Rapidform Success » XOV

How to send scaled section profiles from XOV2 into CAD

Tom Charron — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:41:57 +0000

One of the great features of XOV is that you can cut cross sections through your model to see the deviation between your nominal model and the scanned part. Once you take a cross section, you can use XOV’s 2D GD&T tools to take measurements and check tolerances, and you can include all this info in an XOV inspection report. But what if you want to take the cross section into CAD and print it at the correct scale? As we heard a lot in last week’s Success conference, “there’s a button for that”.

Let’s walk through the process:

1) After you’ve imported and aligned your nominal and scan data, create a section profile by going to Insert>Section

2) After you’ve created a section, you can export it as a DXF file. Right mouse click on the section entity in XOV’s feature tree, then select Export from the drop down menu.

In the export pop up window, set Export Section As to 2D, and choose AutoCAD DXF as the export format.

3) Open the DXF file in your CAD software, where you can make a draft or scaled print out.

Floating Licenses on a Network Server: New Install

Mike Tsang — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:58:19 +0000

Floating Licenses on a Network Server: XOR2/XOV2

Install the License Server Utility
1. On the license server, please install the license server utility by downloading and installing the following: www.rapidform.us/license/ServerUtility.zip. You may also find this file on the installation DVD here: Setup\Program Files\INUS Technology\Rapidform XOR\License\Setup Rapidform License Server Utility.exe.
2. Run the executable to install the License Server Utility.
Activate new License
1. Go to Start Menu> All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform License Server Utility>License Server Utility
2. Select “I want to activate a license” and click Next.
3. Enter in your Activation Code and enter the Count of Clients/# of Seats and click Next.
4. If connected to the internet you will be asked to enter your contact information. You will then see a progress bar and the page will refresh displaying both your “XOR/V” and “XOR/V-Maintenance” license products.
  1. If the online attempt is unsuccessful, or if not connected to the internet, the utility will ask you to enter your Maintenance code. Please enter the code and click Next. The utility will prompt you to perform an offline activation. The process requires that you save a file and transfer the file to a PC with an internet connection to complete the activation.
  2. If the offline activation process fails, please email the files saved by the utility to license@rapidform.com. (Note: You will need to change the extension of the “.exe” file to an “.rfi” file for our email servers to accept the file.)
Start Rapidform Service
1. Go to Control Panel>Administrative tools>Services
2. Start the service labeled “Rapidform License Service.”
  1. If you run into problems starting the service such as conflicting port numbers or the service stopping right after starting, you will need to change the port that the service uses.
  2. By default, the service uses port 27000. To change, go to C:\Program Files\INUS Technology\Rapidform License Server Utility.
  3. Open the file “rfLicense.lic” with notepad. The first line will say “SERVER this_host ID_STRING=TRUSTED 27000.”
  4. Change the port number to 27001, or the first available port. Please note that you can’t exceed 27005. Save the file.
  5. Install and start the service again. (Step 6 and 7)
  6. If changing the port number does not work, please check your firewall and anti-virus settings to make sure the required ports are open and programs unblocked.
Connect the client PC
1. On a client PC with Rapidform XOR installed, go to Start Menu>All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform XOR[V]2 >License Utility
2. Select the option “For Official Customer using Local Network License Sharing” and click Next.
3. Type in the server’s Static IP Address or Host Name and click Confirm
  1. If successful a message will state that the server has been found. Click Finish.
  2. If unsuccessful, please check network connections and check that the service is running correctly.

Want a licensing walkthrough? Check out this post!

Install the License Server Utility

Learn more with F1

Mike Tsang — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:27:23 +0000

The F1 Key

Rapidform contains a plethora of features and commands. Many of which that have options that provide additional functions and control. Have you ever wondered what happens if you uncheck a checkbox? What happens if you slide that slider all the way to the right? Or just wanted to learn more about a command in general?

Well stop the wondering and press the F1 key!

The F1 key by default brings up the content help guide. This will show you the help document for the particular command you happen to be using. For example, in Rapidform, go to Insert>Ref. Geometry>Point from the menu bar.

Once you’ve got the command open, press the F1 Key.

The content help window will appear providing you with additional insight on that particular command.

Licensing Walkthroughs

Mike Tsang — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:26:42 +0000

Licensing Walkthroughs

Need help with licensing? Check out these interactive movies that will walk you through the steps of activating or deactivating your licenses!

