To: faroarm User From: Customer Service Department form

Customer Service Department Fast Fax


To: FAROArm User From: Customer Service Department
FORM: 176-XXX
1 Pages total including this page. Contact us immediately if pages are missing or not legible.

I nstructions for Calibrating the USB FARO Arm with Guidance On

The guidance feature has been designed to show users how to minimize calibration error by maximizing the probe's range of motion during the calibration process.

With the ball probe securely seated in the calibration cone, Guidance prompts users to take a fixed number of points while keeping the unit's elbow to one side and sweeping the handle over a predetermined path.

With Guidance ON, the motion of the handle is restricted to a specific path in 3D space thus obtaining a successful calibration with Guidance might prove to be more challenging to some users; especially when using probe extensions or if there are environmental constraints that prevent them from positioning the handle as far down as the routine requires.

Users are encouraged to calibrate with and without guidance in order to determine which method gives them the most consistent results.

The following procedure describes calibrating a USB arm with Guidance. The procedure is the same in all versions of the CAM 2 software and all of the FARO external software’s that use the FARO calibration plug-in.

To turn the Guidance on, the user will need to Edit the current probe and check the checkbox labeled Guidance as shown below, and then accept the change by clicking on the Modify Button. Note: The Modify button functions the same as the OK button on most pop up windows.

The user will then need to choose the Hole Calibration from the list of choices on the left side of the Probe Calibration screen. The screen below will be displayed. (Actual pictures of a user calibrating with Guidance have been placed to assist in determining the correct orientation)

When the arm and probe are oriented in the correct position on the calibration cone the following screen will be displayed and the user can take points as long as the arm and probe continues to be in the correct orientation.

The three sections of the screen below are to assist the user in orienting the arm in the correct position. (I have added the numbers) Section 1 is the view as if the user were looking from the top of the calibration cone. Section 2 is the view from the side, near the calibration cone. Section 3 is the view from the side of the cone and will only display green when the probe is oriented at the correct angle on the calibration cone. The user will need to reference all three of these to take all of the points in each of three orientations.

As the user takes the points, the green band will disappear as shown below.

If the Arm is not oriented correctly for the measurement, the following screen will appear indicating which direction the Arm is located relative to the correct area.

The pictures below show all of the different orientations that were necessary for this user to calibrate with Guidance on.

If you have further questions, please contact the customer service department by telephone at 1-800-736-2771 or by e-mail at [e-mail].

FAX QUESTIONS TO: [phone]

Revised: June 29, 2011 LM-06REF176-128.doc
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