User Reference Guide

Reverse Engineering

1. Press the Scan Part Button

2. Place the part near the center of the table, trying to avoid placing any features in the

reflective circle

3. Fill in the required part information on the Scan Settings dialogue box

4. Select OK to begin scanning

5. When the scan is finished, place an origin on the part so that it will straighten the

orientation when it is re-opened. To do this select the Origin Button and right

click the features you want to base the origin off of.

6. Select a ReverseCAD value from the drop down list. Typically find

.015 works the best.

7. Then zoom around the part and ensure the reverse cad is following the shape without

distortion. You can clean up the appearance by using the Break Entity Button

or specifying a reverse cad value to a specific feature

8. When you are pleased with the result, you need to save the information as a dxf file.

To do this, select Save As from the File menu and save it with the required name.

Make sure you select the extension of .dxf from the “save as type” drop down list

9. Then close down the scan window

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Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
First Level of Inspection
(Scanning a part without a CAD model)

1. Press the Scan Part Button

2. Place the part near the center of the table, trying to avoid placing any features in the

reflective circle

3. Fill in the required part information on the Scan Settings dialogue box

4. Select OK to begin scanning

5. When the scan is complete, select the Virtual Caliper Button and right click

the features you want to dimension. Note: Pressing the Esc button or any other button

on the Toolbar will cause the dimensions to disappear. Pressing the Ctrl + Z keys

together will allow you to undo the last dimension

6. If this feature is being used for an inspection report, then you will need to print the

page to keep a record of the results

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Second Level of Inspection
(Scanning a part with a CAD model)

1. Select the Open Button and open the dxf file that you need to open

2. Press the Scan Part Button

3. Place the part inside the projected zone. If you keep the part 1/8” within the zone the

laser will follow the CAD model to look for features. It will NOT detect any extra

features unless you keep the part outside of the projected zone by more than 1/8”

4. Fill in the required part information on the Scan Settings dialogue box

5. Select OK to begin scanning

6. When the scan is complete, select the Inspect Button

7. A “Set Inspection Tolerance” box opens, from there set the tolerances as required and

press the Show Bands button then OK

8. Then visually inspect the color band to determine if the part is within specifications.

Print this as a hard copy for an inspection report

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Third Level of Inspection
(Creating an ics file, then scanning the part with the ics file to get a detailed inspection
report)

Part A) Manually Dimensioning (Report Dimension)

1. Select the Open Button and open the dxf file that you need to open

2. Select the Report Dimension Button and right click the features you need to

dimension

3. A Dimension dialogue box will appear allowing you to modify the dimension as

needed, select OK when the desired dimension has been achieved

4. Continue this process for all desired dimensions

5. When all desired dimensions are achieved, select the Report Button

6. An Inspection Report dialogue box will appear. Fill in the required information at the

top of the page

7. Now save this information using the ICS File button, the system will

ask to “Load New ICS File” select NO, then “Save New ICS File” select YES. Save it

in the proper directory with a file name so that you do not have to create this

information again

8. Now this file is ready to use for now or the future. To scan a part with the ics file you

would open the ics file then click the scan part button, place the part on the scan table

and fill in the information in the scan setting dialogue box and select OK

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Part B) Automatically Dimensioning (Generate Button)

1. Select the Open Button and open the dxf file that you need to open

2. Then select the Report Button an Inspection Report dialog box will appear

3. For the first page you are going to change the name from Page1 to something else. To

do this select the Page info button and change the name do Diameters

for example and select OK

4. Next, you will want to apply the specific dimensions to that page. To do this you

select the Generate button, this opens a Dimension dialogue box that

allows you to select the dimension type you want to dimension. When you have

selected the proper information select OK

5. Now you are back in the Inspection Report dialogue box. Now you want to create a

new page for the next type of dimensions. To do this select the New Page button,

and type in the name for this new page. Hole locations for example then select OK

6. Press the Generate button again to create the desired dimensions for this page

7. When that is complete repeat the process until all dimension are acquired

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Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Creating Difficult Dimensions

These dimensions are assuming that the Report Dimension button is selected.

To create dimension A, Length of a slot.

1. Right click the first radius of the slot then right click the second radius of the slot
2. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension type (Distance, X
Dimension or Y Dimension)
3. Use the From and To Modifiers to select Edge to Edge for the slot.

To create dimension B, Distance between slots.

1. Right click anywhere on the first slot then right click anywhere on the second slot
2. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension type (Distance, X
Dimension or Y Dimension)
3. Use the From and To Modifiers to select Entire Shape to Entire Shape.

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Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
To create dimension C, Center line of the part to a feature.
1. Hold the CTRL button and right click the first parallel line then right click the second
parallel line (a center line will appear)
2. Let go of the CTRL button and right click the feature you want to dimension to
3. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension you want to achieve.

To create dimension D, Intersection point to a feature.

1. Hold the CTRL button and right click the first line of intersection then right click the
second line of intersection (an intersection line will appear)
2. Let go of the CTRL button and right click the feature you want to dimension to
3. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension you want to achieve.

To create dimension E, Distance between two Intersection points.