Node Lock Licensing

Network Licensing / Floating Licenses

Connecting the Client PC and License Borrowing

Floating Licenses on a Network Server: Updating Licenses

Mike Tsang — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:22:39 +0000

Floating Licenses on a Network Server: XOR2/XOV2

Stop Rapidform Service
1. Go to Control Panel>Administrative tools>Services and stop the service called “Rapidform License Service”.
Deactivate old License
1. Please go to Start Menu> All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform License Server Utility>License Server Utility
2. Select “I want to deactivate a license” and click Next.
3. Please select the first license that has “XOR/V” or “XOR/V-Maintenance” in the product name and click Next. If connected to the internet you will see a progress bar and if successful the page will refresh and the product will no longer be listed.
  1. If the online attempt is unsuccessful, or if not connected to the internet, the utility will prompt you to perform an offline deactivation. The process requires that you save a file and transfer the file to a PC with an internet connection to complete the deactivation.
  2. If the offline deactivation process fails, please email the files saved by the utility to license@rapidform.com. (Note: You will need to change the extension of the “.exe” file to an “.rfi” file for our email servers to accept the file.)
4. Repeat until all “XOR/V” or “XOR/V-maintenance” licenses have been removed.
5. Click on Cancel/Finish to close the Utility.
Activate new License
1. Go to Start Menu> All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform License Server Utility>License Server Utility
2. Select “I want to activate a license” and click Next.
3. Enter in your Activation Code and enter the Count of Clients/# of Seats and click Next.
4. If connected to the internet you will be asked to enter your contact information. You will then see a progress bar and the page will refresh displaying both your “XOR/V” and “XOR/V-Maintenance” license products.
  1. If the online attempt is unsuccessful, or if not connected to the internet, the utility will ask you to enter your Maintenance code. Please enter the code and click Next. The utility will prompt you to perform an offline activation. The process requires that you save a file and transfer the file to a PC with an internet connection to complete the activation.
  2. If the offline activation process fails, please email the files saved by the utility to license@rapidform.com. (Note: You will need to change the extension of the “.exe” file to an “.rfi” file for our email servers to accept the file.)
Start Rapidform Service
1. Go to Control Panel>Administrative tools>Services
2. Start the service labeled “Rapidform License Service.”
  1. If you run into problems starting the service such as conflicting port numbers or the service stopping right after starting, you will need to change the port that the service uses.
  2. By default, the service uses port 27000. To change, go to C:\Program Files\INUS Technology\Rapidform License Server Utility.
  3. Open the file “rfLicense.lic” with notepad. The first line will say “SERVER this_host ID_STRING=TRUSTED 27000.”
  4. Change the port number to 27001, or the first available port. Please note that you can’t exceed 27005. Save the file.
  5. Install and start the service again. (Step 6 and 7)
  6. If changing the port number does not work, please check your firewall and anti-virus settings to make sure the required ports are open and programs unblocked.
Connect the client PC
1. On a client PC with Rapidform XOR installed, go to Start Menu>All Programs>INUS Technology>Rapidform XOR[V]2 >License Utility
2. Select the option “For Official Customer using Local Network License Sharing” and click Next.
3. Type in the server’s Static IP Address or Host Name and click Confirm
  1. If successful a message will state that the server has been found. Click Finish.
  2. If unsuccessful, please check network connections and check that the service is running correctly.

Want a licensing walkthrough? Check out this post!

RAM and Rapidform

Mike Tsang — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:42:45 +0000

How much RAM can Rapidform use with a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system?

XOR/XOV/XOS 32-bit versions can use a maximum of 2GB (by default) or optionally 3GB. The 64-bit versions can theoretically use an “unlimited” amount of memory that is available by Windows.

So generally speaking, the memory limit of Rapidform depends on the memory limit of Windows.

Windows XP 32-bit is restricted to a total of 4 GB, which is, by default, equally divided between Kernel and application usage. Using the /3GB switch in the boot.ini file forces Windows to limit the kernel to the upper 1GB and provides up to 3GB for applications. Windows XP x64 can support much more memory. The theoretical memory limit that a 64-bit computer can address is about 16 exabytes (16 billion gigabytes), Windows XP x64 is currently limited to 128 GB of physical memory and 8 TB of virtual memory. In the future this limit will be increased as hardware capabilities improve.
————————————————————————–
2^32 = 4,294,967,296 bytes
4,294,967,296 / (1,024 x 1,024) = 4,096 MB = 4GB (gigabytes)

2^64 = 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 bytes
18,446,744,073,709,551,616 / (1,024 x 1,024) = 16EB (exabytes)
————————————————————————–

See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx for more info on memory limitations for each Windows OS version.

