Universal Metrology Platform Enables Moldmakers to Scale Up 3D Measurement Data

Independent software development company InnovMetric announces the launch of PolyWorks 2024, an enterprise solution that sets up a digital thread to lower the cost of scaling up the use of 3D measurement data. The PolyWorks digital ecosystem — comprising a universal 3D metrology platform to deliver 3D measurement data to engineering and manufacturing teams in real time — accelerates the design, development and validation of products and manufacturing processes. It also controls the quality of individual pieces and assembled products, and helps resolve manufacturing issues as soon as they occur.

According to InnovMetric, this new PolyWorks release is notable in how it reduces the costs related to learning and operating 3D metrology software, managing large point cloud data files and leveraging 3D measurement data within third-party reporting and analysis solutions.

The PolyWorks user interfaces have been re-engineered to let users perform inspection tasks and discover new tools intuitively, access frequently used tools more directly and quickly find the functionalities that apply to selected objects. PolyWorks 2024 also enables new users to learn and master basic workflows more easily, while seasoned users can strengthen their skills by exploring new tools.

PolyWorks 2024 can manage vast amounts of 3D measurement data efficiently by using cloud storage, delivering benefits such as instantaneous storage space increase and data file replication across multiple data centers.

The 3D metrology platform also now offers plug-ins that interconnect its data management system to the Excel and Power BI industry-standard reporting and analysis solutions from Microsoft. 

The PolyWorks|Inspector enhancement helps reduce time to market by measuring, controlling and analyzing 3D dimensions at every stage of the manufacturing process. With version 2024, InnovMetric delivers additional gains in efficiency through its re-engineered user interfaces. Users can now:

• Perform inspection tasks and discover new tools intuitively, thanks to a new ribbon menu and an improved interface widget organization that offers a more logical workflow.
• Access frequently used tools more directly, thereby reducing mouse movements and clicks.
• Quickly find the functionalities that apply to selected objects by accessing a contextual tab or a simplified contextual menu.

PolyWorks|Inspector 2024 also offers new high-value tools and workflows:

• Surface datum features within datum reference frames.
• Contextual control views to analyze surface deviations in multiple alignments and inspect dimensional controls in multiple coordinate systems.
• CADless inspection workflows on CNC CMMs.

The PolyWorks|PMI+Loop model-based definition (MBD) solution enables manufacturing organizations to manage all the dimensional controls defined by the design and manufacturing teams within their native CAD platform. Version 2024 lets users add specialized supplemental information to characteristics, such as criticality classifications, quality plan requirements and revision numbers. Once defined within their CAD platform, characteristic augmenters may then be consumed by downstream applications, such as PolyWorks|Inspector.

The PolyWorks|DataLoop data management solution stores 3D measurement data on central servers and digitally interconnects all the people who capture or need access to 3D measurement information. Version 2024 now leverages the full benefits of cloud storage. Manufacturing organizations can:

• Set up a highly scalable infrastructure that adapts instantaneously to storage needs.
• Replicate data files automatically across multiple data centers to ensure reliability.
• Deploy a cost-effective storage solution without compromise.

Security policies allow manufacturing organizations to control who has access to data and what can be done with it. Version 2024 allows PolyWorks|DataLoop users to implement sound data access policies by assigning distinct storage spaces to different departments, business areas or external suppliers, as well as define security policies efficiently by creating new policies from existing ones and enriching them with specific permissions.

Moreover, the PolyWorks|DataLoop Web interface allows users to review 3D measurement results within a standard web browser through an extensive set of standard and special-purpose widgets. With version 2024, users can now display the 3D measurement results of one or multiple pieces horizontally; create an unlimited number of widgets within a dashboard; and everage Excel’s extensive mathematical and charting functionalities.

The PolyWorks|ReportLoop feature is an interoperability solution that integrates inspection data into Microsoft Excel for reporting and advanced analysis. Version 2024 now enables manufacturing organizations to interconnect their PolyWorks|DataLoop server to Excel. Users have access to a search engine to quickly find sources of data plus user-friendly tools to inject smart 3D inspection data into their spreadsheets. Excel spreadsheet cells remain dynamically linked to the data they contain through formulas.

Version 2024 also marks the debut of a new PolyWorks|ReportLoop for Power BI solution. PolyWorks’ Power BI connector allows retrieving data from a PolyWorks|DataLoop server and leveraging the query editor to process the imported data and display it using Power BI’s visualization tools.