputs an image of the
screen you’re on (in this case,
all the scans used for this
workbook)
Analyzer – Assist Tools
Assist Tools are some of the most critical tools when it comes to mastering the
VR.
Each of the measurement modules below employ them in one way or another, and
learning to use them early makes everything else in the VR much easier to use.
The next couple of pages explain what these tools are, what they do, and how to
use them
All use Assist Tools!
Assist Tool 1
Analyzer – Assist Tools
Pick 2 points on a line – a red search box will be drawn to search for an edge. Either 2pt line or continuous
Same as above for a 3pt arc
Picks a single point in an edge – red search circle
Creates a parallel or perpendicular line to a reference line (top tool). Requires a line as a reference
Connects 2 or more line elements (top tool). Select each line and then double-click to confirm
Connects multiple arc elements, much line the “Conct ln” tool
Finds the middle point between two point elements (either from an intersect point or from point tool)
Finds the intersect
point(s) between
elements – “Batch
Extract” will pull out all
intersects in the image
Find the bisector line
between two
elements – similar to
a “Mid Pt” datum, but
a line
Finds a circle & its
midpoint – with
either largest,
smallest, or avg.
diameter in search
area
Assist Tool 2
Analyzer – Assist Tools
Edge Detection by Profile pulls a 2D edge using 3D data. This is usually only needed when the
tools from Assist Tool 1 aren’t suitable, which is rare. The tool places multiple profiles across
an area to find an intersect point, and uses those points to draw a 2D datum.
Assist Tool 3
Finds the center of a sphere, axis of a cone, or axis of a
cylinder, respectively. Click to create an area box on
the geometry you’re looking to reference, create the
area around the geometry, then double click to
confirm and set the datum.
Finds the Maximum (highest in Z) or Minimum (lowest
in Z) point in an area. Click to create an area box on the
geometry you’re looking to reference, create the area
around the geometry, then double click to confirm and
set the datum.
Analyzer – Assist Tools
Assist Tool Examples
Many Assist Tools interface with each other to
create datums, especially for complicated
callouts. These datums are the basis for many
measurements on the VR.
Experiment with different tools on your Legos
and get a feel for how they work!
VR Building Blocks
PROFILE TOOL
Profile
•
The VR is, largely, a profiler. This isn’t to say that all applications will use the profile tool most of the time, or in some
cases at all, but it is a very important tool when it comes to getting the most out of your system.
•
Profiling is the act of placing a line across a part and measuring height, distance, and other changes across that line
Profile - Layout
3D Image –
used for
reference
Optical (2D) Image
Profile Line Tools –
Assist Tools & Line
Tools used to set
your profile line on
Used to set profile line
location
the Optical image
Measurement Tools –
Assist Tools &
Profile Box – used to measure
line after placement
Measurement Tools
used to take
measurements on the
profile line to the left
Line View Options
Profile - Workflow
Set Assist Tools (datums) on
optical image
Place Profile Line on optical
image (with the help of assist
tools)
Set Assist Tools (measurement
datums) on profile line
Place Measurements on profile
line (with the help of assist
tools)
Note: This workflow is very similar to workflows in other VR tools. Getting familiar with this early on makes VR operation
much faster, and much easier!
Profile – Example
• 2 Circles around
Lego pegs (Assist
Tool 1)
• Profile line running
through center
points of both
circles
• Line tools (Assist
Tool 1) to form
Intersect Points
(Assist Tool 1)
• Using Lines and
Points from assist
tools, an Angle, a
Point to Point, and
a Line to Line
measurement
Profile – Profile View Options
Area Zoom:
Click & drag a rectangular box
around an area – sets the profile
view & scale to that area
Absolute:
Sets the view scale to a 1:1 ratio – a
“true view” of the profile
Line Fit:
Scales the profile
to all that’s on
that profile line
Image Fit:
Scales the profile
to the whole of
the 3D image
Profile- Example
This profile uses two circles
(Assist Tool 1 Tab) and puts a
continued line through the
center points (Profile Line Tab)
VR Building Blocks
PLANE TOOL
Plane Tool
•
The Plane tool is the go to for many “2D” type measurements on parts
– with the added benefit of being able to leverage 3D data to take
those measurements.
