 |
Below, find the answers to a few frequently asked questions. If you
should have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact
us.
Step Ahead
| Question |
Answer |
| Is Step Ahead a CMM programming package? |
No. Step Ahead is an after measurement, reporting
and analysis package. It works along side your CMM Measurement program,
using output files generated by your CMM program to:
- Aid CMM operators with measurement verification.
- Allow you to quickly & accurately create customizable multi-sample reports.
- Work as an analysis tool for your Quality Manager, Engineers, and customers.
|
| How does Step Ahead help the CMM operator? |
The Engineering Toolkit immediately flags possible
measurement issues. For example, to name just a few, the Toolkit
detects and reports parts that could possibly be damaged, slightly
out of tolerance conditions, and parts that might have been loaded
on a fixture incorrectly.
This quick, auto-detection alerts the CMM operator about issues
with the measurements before the final report is generated, ensuring
your customer receives the best quality possible. |
| Can Step Ahead reports be easily integrated into
my quality system? |
Yes. To meet your QS9000 & ISO 9000 requirements,
form number identification revisions and approvals can be added
to reports through Step Ahead's ISO general settings.
To meet ISO/IEC Guide 17025 requirements, Step Ahead reports have
been designed to provide all the information required by 17025 including
disclaimers, environment and total number of pages.
Step Ahead will also warn you when required quality system information
(eg. Part Number) is missing, preventing nonconforming reports from
reaching your customer. |
| What CMM interfaces are available? |
Many CMM Interfaces including PC-DMIS, Virtual
DMIS, LK-DMIS, & MeasureMax, etc. are currently supported by
Step Ahead. For a complete list of supported interfaces, see System
Requirements. For under development interfaces, please contact
us. |
| How does Step Ahead work? |
Step Ahead works by reading and analyzing CMM
output files like a CMM operator. First it reads through the files,
determining axes, features, and characteristics. Once these items
have been grouped together, Step Ahead compares and analyzes the
data, utilizing over fifty years of CMM programming knowledge. Any
possible problem areas are then highlighted by the program, and
it makes note of any suspicious measurements that might be of use
to the CMM operator. From that point on, report creation is just
a matter of selecting the type of report you wish to generate. The
entire process is fully automated and designed to be as informative
and simple as possible. For those who wish to delve deeper into
the data, the Engineering Toolkit loads multi-sample data into a
flexible matrix, allowing tolerance and PPK manipulation, what-if
scenarios, and increased report customization. |
| Can I get capability statistics for my hand tools
too? |
Yes. A Manual Entry input window is available
to input non-CMM data, load CSV files, or copy and paste from other
Windows applications. |
PPAP Creator
| Question |
Answer |
| Can I use PPAP Creator
if I don’t have CMM data? |
Yes. The Manual Entry input window is available
to input non-CMM data. All sample results are input from one screen
for quick and efficient data entry. Many features, such as Paste
Across Samples, and easy access drop-down lists, allow you to effortlessly
insert manual results. |
| How is PPAP Creator capable of 100%
automation from CMM data? |
PPAP Creator’s revolutionary template technology allows
CMM files to be imported for automatic conversion to PPAP format.
For 100% automatic conversion, tags must be inserted in the CMM
program to identify the applicable print balloon number. If tags
are not inserted in the CMM program, you can use All Data View
to insert the balloon number once the CMM file has been imported.
|
| What if I don’t include the tags in my CMM program, can I still use PPAP Creator? |
Yes, you can still use PPAP Creator. All the information from the CMM file will be automatically imported (nominal, tolerances, actual) and all you need to do is manually enter the balloon number while in All Data View. Once a balloon number has been referenced to a measurement, it will appear in PPAP Data View displayed by balloon number. |
| How does PPAP Creator handle MMC
results? |
Bonus for MMC results can be displayed and used by PPAP Creator
to automatically determine if the measurement is within specification.
If desired, the accept/reject status can be calculated RFS, even
for CMM files with MMC values included. |
| What report formats are available? |
You have the option to select either QS CFG-1003 or ISO/IEC 17025
compliant report formats. |
| Can I get my results into one PPAP
report from three different CMM output files? |
Yes. An unlimited number of CMM reports can be
merged together to form one final report. This is extremely helpful
when you need to generate different programs for the top and bottom
of a part, which make-up your PPAP report. |
| How many samples can I report in my PPAP submission? |
You have the option to display the results for up to 6 samples in one report. However, the number of imported samples is unlimited. For example, if you import 12 samples and generate 2 reports, each report will contain the results for 6 different samples. |
| How does PPAP Creator help maintain
traceability? |
For all manual results, the tool identification for each item
can be entered in the Manual Entry window, which is then included
in the Notes page for easy cross-reference and traceability. |
| Do my customers need to have PPAP
Creator to open and print my PPAP reports? |
No. PPAP Creator can export the final report
to a PDF file, which your customers can easily view with any PDF
reader. All PPAP Creator PDF files are 100% compatible with Adobe
Reader, which is a free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated. |
|
|
|
|
