CALYPSO——The total program for standard geometries and more
 
Ø    Many tasks – one tool
CALYPSO is designed for manual and CNC measurements, online and offline programming. CALYPSO is multisensor capable and supports all current sensors and measuring capabilities from Carl Zeiss. Via the I++ DME interface, CALYPSO allows you to control non-ZEISS measuring systems such as 3D measuring machines, articulated arm measuring machines, laser trackers and computer tomographs.
 
Ø    Collision-free – automatically
As soon as you define a part feature and the associated tolerances with a few clicks of the mouse, CALYPSO automatically generates an appropriate measuring strategy that can be modified and applied to other features at any time. CALYPSO quickly moves the stylus around the workpiece without collisions and approaches the part features correctly – you are free to deal with other tasks.
 
Ø    Dynamic mini-plan
CALYPSO’s hierarchical design and feature-oriented programming give you the flexibility to focus your measurement planning on the production process. For example, you can interrupt measuring runs to quickly measure another part. The interrupted measurement can be easily continued afterwards. More intelligent scanning with VAST Navigator CALYPSO supports VAST Navigator – the fifth generation of scanning from Carl Zeiss. Without unnecessary interruptions and with optimal approach and travel paths, VAST Navigator allows you to measure smoothly in one run. A tangential approach is standard. Fully integrated intelligence enables CALYPSO to determine the maximum scanning speed depending on the required accuracy.
 
Optional interfaces: IGES 2D/3D, VDA 2D/3D, STEP 3D, DXF 2D, PMI, and FTA can be directly processed.
Optional direct interfaces: ParaSolid, CATIA V4, CATIA V5, ProEngineer, UniGraphics, Inventor, Solid Works
 
CALYPSO options——Extension: Tools for Special Jobs
 
Ø    CALYPSO curve
Measure and calculate 2D and 3D curves. Inspection features: curve slope, cam throw, curve length, curve form, surface area, etc. Fields of application: crankshafts, cam shafts, turbine blades, powertrains.
 
Ø    CALYPSO freeform surfaces
Measurement of freeform surfaces. Deviations from plan are marked in color. Typical fields of application include medical technology, moldmaking and engine construction in which freeform surfaces have to be inspected along with standard geometries.
 
Ø    CALYPSO preset
Preset erosion electrodes and processing tools. Users are graphically guided through the manual measuring run. The most commonly used measurement plans are saved. CNC extensions are available for square and round basic geometries.
 
Ø    CALYPSO PCM
Menu-guided control of parameter-supported measuring runs. Workpiece variations can be efficiently measured using a measurement plan parameterized with CALYPSO PCM.
 
Ø    myCALYPSO
myCALYPSO turns your measuring machine into a flexible gage. Standard measuring tasks, such as the measurement of the interior diameter or height, are saved as macros and can be loaded with a few clicks of the mouse.
 
Ø    CALYPSO simulation
Virtual collision observation. The part, clamping equipment, stylus, probe, base plate, rotary table, measuring range, or the entire measuring machine, are simulated in the CAD window. In conjunction with CALYPSO planner, measuring runs can be generated and simulated remotely.
 
Ø    CALYPSO/qs-STAT export
Export measuring results in the Q-DAS format for analysis in the qs-STAT statistics program. CALYPSO qs-STAT export converts the CALYPSO result files from a CNC measuring run into Q-DAS description and value files. With qs-STAT, you can then statistically evaluate production processes, for example.
 
Ø    CALYPSO planner
The offline version of CALYPSO. Use CALYPSO planner to write measuring programs offline. Your measuring machine is not blocked by CALYPSO planner and can continue being used for additional measurements. CALYPSO planner saves the finished measuring program. Furthermore, it can be loaded and run at any time with CALYPSO. In conjunction with CALYPSO simulation, measuring runs can be generated and simulated remotely.
 
Ø    FACS automation
FACS (Flexible Automation and Control System) is used to integrate the measurement cells into CIM automation environments. FACS establishes the connection between the measuring cell and the process control computer. This allows you to initiate measuring runs from a customer-specific user interface.