1. Hold the CTRL button and right click the first line of intersection then right click the
second line of intersection (an intersection line will appear)
2. Continue holding the CTRL button and right click the first line of intersection for the
second feature then right click the second line of intersection at the second feature (an
intersection line will appear)
3. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension you want to achieve.

To create dimension F, Distance between two sets of holes (creating planes).

1. Hold the CTRL button and right click the first feature of the plane then right click the
second feature (a dashed line or plane will appear)
2. Continue holding the CTRL button and right click the first feature of the second plane
then right click the second feature (a dashed line or plane will appear)
3. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the dimension you want to achieve.

To create dimension G, An Angle between two planes

1. Hold the CTRL button and right click the first feature of the plane then right click the
second feature (a dashed line or plane will appear)
2. Continue holding the CTRL button and right click the first feature of the second plane
then right click the second feature (a dashed line or plane will appear)
3. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the angle dimension.

To create dimension H, Bolt hole diameter.

1. Hold the CTRL button and left click the features on the bolt hole pattern, then right click
twice on any one of the features
2. The dimension dialogue box will appear, select the Ref. To CAD check box to turn it off
and select the diameter dimension (make sure when you are finished with that dimension
and have selected the OK button, that you press the ESC key to deselect the bolt hole
features).

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
To create dimension I, Concentricity of the Bolt hole diameter to a center feature.
1. Hold the CTRL button and left click the features on the bolt hole pattern, then right click
once on any one of the features for that bolt hole pattern then right click once on the
center feature
2. The dimension dialogue box will appear and the nominal measurement should be 0.00
because the features are on the same center point.

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Merging Parts Larger than the Table

1. Place two different size reference markers on the part so that they will be in the first
scan and the second scan.
2. On the right hand side of the screen select the Reference type form the Alignment drop
down list.

3. Press the Scan Part Button and fill in the required information and place the
first half of the part on the table, and select OK.
4. When the scan is complete, select the Multiple Scan Button
5. It will ask to create a sequence of scans for merging, say OK
6. Move the part so that the second half will be scanned and select OK to begin scanning.
7. When the scan is complete, select Best View from the Scan drop down list
8. The part will be automatically merged together.

785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
System Calibration
To perform a system calibration, complete the following steps. Ensure that you are logged in as
Supervisor, or an account that has the appropriate permissions set:

1. Click Open on the toolbar and open the inspection check sheet file
(vcpxxxx.ics) for the plate.

2. Click Scan Part on the toolbar. The following message appears:

3. Click OK. The Scan Settings dialog box appears. The following example is for a Model
1200 system:

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Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
 4. Place the calibration plate on the scan table ensuring the 4 corner holes on the plate are
inside of the projected outline.
Note Plate orientation is extremely critical to ensure a successful calibration. The serial
number on the calibration plate must be face up, visible and located in the bottom right hand
corner of the plate, and notched corner of the plate positioned towards the lower left corner of
the scan table when standing in front of system.

5. Click OK to run the scan. the system prompts you to complete a total of 5 predefined
scan sequences before the scan is completed. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for the remaining 4
scans in the sequence.

Note: the 800 system calibration is done in one scan, and thus this message will NOT appear
anytime during the calibration procedure.

6. When the scan sequence is complete, the following prompt appears:

7. Click OK and the following prompt appears:

8. Click Yes and the following prompt appears:

You may be required to click NO when prompted to use existing detail system analysis:

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785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca

If you have replaced the either the optional sacrificial glass or support
glass.

If you purchased a new calibration plate and are calibrating with your
new plate for the first time

If you have received a new or repaired Laser projector from Virtek

If you have been advised by a Virtek Technician to do so or your previous
calibration was corrupt as stated in the message prompt.

9. Click Yes. Once the analysis is complete, the system displays the calibration. If the
calibration is successful, a message similar to the following appears:

10. Click OK to accept the results..

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785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca
Calibration results and what they mean.

When an operator completes a full calibration of the system with their calibration plate, results
are displayed in one of three results.

1st Calibration is satisfactory. This is the best message possible.

This means that the Maximum Absolute Error is less than 0.003”,
the Average Absolute Error is less than 0.0015”,
the Maximum Radius Error is less than 0.0015”,
The Average Radius Error is less than 0.0007”.
If this message appears at the end of calibration then the system is operating properly.

2nd Calibration results could likely be improved.

This means that the Maximum Absolute Error is less than 0.005”,
the Average Absolute Error is less than or equal to 0.0030”,
the Maximum Radius Error is less than or equal to 0.0020”,
The Average Radius Error is less than or equal to 0.0015”.
But greater than the 1st message results.
If this message appears, the system is still operational; you may want to improve the results by
repeating the calibration procedure. This may correct any previous errors.

3rd Calibration results are unacceptable.

This means that the Maximum Absolute Error is greater than 0.005”,
the Average Absolute Error is greater than 0.0030”,
the Maximum Radius Error is greater than 0.0020”,
The Average Radius Error is greater than 0.0015”.
If this message appears then repeat the calibration procedure as many times as necessary. If no
improvement occurs, refer to the “What to do if a Calibration Fails” section of the user’s guide.

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785 Bridge Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2K1
Tel. 519.746.7190 Fax. 519.746.3383 www.virtek.ca