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Surface Plate Moody Method Data Reduction

gernoff

Hot Rolled
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Location
Great Falls, Montana
Does anyone know if there is a software app (Moody Method) available to reduce surface plate calibration data? Not being a Excel expert, I thought I'd ask first before wading into trying to build my own data reduction software.
 
I work for Vermont Photonics Technologies, we wrote some software for doing this a few years ago. The software is called SurfaceView and is specifically meant for using the Union Jack or Moody Method for calibrating surface plates. More info. can be found on our website here: SurfaceView
There is a free demo version of the software, it is fully functional except that you cannot save data.
If you are just measuring a couple plates the demo should be sufficient but if you are measuring plates commercially you may want to look into purchasing the full version of the software.
On the same page in the link above there is a link to the article J.C. Moody wrote explaining his method for measuring surface plates as well as a link to the Federal specification GGG-P-463c on how graded surface plates are supposed to be measured.
This software is still being actively worked on and updated so feel free to give suggestions, complaints, annoyances etc. and we will see what we can do.
Hope this helps
--Aidan
 
I work for Vermont Photonics Technologies, we wrote some software for doing this a few years ago. The software is called SurfaceView and is specifically meant for using the Union Jack or Moody Method for calibrating surface plates. More info. can be found on our website here: SurfaceView
There is a free demo version of the software, it is fully functional except that you cannot save data.
If you are just measuring a couple plates the demo should be sufficient but if you are measuring plates commercially you may want to look into purchasing the full version of the software.
On the same page in the link above there is a link to the article J.C. Moody wrote explaining his method for measuring surface plates as well as a link to the Federal specification GGG-P-463c on how graded surface plates are supposed to be measured.
This software is still being actively worked on and updated so feel free to give suggestions, complaints, annoyances etc. and we will see what we can do.
Hope this helps
--Aidan

Aidan,

I haven't downloaded the SurfaceView software. However, I have a question for you. Can you get the original J.C. Moody data set to work in your software? NOTE: You may need to increase your edge margins to do so. If not, how do you validate your software? The problem seems to come with the diagonals and the number of readings required.

In my previous job role (prior to retiring from a large aerospace manufacturer in Seattle) I handled the release of all calibration procedures and software for the company. I found it difficult to get the Moody data set to work with a number of companies who made laser systems, leveling systems, etc. I was able to get the data set to fit into one of the versions of Federal software and had agreement with the Moody data set within .00001".

Ed
 
Aidan,

I haven't downloaded the SurfaceView software. However, I have a question for you. Can you get the original J.C. Moody data set to work in your software? NOTE: You may need to increase your edge margins to do so. If not, how do you validate your software? The problem seems to come with the diagonals and the number of readings required.

In my previous job role (prior to retiring from a large aerospace manufacturer in Seattle) I handled the release of all calibration procedures and software for the company. I found it difficult to get the Moody data set to work with a number of companies who made laser systems, leveling systems, etc. I was able to get the data set to fit into one of the versions of Federal software and had agreement with the Moody data set within .00001".

Ed

Hello All,
I think I have read nearly every word posted regarding autocollimators on this site. It has been unbelievably helpful. I had the same question you have asked. Have you made any progress?

George
 
I know that this is an old dead thread. But I wanted to update it to point out that there is a C code available on GitHub which takes autocollimator or clinometer values as input, and computes Moody's worksheets. It can also generate a 3D surface plot. You can find it by searching GitHub for "moody surface plate".
 








 
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