RDS——The basis for maximum flexibility
VAST XT gold——All systems go for active scanning
VAST XXT——Scanning done differently
ViScan——Spotlight on two dimensions
LineScan——Point clouds at the speed of light
XDT——Precision in all probing directions
 
Ø     RDS——The basis for maximum flexibility
The RDS articulating probe holder is particularly well-suited for measuring complex parts, where features require many styli with different spatial directions. It reaches up to 20,736 positions in 2.5-degree increments – thus providing access to every part feature. This is made possible by the horizontally and perpendicularly arranged rotary axes with rotational ranges of plus/minus 180 degrees.
Furthermore, the RDS-CAA for touch-trigger and measuring sensors leads to shorter calibration times: only a few spatial angular positions require calibration. During programming, the RDS can be easily positioned using the joystick on the control panel to enable shorter programming times. Designs are available for machines in standard, compact and multisensor configurations.
 
Ø     VAST XT gold——All systems go for active scanning
VAST XT gold features an additional measuring system. The measuring force can be configured depending on the measuring job. It is also used for a line of correction procedures.
In addition to active scanning, this sensor also allows single-point measurements: for example, the sensor enables the flexible use of complex stylus configurations and self-centering.
Thanks to its high-speed scanning capabilities, VAST XT gold can complete practically any job: form and position measurements, curve and freeform measurements, and reverse engineering. The applications cover plastic machined parts and Styrofoam, brake components, crankshafts, engine blocks and turbine blades.
 
Ø    VAST XXT——Scanning done differently
There are a large number of measuring applications that can benefit from the flexibility of an articulating probe holder combined with scanning capability. VAST XXT is ideal for such tasks.
Compared to touch-trigger sensors, VAST XXT increases the operational safety and accuracy of the measurements. It also adds scanning functionality, thus providing information on the form of the features.
The compact design of lightweight scanning sensors on the articulating probe holder requires different sensor modules. With only three modules, VAST XXT covers the typical stylus length ranges for this sensor design. This sensor accommodates lateral styli up to 65 millimeters. It is also suitable for fixed installation.
 
Ø    ViScan——Spotlight on two dimensions
The hallmark of ViScan is its flexibility in all aspects: combined with RDS, it permits measurements in all spatial directions without rechucking the part. Different lenses are also available. The working distance is practically independent of the lens used, thus allowing the measurement of deep features. In addition to the measurement in the image, the auto-focus system also permits measurements perpendicular to the camera plane.
ViScan is particularly well-suited for the measurement of parts with very small or two-dimensional geometries and/or soft materials such as sheet metal, rubber or plastic parts. Difficult measurements can also be performed on low-contrast test pieces such as punched components or printed circuit boards using the optional, mobile transmitted light stages with LED illumination.
 
Ø    LineScan——Point clouds at the speed of light
LineScan is extremely fast: up to 250,000 points per second can be captured for high-speed digitizing. The short measuring times lead to a considerable increase in productivity. CALYPSO measuring software and the automatic sensor change out on machines featuring MASS technology also contribute to the high productivity of this sensor. The accuracy also increases thanks to the definable point grids and consolidation possibilities for intelligent point reduction.
The LineScan optical sensor is the tool of choice, particularly for car bodies, mold/tool making, construction and design, as well as for contact-sensitive or finely structured surfaces.
 
Ø    XDT——Precision in all probing directions
There are many instances when users require the flexibility of an articulating probe holder. In place of touch-trigger sensors, the XDT enables in increase in the operating safety and accuracy of the measurements.
Unlike touch-trigger single-point measuring, singlepoint scanning with sliding acquisition of measuring points provides a result featuring maximum accuracy and reliability. With “single-point scanning,” the measuring point is measured with at least 100 measuring points. Outliers are no longer important, considerably improved accuracy is guaranteed.

