Surface Circular Edge

When enabled, displays Region parameters (see below). When disabled, the tool uses all data.

The region to which the tool's measurements will apply. For more information, see Regions.

The number of calipers the tool places along the circular path. Using a higher number of calipers increases the amount of data available to the tool, but also increases the amount of time the tool takes to run.

Choose a balance between the runtime of the tool and the number of calipers needed to get enough edge points to properly fit the circle to the scan data.

Caliper Length is the length of the calipers (extending perpendicular to a tangent on the circular caliper path, centered on the path). The length of the calipers determines the length of the extracted profiles the tool examines for steps. Longer calipers increase the amount of data the tool must analyze and therefore the time the tool takes to run; longer calipers can also include unwanted steps when the tool searches for the edge.

Caliper Width is the width of the calipers (extending parallel to a tangent on the circular path). A wider caliper increases the time the tool takes to run. It does however increase the number of edge points, which may help the tool fit the circle.

Specifies the type of data the tool uses. Either Height or Intensity.

Use intensity data as the edge source when contrast differences on a flat area of a target, which would not be detected using height map data, are distinct, letting the tool use the detected edge to fit the circle.

Specifies the search direction along the calipers. Either Inward (toward the center of the region of interest) or Outward.

One of the following: Step or Corner.

Step: Searches for steps on each path profile.

Corner: Searches for slopes on each path profile. When you choose this mode, several of the tool's parameters are hidden.

Determines which step the tool uses on each of the profiles internally extracted from the calipers when there are multiple steps. An edge point is placed on each chosen step, and is used to fit the circle. Steps must pass the criteria of the tool's settings, such as threshold and outlier exclusion.

Best: Selects the greatest step in the search direction on each profile.

First: Selects the first step in the search direction on each profile.

Last: Selects the last step in the search direction on each profile.

Determines which corner in the search direction on each profile the tool selects. One of the following:

Best: Selects the greatest corner.

First: Selects the first corner.

Last: Selects the last corner.

Top: Selects the top corner.

Bottom: Selects the bottom corner.

Determines whether the expected step in the data rises or falls, or moves from valid to null or null to valid. Note that this setting depends on the Edge Search Direction setting for its interpretation of what "rises" and "falls." One of the following:

Rising & Falling: Searches for edge points on rising or falling edges.

Rising: Searches for edge points only on rising edges.

Falling: Searches for edge points only on falling edges.

The percentage of outlier points to exclude. Setting this to a small value can help the tool fit the circle better to the edge.

When enabled, displays advanced settings. Note that most of these settings are applied even when they are hidden. For information on these settings, see Advanced Parameters.

When disabled, hides the calipers and caliper path, as well as the edge points.

These settings work together to let you set a partial path and exclude part of the data. In the following close-up image of a circular feature, the dark blue path starts to the right of the notch, continues counter-clockwise around the circular feature, and ends to the left of it.

Angle Start is the starting angle, around the Z axis on the XY plane, for the circular path along which calipers are placed. Setting this to 0 aligns the start angle with the positive direction of the X axis.

Angle Span is the length of the circular path along which calipers are placed.

Sets the spacing between paths in the calipers used to extract the profiles that determine the edge. A higher number of paths results in a higher number of edge points, which makes the fitting of the edge line more accurate. However, a higher number of edge points results in a greater tool execution time.

When Path Spacing is set to 0, the resolution of the scan data is used as the basis for spacing.

The size of the windows perpendicular to the path used to calculate an average for each data point on a path profile. Useful to average out noise along the path caused by reflections, and so on.

If Path Width is set to 0, no averaging is performed (only the data point under the path is used).

For averaging along the path, use Step Smoothing (see below).

When Use Intensity is disabled, the setting specifies the minimum height difference between points on a path profile for that step to be considered for an edge point.

The setting can be used to exclude smaller steps on a part that should not be considered for an edge, or to exclude height differences caused by noise. When used in conjunction with Relative Threshold, Absolute Threshold is typically set to a small value, greater than the general surface roughness.

When Use Intensity is enabled, the setting specifies the minimum difference in intensity. (Acquire Intensity must enabled in the Scan Mode panel.)

When this option is enabled, the Relative Threshold field is displayed.

The value for the relative threshold.

The tool calculates a relative threshold by scaling the greatest height or intensity difference found on the path profiles by the percentage in Relative Threshold. This lets you configure the tool without knowing the actual step height in advance, and is useful for edges with varying step height.

For a height or intensity difference to be considered a valid step, both Absolute Threshold and Relative Threshold must pass.

The size of the windows along the path used to calculate an average for each data point on a path profile. The setting is useful for averaging out noise.

If Step Smoothing is set to 0, no averaging is performed (only the data point under the path is used).

For averaging perpendicular to the path, use Path Width (see above).

The distance, along a path profile, separating the points used to find steps on a path profile.

The setting is useful when you must detect a slope as an edge, rather than a sharply defined edge: setting Step Width to a value greater than the width of the edge ensures that the tool measures the height difference between the flat regions on either side of the edge. As a result, the height of the step is accurately measured, and the edge is correctly located.

Setting Step Width wider than necessary can reduce the precision of edge location.

Fills in regions of missing data caused by an occlusion near the desired edge. Use this setting when continuity on the target is expected. When Max Gap is set to a non-zero value, the tool holds and extends the last data point on the low side next to an edge across a gap of null points, up to the distance specified in Max Gap.

Indicates whether null points (points where no height or intensity value is available, due to dropouts or regions outside of the measurement range) are filled with the value in Null Fill Value as a general “background level.” If Use Intensity (see above) is enabled, the intensity value in Intensity Null Fill Value is also used.

A typical example is a discrete part produced by the part detection of an object sitting on a flat background (for more information on part detection, see Profile Part Detection). The background is not visible in the part, so the tool assumes that any null region are at the background level.

To find edges along a region of null points, you must use either this option and an appropriate value in Null Fill Value (and Intensity Null Fill Value if Use Intensity is enabled) or Max Gap. Otherwise, only edges within areas of contiguous data will be detected.

The height value (in mm) used to replace null points not filled by Max Gap when Include Null Edges is enabled.

The intensity value (0-255) used to replace null points when Include Null Edges and Use Intensity are enabled.

Lets you enable up to five regions that you can use to mask data you want the tool to ignore.

You can resize and reposition the mask regions using the mouse in the data viewer, or by configuring values manually in the Mask Region sections the tool displays in the tool settings for each region. You can only set the rotation of the mask regions manually by modifying the region's Z angle parameter.

By default, when you add multiple mask regions, they are initially placed in the same position, one on top of the other.

Uses the output of a Surface Plane tool as a reference plane. Useful to correct the scan data if the target is slightly tilted.

When Show Advanced Parameters is unchecked and Reference Plane is set to a plane, the plane is ignored.

The method the tool uses to calculate the roundness of the feature. One of the following:

Least Square Circle (LSC)

Minimum Zone Circle (MZC): If you choose this method, set the circle the tool uses with the Which Circle parameter.

Maximum Inscribed Circle (MIC): Typically used to measure the inner edge of a circular feature, such as a hole.

Minimum Circumscribed Circle (MCC): Typically used to measure the outer edge of a circular feature.