Carl,

We use Silma CimStation Inspection for programming here at Sandia National Laboratories. We have a post or translator for UMESS UX. We have a Prismo 7 with the VAST head along with an upgraded UPMC550 running UMESS UX. Silma will import various CAD model formats (VDA, IGES, ACIS) into its product. The software offers full simulation of your part routine. Silma will also allow you to visulaize your CMM results and perform analysis (color mapping, best fit) on the data. You may want to visit the SILMA category on this site to see what others think. If you are interested we have had two Silma user group meetings and the PowerPoint presentations for both meetings are available to view.

You may also want to contact Zeiss concerning the HOLOS software package they sell. I just ordered it and you can program the Zeiss off your model as well as digitize unknown geometry and generate a surface model from the data. I think I have a PowerPoint presentation that Zeiss gave at a past meeting if you are interested. The Zeiss user group meeting will be in October in Minnesota.

If you have more questions feel free to contact me at "eabryce@sandia.gov".

Tony Bryce
Sandia National Laboratories