Inspection Probe Tooling
——GM reduces probe tooling design and manufacture time by 40 percent
 
GM Casting Engine and Transmission Center had been successfully inspecting parts with ZEISS CMMs (coordinate measuring machines) for several years and was now looking to accelerate and globalize the design and manufacture of the custom probe tooling to be used on the CMMs for a new project spanning across their facilities in North America. Using the Stylus System Creator and the new ThermoFit Pro components from Carl Zeiss, GM entered into the era of advanced probe tooling using flexible stylus systems and stylus simulations.
 
The challenge: more control needed over tooling design
The CMM and gage engineering group of the GM Casting Engine and Transmission Center is a centralized team of about 10 CMM programmers and engineers responsible for supporting all of the North American quality inspection labs for their next generation of 4 cylinder V8 engines. There are nearly 150 ZEISS CMMs dedicated to this project, mostly ACCURAs and PRISMOs, at various production facilities in the US, Mexico and Canada. This team designs CMM probe tooling and writes inspection programs for this new project and wanted more control over the reproducibility of components at all locations, reduced design and manufacturing time for tooling, and simple and quick tooling modifications for product changes.
 
Solution: flexible stylus systems and stylus simulations
Carl Zeiss 3D Automation, part of the metrology division of Carl Zeiss, first visited the GM Casting Engine and Transmission Center in 2010 and introduced new probe extensions with rotary joint systems. GM liked the thermal stability and carbon tube design, but was looking for fixed machined extensions for more control at their remote inspection labs. They also wanted some interchangeability if a probe configuration change was needed. For this next generation project, the CMMs they purchased were specific to the lifecycle of a particular component. Since the lifecycle could be 5, 10 or more years depending on the product line, they also wanted durable probe systems that would last and that could potentially be reused at the end of the project. After collaborating and testing probe tooling samples with GM, Carl Zeiss 3D Automation completed development of and launched their next generation probe tooling, called ThermoFit Pro, in 2011.
 
The GM Casting Engine and Transmission Center started using their first ThermoFit Pro modules in June of 2011. The new product line enables GM to build up even the most complex stylus system using the CALYPSO stylus simulator without the need for typical custom designing in CAD. Generic angle blocks can be modified in the software to the desired angle by simply choosing the according angle values. The real angle blocks are then quickly manufactured from semi-finished parts. The finished angle blocks can be machined either by Carl Zeiss or if desired by their own tool shop, as the semi-finished parts are available from stock. Each piece gets a ZEISS part number for easy documentation and reordering.
 
No CAD engineer or drawing is needed and everything can be done by their own application engineer within the Stylus System Creator. “I'm very impressed with the development of the CALYPSO simulation and Stylus System Creator using ThermoFit Pro modules,” says Craig Wegienka, senior manufacturing engineer at GM Casting Engine & Transmission Center. “I was able to use the Stylus System Creator to create the entire set of block and head tooling for our project. I simulated each individual probe configuration in CALYPSO to verify the tooling. The simulation proved that all tooling would work correctly.”
 
Benefit: decreased tooling design and manufacturing time
“All of these options and the ease of use reduce our probe tooling design and manufacture time by about 40 percent,” states Craig. “It saves us not only time, but also money because we don’t have to scrap probe components when there are changes.”
 
The task for GM to guarantee reproducibility of their products by having the same quality results—regardless if the parts come from a plant in Bangalore, Shanghai, Detroit or Sao Paolo— is a big challenge as varying employee skill levels or the availability of spare parts can cause production delays. And product design changes require program and probe tool modifications along with documentation changes. GM can now rely on the ThermoFit Pro modules and the CALYPSO Stylus System Creator to globalize quality control programs, reduce product launch time, while also quickly adapting to any product changes.
 
About the company
GM Casting Engine and Transmission Center, located in Pontiac, Michigan, inspects parts with ZEISS CMMs (coordinate measuring machines) and globalized the design and manufacture of custom probe tooling used on the CMMs for a project spanning across their facilities in North America.