Latest Version Number of Rapiform Software

Som Valliyappan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:00:09 +0000

You can find the version number of Rapidform Software by following these steps

1. Start the software
2. Goto Help->About
3. The version number will be displayed on the pop up splash screen as shown below the title Version Information

The Latest Version Number of Rapidform XOR is XOR2 SP1 Hotfix8

The Latest Version Number of Rapidform XOS is XOS2 SP1 Hotfix8

The Latest Version Number of Rapidform XOV is XOV2 SP1 HF2

To download the latest version click here

Comparison between Accuracy Analyzer (XOR) and Whole Deviation (XOV) results

Som Valliyappan — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:00:05 +0000

If you have been using XOR for reverse engineering and XOV for inspection, sometimes you may be confused why the results of deviation by the Accuracy Analyzer of XOR and Whole Deviation of XOV are different. As you know, XOR is the software for reverse engineering and XOV is the software for inspection. Even though you try to calculate deviation using the same Design data and Scan data, the results would be different because of the difference in calculation method as shown in the image below.

Through this technical tip, you will understand how these two applications calculate deviation and why the results of deviation are different.

Difference in calculation method

Whole Deviation of XOV is focused for checking how much the scanned points are close to the nominal data. So the application measures the gap that the scanned points have among the nominal data. In other words, the application tries to project the scanned points onto the nominal data and calculates its gap as shown in the image below.

But the Accuracy analyzer of XOR is focused on checking how much the modeled data, which is designed by several reverse engineering tools, is close to the real scanned object. So the application measures gap that the modeled data have among the real scanned object. In other words, the application tries to tessellate modeled data so that it can project it onto the scanned data and then it calculates the gap as shown in the image below.

Since our interest of deviation calculation is different in both applications, the results of deviation are calculated in a different manner based on the respective interest.

Note

You can see the difference in the results of deviation in XOR by setting the modeled data as reference in Mesh Deviation (Measure > Mesh Deviation).

Using the Pro/E Wildfire Interface in XOV

Michael Mock — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:32 +0000

XOV, the world’s leading inspection package, is capable of importing many neutral CAD formats. In addition, CAD interfaces can be added to XOV to improve the fidelity of inspecting physical objects to your original CAD parts.

One such interface is for Pro/E Wildfire. With the Pro/E interface, you can open the PRT files from Pro/E directly. The advantages of this are the high fidelity of opening the exact data, right from Pro/E. When a CAD file is saved in a neutral format, some information can be lost or miswritten. To avoid the possibility of these common errors, XOV can open the PRT files directly, thus removing any chance of file interoperability issues.

Pro/E Wildfire uses a numbering convention to store revisions to it’s files. An example would be a file named: Example_Part.prt.1. This would be the first revision, hence the number one. As changes are made to the part, Pro/E stores each revision with a accending numerical identifier. Such as Example_Part.prt.2 and Example_Part.prt.3

This revisioning is very useful, however, XOV can not process the file with the indentifier at the end, as it is treated like a file extention. Much like Windows does not think a *.1 file is a Pro/E file, neither does XOV.

The solution to this inconveniance is simple. In Pro/E, Save a Copy of the part you want to inspect. Perhaps save it in a directory with the scan data and XOV file. After the file has been saved, use the Windows Explorer or comperable program to navigate to the file, and rename it to *.prt from *.prt.1

Now, XOV can open the Pro/E file directly using the Pro/E interface.

How to extract real scaled section profile from the CAD data and scan data

Som Valliyappan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:00:37 +0000

In the Application, you can obtain several inspection results such as deviation map, section profiles, result image etc during the inspection process. However the results will be recorded as captured images. In case if you want to print sections out in its original scale, you can export sections as *.dxf file format.

Method
First of all, you can create a section profile from the CAD data and the Scan data using a Ref. Plane as shown in the image below. (Design > Section)

Click the File > Export in the menu and select the CAD’s section and the Scan’s section as shown in the image below.

Click the OK button, and then select AutoCAD DXF (dxf file format) as saving file type and check the 2D section in the Export Section As option as the image below.

Import the file in AutoCAD and you can make a draft or print it out with scale option.