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Application of PICS
In this section components from a CMM system are looked at individually, detailing the information that is automatically transferred between the Renishaw equipment and the CMM control.
NOTE: The following product details are in summary only. Full PICS details for each Renishaw device are given in the relevant product installation guide.
Autochange rack controller (ACC2-3)
Normal operation
During normal system operation the ACC2-3 does not effect any of the PICS signals, all the signals are passed through the unit in both directions. The ACC2-3 does monitor and operate one line during this mode of operation as detailed below:
STOP | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the ACC2-3 will not permit any probe change sequence to be activated. This signal is activated by the ACC2-3 if an error is detected by the ACC2-3, for example overtravel of the ACR1. This signal, when generated by the ACC2-3, causes the STOP LED on the front panel of the unit to light. |
Active operation
During active operation of the ACC2-3 it controls the following PICS signals, in addition to continually monitoring the PICS STOP line as specified in normal operation.
The following PICS signals are activated at different times by the ACC2-3 during probe change or ACR1 set-up routines:
PPOFF | This line is activated, by the ACC2-3, to instruct a probe interface to inhibit the probe to prevent any unwanted triggers occurring during an autochange sequence. |
SYNC | This line is activated by the ACC2-3 in response to either the ACR1 rack probe when enabled, or when an error occurs to the autochange system during a probe change sequence. |
HALT | This line is activated by the ACC2-3 in response to either the ACR1 rack probe when enabled, or when an error occurs to the autochange system during a probe change sequence. |
LED OFF | This line is activated by the ACC2-3 in response to either the ACR1 rack probe when enabled, or when an error occurs to the autochange system during a probe change sequence. |
PDAMP | This signal line is interrupted by the ACC2-3 during a probe change sequence, to permit probe identification to occur by the probe interface. |
Probe interfaces
Normal operation
During normal system operation, all probe interfaces (except the AC2 card) monitor and respond to three PICS signal as detailed below:
STOP | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the probe interface will react with a SYNC and HALT output (if configured). |
PDAMP | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the probe interface will reduce the sensitivity of the probe. |
PPOFF | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the probe interface will inhibit the probe. |
PPOFF and PDAMP | If these PICS lines are asserted coincidentally, then the probe identification circuitry and the probe interface in a 2-wire touch-trigger probe interface (e.g. PI 200-3) are inhibited. |
Active operation
During active operation all probe interfaces (except the AC2 card) control the following PICS signals, in addition to continually monitoring the PICS lines as specified in normal operation.
The following PICS signals are activated at different times by the probe interfaces:
SYNC | This line is activated if the probe connected has exceeded the trigger threshold. |
HALT | This line is activated if internal logic within the probe interface confirms that the last trigger event was not a vibration trigger. |
LED OFF | This line is activated in response to the SYNC signal. |
STOP | This line is activated if the interface internal power rails fail. |
Special notes
PI 200-3
In addition to all the above conditions for the probe interfaces, the PI 200-3 activates the following PICS signal:
STOP | The PI 200-3 can generate a PICS STOP signal. |
This STOP will be generated if a fault is detected on the SCR200 (e.g. overtravel) or if the TP200 is incorrectly connected to the PI 200-3.
This signal is generated by the PI 200-3 and causes the STOP LED on the front panel of the unit to light.
PI 800-2
In addition to all the above conditions for the probe interfaces, the PI 800-2 activates the following PICS signal:
ERROR | The PI 800-2 is the only current interface that supports the ERROR signal, the technology used within the probe can detect if a “good” trigger signal was received by the PI 800-2. |
PI 7-3
In addition to all the above conditions for the probe interfaces, the PI 7-3 activates the following PICS signal:
STOP | The PI 7-3 can generate an internal STOP signal that generates a PICS STOP signal. This internal STOP will be generated if the PI 7-3 detects a fault with the TP7M (e.g. a broken strain gauge). |
Probe head controllers
Normal operation
During normal system operation the PHC10-3 PLUS does not effect any of the PICS signals.
It does monitor and respond to two signal lines during this mode of operation as detailed below:
STOP | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the probe head controller will reduce movement capability of the unit. Please refer to the PHC10-3 PLUS installation guide (Renishaw part number H-1000-0077) for details. In the event of a collision, if the head datum circuits are broken, the PHC10-3 PLUS will unlock the head axes and assert the stop signal. |
LED OFF | This line is monitored and, if activated by any other connection to the PICS system, the PHC10-3 PLUS will extinguish the LED on the PH10 probe head. |
Active operation
During active operation the PHC10-3 PLUS controls the following PICS signals, in addition to continually monitoring the PICS STOP line as specified in normal operation.
The following PICS signals are activated at different times by the probe head controller:
PPOFF | This line is activated by the PHC10-3 PLUS to instruct a probe interface to inhibit the probe to prevent any unwanted triggers occurring during a probe head index. |
PDAMP | This line is activated by the PHC10-3 PLUS to instruct a probe interface to reduce the sensitivity of the probe to prevent any unwanted triggers occurring during a probe head index. |
STOP | The PHC10-3 PLUS can generate a PICS STOP signal. This will be generated if the PHC10-3 PLUS detects a fault with the PH10 during a head index (e.g. an obstruct error). This signal, when generated by the PHC10-3, causes the STOP LED on the front panel of the unit to light. |
PPOFF and PDAMP | These lines can be asserted coincidentally during a probe head index to instruct the connected probe interface to inhibit the probe identification circuitry and the probe interface in a two wire touch-trigger probe interface (e.g. PI 200-3). |