SmartFit 3D is a 2D/3D interactive best fitting-software package that provides fast, accurate and reliable analysis, optimization and evaluation of conformance to shape, form and dimensional requirements for 2D/3D rigid bodies and assemblies. SmartFit 3D compares measured data received from inspection systems (CMMs, laser scanners, laser trackers, video systems) to the nominal or toleranced model of the part (CAD, drawings).
SmartFit 3D is CAD-independent, and can receive measurement data from virtually any contact or non-contact inspection device. The input data can be tip radius compensated or not compensated. The package is capable of simultaneously optimizing points that represent geometrical features, points on surfaces given with normal vectors, and clouds of points to CAD surfaces. The optimization can be point-to-point or clouds of data on surfaces. The input and output are ASCII files, which provides easy conversion to and from any CMM or CAD format. Output as an Excel file is also provided.
The interactive process and the tools available give the engineer the possibility to really manage the best-fit operation, and select the best, cost effective coordinate system (setup). Statistics are provided for the number of points out of tolerance, average deviations, sum of deviations, deviation histogram, deviation distribution, and much more. As a result of the best-fit operations, the alignment shift of the measured part against the nominal model is reported as translation and rotation in X, Y, and Z, as well as new (predicted) coordinates for the target points (locators).
Optimization can be performed using one of the nine mathematical criteria available. The Least Squares, Sum of Absolute Values of Deviations, and Mini-Max criteria are related to minimizing the measured deviations. The Tolerance Envelope - Squares and Tolerance Envelope - Mini-Max criteria fit the measured deviations to their respective tolerance zones. The Uniform Deviation criteria are specially developed to cover the optimization of EDM electrodes. The Minimum Difference and Standard Deviation criteria are related to minimizing the standard deviation and the range, respectively.
The Set-up simulation feature ("What if?" analysis) saves hours of repeated measurements and speeds up decision-making. The Weight-Exclude feature allows the engineer to bring important features into tolerance and to exclude the influence of the points to be fixed on the result. The Release Group feature allows additional degrees of freedom and discovers die member movements and shifts between parts in an assembly. The Release Reference Frame feature is an extremely powerful tool for part machining results analysis when multiple embedded reference frames are present. It allows the engineer to find the most cost- and time-effective way to solve machining problems. Datum features and whole reference frames can be "released" in a simulation process while maintaining the dynamic link between the embedded reference frames. In this case, SmartFit 3D solves the problem of minimizing the deviations from nominal by optimizing datum features' positions in the tolerance zone.
Since 1992, SmartFit 3D has shown that it is more than a software package; it is a new technology, new approach, and new philosophy to the quality control. It utilizes part inspection data to provide insights into the manufacturing process and assist the skilled manufacturing, design, or inspection engineer in identifying process weak points and actions needed to improve it.
Basic capabilities
CMM and CAD system independent, stand alone interactive software package
Nine mathematical criteria (including two specially developed for EDM
electrode evaluation) cover most engineering applications
Practically unlimited number of features, or points belonging to 2D
or 3D surfaces can be included in the best-fitting procedure
Can analyze an unlimited number of target points (locators) describing your data
Weight-exclude feature allows the engineer to change the emphasis or exclude features to be fixed
Sub-coordinate system structure - Cartesian, Polar or Cylindrical
Six degrees of freedom of motion control:
X, Y, and Z translation
X, Y, and Z rotation
Fitting of measured points (features) to their respective tolerance zones?
Arbitrary setup simulation by prescribing datum point's (locator's) dimensions
Arbitrary setup simulation by prescribing rotations and translations
Release groups feature - assembly and die member movement analysis
Release reference frame feature - part machining optimization analysis
Shrinkage feature calculates part shrinkage for the whole part or a
user defined sub-volume in 1D, 2D or 3D space.
Result reporting in MS Excel format for human processing and in plane
text format for automatic processing
Powerful statistics and "What if " analysis
Borrows your favorite text editor
Manageable user profiles (with two default configuration: Basic and
Advanced) that allow you to setup your favorite colors, toolbars, fonts, etc.
Selectable user interface language (currently English or German)
Automatic run function for mass processing
Basic direct measure function (for some OGP machines)
Runs on any IBM compatible personal computer
SmartFit 3D is able to import IGES, VDA, STL, DXF files,
does point-to-point and freeform optimizations with various best-fit criteria, release of groups, histograms, statistics, Excel report, and text report for machine processing. SmartFit 3D connects directly to OGP machines through the I++ protocol. The SmartFit 3D user interface was developed in Visual C++, using OpenGL graphic.
Application areas
SmartFit 3D has a large area of application. It can be used in manufacturing processes, such as to evaluate individual parts in industries like aerospace (wing profiles, turbine blades, body parts) and automotive components (transmission cases, large dies, moulds, engine blocks, body panels, etc.). A very special application is defining the proper orientation and spark gap for EDM electrodes.
