Measurement machine utilizing a barcode to identify an inspection plan for an object

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a measurement machine for measuring an object, and more particularly to a measurement machine such as a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine or a laser tracker that measures an object according to a measurement or inspection plan that is identified by a machine readable information symbol located on the object to be measured or on a drawing (e.g., a CAD drawing) of the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for inspecting a part according to an inspection plan, the method using a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) having a base; a manually positionable arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the second end of the arm portion being coupled to the base, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; a measurement device coupled to the first end of the arm portion; and an electronic circuit which receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device; the method comprising the steps of:
 generating an inspection plan for a part to be inspected to determine at least one characteristic of the part;   generating a machine readable information symbol that includes information that identifies the generated inspection plan;   associating the generated machine readable information symbol with the part;   reading the machine readable information symbol from the part with a reader device configured to translate the machine readable information symbol to determine the information contained therein, the reader device being coupled to communicate with the AACMM; and   measuring the at least one part characteristic according to the generated inspection plan identified by the machine readable symbol.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the machine readable symbol is bar code. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the bar code is compliant with the ISO/IEC 24778.2008 standard. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of associating the machine readable information symbol with the part includes the step of further comprises affixing the bar code to the part. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of associating the machine readable information symbol with the part includes the step of further comprises affixing the bar code to a drawing of the part. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of displaying the generated inspection plan in response to the reader device reading the machine readable information symbol. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the generated inspection plan is displayed on a display coupled to the AACMM. 
     
     
         8 . A method for inspecting a part according to an inspection plan, the method using a laser tracker having a light source that emits a light beam towards a target located within an environment, and a reader device that captures the light beam reflected back to the laser scanner from the target located within the environment; the method comprising the steps of:
 generating an inspection plan for a part to be inspected to determine at least one characteristic of the part;   generating a machine readable information symbol that identifies the generated inspection plan;   associating the generated machine readable information symbol with the part;   reading the machine readable information symbol with the reader device associated with the laser tracker; and   inspecting the part according to the generated inspection plan identified by machine readable information symbol read by the reader device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the machine readable information symbol is a bar code. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the bar code is compliant with the ISO/IEC 24778.2008 standard. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of associating the generated machine readable information symbol with the part includes affixing the generated machine readable information symbol to the part. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of associating the generated machine readable information symbol with the part includes affixing the generated machine readable information symbol to a drawing of the part. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of displaying the generated inspection plan in response to the data capture component reading the machine readable information symbol. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the generated inspection plan is displayed on a display coupled to the laser tracker.