•
Many of the measurements in the Plane tool can be done in the Profile
tool as well, often more accurately- but for some measurements
(especially depending on the callout) the Plane tool is the way to go
Plane - Layout
Measurements
read out here
Measurement
& Assist Tools
The tools in
the Plane tool
function the
same way as
they do in the
first portion of
the Profile tool
– Just click
directly on the
image to set
datums &
measurements
Plane - Example
The workflow for the Plane
tool is virtually identical to
that of the Profile tool, ie;
If you run into trouble with
1. Set up datums with
work, check out the Assist
Assist Tools
2. Use Assist Tool datums
to take measurements
how any of these tools
Tool Guide and the Profile
Tool module for some
pointers
Plane v. Profile
Some measurements (like these diameter
measurements) can be done in either the Plane tool or in
the Profile tool
It’s important to keep in mind:
Neither of these methods is incorrect
These are just different methods of measurement, and
they will, as a result, measure things in different ways
When choosing which way works best for your part, you
may want to consider;
• How that dimension functions on the part, and what
actually needs to be measured accordingly
• How you measured this before you had the VR
• The measurement reports of your up/downstream
Height v. Optical Data
Example
The VR can distinguish part geometry
with either height or optical data
For areas with low optical contrast, 3D
data may work better to pick Assist Tool
lines and measurements – for areas with
low height differences, optical may be a
better fit
Any tool
with Edge
Detect
has the
option to
use either
set of data
Optical Data
Height Data
Tool uses the highest
optical contrast – in this
case, the shine at the
top of the lego peg
Tool uses the most
distinct height changein this case, the outer
wall of the lego peg
Different parts will work better with one or the other, even
within the same scan. If you’re having trouble getting a line to
“stick”, start with changing the data you choose to use!
VR Building Blocks
ROUGHNESS
Roughness- Overview
•
Roughness is, to put it lightly, a rabbit hole of information. There are PhD programs on surface analysis. With full disclosure, the author of this workbook did
not attend one of those programs
•
That being said, a major benefit of the VR is that you don’t need that PhD to analyze your surfaces accurately to ISO standards.
•
The VR takes roughness measurements 3 different ways – all of which meet national and international standards. This workbook covers the basics of those
measurements
•
Note: Roughness measurements on the VR should be taken at 40x magnification on High Resolution mode (see the Viewer module to locate), and should
generally not be used to report roughness values <1um or 39uin
What is Roughness anyway?
Think about a golf ball…
Waveform
The macro shape of the part –
Ex: the overall sphere of the golf ball
Primary
The underlying contour of the part after shape is removed –
Ex: the depth of the dimple pattern on the golf ball
Roughness
The surface of the part after all waveform and primary
roughness is removed. Where Ra/Rz, Sa/Sz, etc. is derived
from
Ex: texture of the paint inside the dimple of the golf ball
Roughness- Modes
Roughness along a single line
Exactly how a contact profiler would do it –
Generally only used on the VR for very, very
small areas
The above, multiplied
Equivalent to dragging 10’s or 100’s of
roughness drags – output max, min, st.
dev., etc. . Most commonly used tool on the
VR for roughness
As much data as possible
Rather than taking discrete lines of data,
Surface Roughness (ISO:25178) selects
entire areas of 3D data to output
comparable roughness parameters. Not
used terribly commonly, as S- values are
not the current industry standard
Outputs RValues
Ra, Rz, Rms,
etc.
Outputs SValues
Sa, Sz, Spc,
etc.
Roughness – Layout (Line/Multi-Line)
Profile Line Tools
–
Choose
parameter
read outs
Assist Tools &
Line Tools used to
set your
roughness line on
the Optical image
Measurement
Results
Measurement
Settings –
Filters & settings
used as
parameters for
your roughness
measurement
Roughness – Layout (Surface)
Choose
parameter
read outs
Area Tools –
Set/Edit area in
which you want
to take
roughness
measurements
Measurement
Measurement
Results
Settings –
Filters & settings
used as
parameters for
your roughness
measurements
Meeting the Mark – ISO Standards
ISO 4287 is the standard that applies to
line roughness measurements (ie,
Ra/Rz). The standard was written for
contact profilers
The VR is compliant to ISO4287, but we
have to simulate how a contact profiler
measures in order to check all the boxes
Some of these settings are done for you
by default, others depend on what you
want to measure
Meeting the Mark – ISO Standards
A contact profiler
has to speed up
and slow down
to take
measurements –
so we have to cut
off the first and
last 10% of the
profile
(grey areas
below: this is
done by default)
A contact profiler also cannot adjust for surface shape, so cutoff filters (Lambda C below) are used to
account for this. The idea is to “slice” the roughness profile into the number of sections that removes
the shape & waveform from the part (see golf ball slide).
