VTube-LASER Advantages

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This icon means we invented and/or were the first to introduce this technology in VTube-LASER for the tube fabrication industry.

DCF (Dual Cylinder Fit) is the major enhancement for VTube-LASER in version 2.8 (April, 2017) because...

1. It replicates measuring the tube TWICE in one pass when the user measures the tube the first time.
   
2. It requires 4 total pass-fail checks for cylinder calculations.
   
   

The goal is to ensure repeatability of the cylinder measurements on-the-fly using a LASER scanner.

See DCF - Dual Cylinder Fit for details.

Work holders with clamps are not needed with VTube-LASER. Measure the table surface as a Cut Plane, then lay the tube on the table during scanning. VTube-LASER will automatically ignore the table.

• See VTube-LASER Cut Planes

Only VTube-LASER uses DCP (Diameter Cut Planes) to keep the first tube the laser finds and remove any other tube (or any object) scanned beyond allowed DCP radius width limit.

For example, Holly MSD uses this feature to scan tube headers.

• See DCP - Diameter Cut Planes

VTube-LASER can draw a measured part in SOLIDWORKS in just a few seconds. In this image, we measured four tubes in VTube-LASER, automatically drew each part in SOLIDWORKS, then combined the four parts into an assembly using the SOLIDWORK's assembly feature.

• See VTube-LASER Video 58
  
• See Building Tube Assemblies in SOLIDWORKS

This feature solves a huge accuracy problem that many other measuring centers have when trying to handle 180-degree bends.

VTube-LASER uses the SPLIT BEND process to accurately measure any bend that equals or exceeded 180-degree bends using math based on point-cloud data from the inside and outside apex area of the bend.

Any collapse or ovality in the bend region does not reduce the accuracy of the Split Bend centerline placements in VTube-LASER.

VTube-LASER assumes that the bend is an unpredictable shape and uses math that finds the exact center of whatever shape it measures at the apex of the bend.

• See VTube-LASER Video 40
  

VTube-LASER includes communication with up to 100 benders with no additional license charge for many bender types.

• See one protocol example: Setup VTube for Supravision Network Communication

VTube-LASER is completely immune to diameter changes because it measures the diameter on-the-fly. (The diameter value entered in Part Setup is only for visualizing the model on the screen.)

This means that VTube-LASER can measure ANY diameter without changing the probes or scanners. The same scanner can measure a paper clip or a 12-inch diameter pipe.

VTube-LASER uses the FARO ScanArm capability to measure a tube using either the ball probe or the laser probe – all in the same tube. This feature lets you alternate measuring technique depending on what works best at the moment.

Tube-LASER shows you the actual model of the scanned points on the screen immediately after the scan. This allows the operator to visually verify that the scan was good before moving to the next straight or end. If there are outliers or flyers - you can easily see them in this screen. (See the top image.)

After the inspection is complete, VTube creates solid model images that are designed to clearly show you where the tube passes or fails the tolerance envelope. In the bottom image, it is easy to see that the measured-aligned tube (the pink tube) is too long because it moves far past the end length tolerance envelope - which has turned bright yellow because the measured tube is outside the envelope.

The LEAPFROG feature allows VTube-LASER to measure any length tube shape accurately by moving the arm around longer tubes and pipes.

This method of measuring tubes longer than the arm's reach is far more accurate than operations that use TUBE MOVES.

• See VTube-LASER Leapfrog

Every VTube-LASER comes with VTube-STEP because the Model-based Definition STEP mode is the foundation of LASER mode for measuring with the FARO.

Not only can you import any solid model - but you can do some very complex operations on them as well. For example, you can unbend the parametric tube with components or holes following the unbend. And you can include elongation in the unbend too.

In the top image, VTube has unbent part of the tube with end solid model components and brackets following. This new unbent configuration can be exported to any solid modeling package with the STEP EXPORT feature.