As a rule of thumb, 5 cutoff sections is a good place to start. Use the Lambda C dropdown (you can
also type in the box) to set the length of each section.
If your roughness line still shows waveform or shape, either process the image and take out the
shape, or use more cutoff filters
VR Building Blocks
AVERAGE STEP
Average Step
• The Average step tool is most commonly used in the VR as a flatness check
• Because the VR gathers the better part of a million data points per square inch, a
flatness check on the VR will reveal much more comprehensive numbers about the
flatness of a surface than a contact system
– (think about how long that many points would take to measure on a CMM!)
Average Step - Layout
Measurement
results for all
areas selected
Area Tools –
Set, Edit, etc
the area you
want to
measure
(uses VRstandard area
tools [con
plane,
threshold,
etc.])
Measurement
results for
currently
highlighted
area
“Max-Min” is your flatness value within that
selected plane/area
Average Step - Workflow
1. Add a measurement area
2. Use an Area Tool (see
Area Tools guide for help)
to select the area you’re
looking to measure
3. Erode and Dilate as
needed. The purpose of
this is to make sure you
don’t include dust, fall off
the sides/go up a wall,
and that you’re only
selected on the flat area
you want to measure. 2-3
erosions is a good place
to start
4. Press OK until back at
Ave Step starting screen
X2-3
VR Building Blocks
VOLUME & AREA
TOOL
Volume & Area
The Volume & Area tool is
designed to extract convex and
The Volume & Area Tool covers measurements such as;
– Volume
– Cross sectional & Surface area
concave features relative to the
reference plane surface.
– Area percentage ratio
– Average and max/min height changes
– XY dimensions (perimeter, circle eq. diameter, ferets, etc
Volume & Area - Layout
Optical (2D) Image
Cross
section
vertical
orange line
Measurement
settings –
Functions used to
select concave/
convex features
and apply
quantitative
thresholds
Area Settings –
Tools used to
Cross section horizontal
orange line
extract specific
areas rather than
all concave/convex
areas
Volume & Area - Workflow
Select Convex or Concave
Adjust height threshold to
select features to measure
Extract specific features
Height Threshold:
The green line
represents height
threshold
The orange line
represents your
reference plane line
“Must be this tall/short
to ride”
ie: for a convex
measurement, features
that are below this
point will not be
counted
Volume & Area – Height Threshold
The Height Threshold sets the level at which
features will be counted for measurements – this
value is relative to your reference plane
Convex:
Features that aren’t as
high as your threshold
wont be counted in
measurements
Concave:
Features that aren’t as
deep as your threshold
wont be counted in
measurements
Min/Max Value: The lowest & highest points on
your part. A height threshold above the max in
convex mode, or below the min in concave mode
will report nothing measured in the tool
Volume & Area – Example
Application:
Analyzing if any Lego
peg exceeds 2 mm from
surface
• Set the height
threshold to 2 mm
Height threshold lines
move up to 2 mm
No pegs are selected
because none exceed 2
mm
Volume & Area – Area Settings
Set Assist tools (datums) on
optical image if needed
Manually extract areas with
shapes
Auto extract areas based on
optical and height data
Volume & Area – Example
Application:
Only analyzing middle 4
Lego pegs
Manually extract areas with
shapes (in this case, the
Rectangle tool)
Click and drag square around
middle 4 Lego pegs
Volume & Area – Area Settings
Select every data point
from your part with
similar height or optical
data characteristics
Auto extract areas based on
optical and height data
Set lower and upper
threshold limit based
of distribution of
optical or height data
Select data points in
the same general area
from your part with
similar height or optical
data characteristics
Select entire scan
Select data points
the same plane ;
acceptance level
determines
tolerance to define
plane
Volume & Area – Example
Application:
Selecting tops of Lego
pegs
For this sample, we clearly
have more height contrast
then we do optical
contrast, so use Height
data
Why Level Tool?
Area tool would select
one lego peg at a time –
Level selects all the lego
tools at once because
they’re all at the same
height level
Volume & Area – Example
Using the Area tool would
only select one peg (data
with same height
characteristics in a given
area – not entire scan)
Volume & Area – Example
Upper data “red in our height image”
The threshold tool can be
used to select data from
height distribution
Mid-range data “ yellow in our height
image”
Lower data “blue in our height image”
Establish the data set
you want in between the
upper and lower limit
PROGRAMMING
101
DISCLAIMER
This is a general guide for making a program on the VR, along with some best
practices. All parts are a little different, and may require different measurement
conditions, but this should cover most applications. As always, if you run into trouble
and cant find the answers here, feel free to call myself or the VR support team
Keyence Tech Support
(888)- KEYENCE
(888) – 539 - 3623
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
What You’ll Need
1. Fixtures for parts
2. Spray for parts with high shine
3. Part Samples
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
1
Scan the part 5-10 times in the Viewer (not create program yet). This will give us
enough data to batch out measurements and test repeatability. Do not move the part
on the stage between scans.
** If you have a fixture, use it for
these scans. These will be used as a
template for the program later on
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
2
Confirm that all the scans are in the same Analyzer window, with only scans of that part
If you have another Analyzer window open, after the first scan you can right click the image and select
“Move to new analyzer” and the following scans will go to the new one as well.
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
3
Set Reference Plane for First Scan
Use Erosion/Dilation
tools to make sure
the area doesn’t pick
up the edges/debris
on the part
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
4
Press “OK” 2x to return to home screen
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
5
Click “Align Position”
Turn “Automatic Position
Adjustment” to on & click the box
that says “settings” next to it
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
6
Set your alignment image
This tool tells the system where to “look”
for the part when it’s brought in for
another scan (ie, if you scan a part at an
angle, setting this image corrects for that).
Depending on your part, this could vary,
but “ALL” is a good place to start
The area in blue is not a unique area, and could
cause problems when a new part is brought in
The blue box represents the area the
system uses to align the part. The more
unique features the system can use, the
easier time it will have – in this case, I’m
using all of the areas (“ALL” button) rather
than a small rectangle, because the LEGO
pattern repeats across the part and could
throw off my alignment
In this case, using “ALL” includes the corners of the
part, giving the system more to work with
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
7
Set your alignment image
Note: Your alignment image can be
based on optical or height data.
Depending on geometry and optical
contrast of the part, some parts will
work better with optical, and others
with height data
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
8
Press “OK” 2x to return to home screen
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
9
Take your measurements
on the first scan
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
MEASUREMENT BEST PRACTICES (PROFILE)
10
Assist Tools
Assist tools, both in the profile tool & the measurement tool windows, give your measurements datums to lock on to.
Without set datums, programs are much less repeatable and likely to fail.
In the program above, the line on the left is not tied to any datum. On the right, the line runs through two circle center
points, and is a much better measurement
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
MEASUREMENT BEST PRACTICES (PROFILE)
11
These practices are
the same for
setting the profile
assist tools as well!
Search Boxes
The VR uses edge detection (red boxes) to fit a line and take a measurement. If these boxes don’t find the
profile line, or include a bad datum, the measurement will likely fail.
Boxes should be a bit larger than their default setting, and should not include any data on the profile not
included in the callouts (ex: line running into a corner/wall)
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
MEASUREMENT BEST PRACTICES (PROFILE)
12
Average Profile
The Average Profile tool allows for a group of lines to take an average of the part profile rather than one single line.
This isn’t appropriate for all measurements (in this case, distance between pegs), but can be helpful to increase
repeatability in some cases (here, height from base to peg would be a good fit for avg. profile)
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
MEASUREMENT BEST PRACTICES (PROFILE)
13
Radii
1.
2.
There are two ways to take a radius measurement on the VR –
Corner Radius – uses two leading edges into the radius. Generally the more repeatable option for programs
Arc Radius – Uses a 3-point arc. Need set datums to begin/end arc for a program
Different parts may work better with one or the other. When taking the measurement, scroll in to the radius line to see
how well it fits the profile radius. If the line fits poorly, adjust boxes or try the other method
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
14
Batch Analysis
Once you’ve completed the measurements you need on Scan #1, go back to the home screen and
click “Batch Analysis”, then select the first option
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
15
Batch Analysis
Scan with
measurements
Repeated part scans
(all highlighted) –
measurements will be
applied to these
After checking
these boxes,
click “OK”
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
16
How did we do?
Batch analysis will apply all the
measurements we took, with the
same reference plane, using the same
part alignment
Check the values for each
measurement in sequence. Does the
tolerance look okay? Did any lines
fail? Did any assist tools pick bad
lines?
If something needs to be fixed, note
it, and adjust the datums in the first
scan. Then repeat steps 13 & 14, and
try again.
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
17
Possible Outcomes / Troubleshooting
Extract Failure
System couldn’t find the datum you were
looking for – Adjust the search area &
Batch
Skewed Datum
Search area is in a bad spot – consider an
average profile, adjusted box, or locking
the search area to assist tools
Catastrophe
If the 3D data flips, all measurements fail,
etc, it’s likely the reference plane or position
alignment. Look at steps 3-6 and consider
using different areas & Batch
Adjust edge detection line & Batch
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
18
Possible Outcomes / Troubleshooting
Assist Tool Fail/Skew
Similar to the profile line, the
system didn’t find the desired
datum. Adjust line/search area
& batch. If this doesn’t work,
here are 3 options to try:
Height v. Optical Detection
Edge detection has 2 settings- optical and
height – that determine what data is used
to fit an assist datum. For low contrast
parts, height may perform better.
Edge Detect by Profile
This tool takes a group of lines
around an area and allows you to
set the intersect point for a datum
Use More Datums
Consider using other assist tool datums to give
the program more to lock on to (bisectors, specific
value lines, parallel/perp lines, etc.)
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
19
Rinse & Repeat
Keep trying different datums, methods, etc
from previous steps until the program
repeats well across all scanned samples
After every change, batch the data again
and observe the results to adjust
(step 14)
This is not only a systematic way to make a
good program, but it’s great training on the
tool as well & goes much faster as you go
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
20
Save the Template
Once you’ve got repeating
measurements for what you
need, it’s all downhill.
Return to the home screen and
select “Analysis Template” in
the top bar, then select “Save”
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
21
Save the Template
Select the data from the drop
down that you’ve most
recently batched.
Save the data as a .zcs
(default) under your part
name/#, supplier, or whatever
suits best
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
22
Create the Program
Return to the home
screen and select
“Create Program” –
scan your part again
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
23
Create the Program (from Template)
Close the workflow
window
(We’ve already
completed most of
these steps)
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
24
Open the Template
-> Analysis Template
-> Apply
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
25
Input Part Tolerances
Input part tolerances, Save and Close the program. Note: upper tolerances are positive, lower tolerances are negative
values. A nominal callout of 1.78 +/- 50um would read as shown above.
PROGRAMMING 101
Pre formatted
excel report with
an optical image,
results, and
process data
(Recommended)
VR Building Blocks
26
Set Execution Options
(How do you want to track results?)
These settings
dictate what will
be saved each
time you run the
program (some
only in the case of
a NG reading)
This is often very
helpful for
historical data
and reporting
Inspection/Meas
urement Results
Unformatted
measurements
& G/NG Results
OR
Raw 3D
point data
Raw 3D point data
(not commonly
used)
All data from that
scan (full inspection
file). Can take up
large amounts of
storage over time
Optical, Height, or
3D image files
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
27
Save the Program
The program will save as a .zin file, under the title you give it (part name, #, etc)
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
28
Run the Program
As a double check – go to Run Program &
select the program you just made from the
file explorer- run the part and confirm the
results
If you didn’t make the program
with a fixture, “display positioning
support” will show a ghost image
of the programmed part to help
you line it up
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
29
Run the Program
If you have any “Fail”
readings, click on the
measurement that
failed to see what you
need to adjust, or go to
“For Administrator”
and confirm inspection
results settings – you
can always go back and
adjust the program as
needed.
Will NOT save the results for
statistics and reports
(if something went wrong, click this)
Saves all results,
chosen reports, etc.
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
Add
How do I find my reports?
Based on what you choose to save from each report run (Step 26), the system will automatically save your reports
in the same file you saved your program in
Reports & Results
Program
Choose the file for the date you’re
interested in, and your
reports/images/etc will be there!
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
Add
How do I check Statistics?
Go to the “Statistics” module from the start screen, and choose the program you’re interested in (pick the actual program [.zin] file in
the file explorer)
If you’re only interested in the statistics from a certain
time period, lot, supplier, etc- you can pick those criteria
from this first box as well
PROGRAMMING 101
VR Building Blocks
Add
How do I check Statistics? (cont.)
From the Statistics output, you can
save data based on certain criteria,
view trend graphs and data lists, etc.
If you want to get a better feel for
this, use a test program and run it a
few times so you can play around
with some data in the software
Tip: If you go through your program
and title each measurement with it’s
own unique name (Post Height A,
Post Height B, etc.) navigating these
screens is a bit easier
~FIN~
That’s it!
If you have questions about something not
covered in this document call your
salesperson, or the tech team directly
(888)-KEY-ENCE
We’re here to help!