Edge

The fitted edge line.

The intersection point of the fitted edge line and the line representing the search direction through the center of the region of interest.

The sensor, or combination of sensors, that provides data for the tool's measurements. For more information, see Source.

The number of regions the tool will use to fit the line. You must configure each region (see Region {n}).

Using multiple regions allows you to fit a line to an edge that is not straight along its entire length or that is not continuous.

The region or regions the tool uses to fit a line. For more information, see Regions.
The Search Direction setting applies to all of the regions.

You can configure the Z Angle of each region independently to accommodate the particularities of the feature or target (for example, to exclude unwanted scan data next to one of the regions in the fitting of the line to the edge).

The search direction for steps, specified as an orientation around the Z axis, relative to the X axis. Can be 0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees. Choose a value that is roughly perpendicular to the edge on the target.

The direction is indicated by a light blue arrow in the data viewer.

When this option is enabled, the value in Fixed Angle Value replaces the value the Z Angle measurement returns.

Useful when the angle of the feature is known and noise in the scan data could otherwise cause the measurement to return an incorrect angle.

The value the tool uses to locate the edge and returns for the Z Angle measurement. You must enable Fixed Angle to set this value.

Sets the spacing between paths in the measurement region 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. No paths are displayed in the data viewer in this case.

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).

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

Outlier Fraction set to a low value: rejected outlier edge points are dark blue.

One of the following: Step or Corner.

Step: Searches for steps on each path profile. For additional settings when you choose this mode, see Step Edge Detection Mode Parameters.

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

Determines which step (when Edge Detection Mode is set to Step) or corner (when Edge Detection Mode is set to Corner) the tool uses on each path profile when there are multiple steps or corners in the profile. An edge point is placed on each chosen step or corner. Steps must pass the criteria of the tool's Absolute Threshold, Step Direction, and Relative Threshold settings (see Step Edge Detection Mode Parameters).

Best: Selects the greatest step or corner on each path profile.

First: Selects the first step or corner on each path profile.

Last: Selects the last step or corner on each path profile.

When Edge Detection Mode is set to Corner, the following additional options are available in Corner Type:

Top: Selects the top-most corner on each path profile.

Bottom: Selects the bottom-most corner on each path profile.

When disabled, hides the light blue path lines and edge points.

The filters that are applied to measurement values before they are output. For more information, see Filters.

(This setting is only available when Acquire Intensity is enabled in the Scan Mode panel; for more information, see Scan Modes.)

Uses intensity data rather than height data to find an edge. Useful when color differences on a flat area of a target, which would not be detected using height map data, are distinct, letting you use the detected "line" as an anchor source or perform geometric feature measurements.

Use Intensity enabled (intensity view): Surface Edge tool finds the edge using intensity data.

Use Intensity disabled (heightmap view of the same area): Surface Edge tool unable to find edge using height data.

Determines whether the expected step rises or falls along the path. Either Rising, Falling, or Rising or Falling.

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.

In the image below, when Absolute Threshold is left at the default of 0, all steps are included as possible candidates for an edge, and will be used to fit an edge line. The resulting edge line is angled upward to the left.

When Absolute Threshold is set to 3 with the same data (see image below), steps going from the yellow to pink regions (roughly 1.37 mm) and from the blue to yellow regions (roughly 2 mm) are excluded. Only steps from the blue to pink regions (roughly 3 mm) are included.

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 part detection of an object sitting on a flat background. 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 choose the X, Y, or Z measurement of another tool to use as a positional anchor for this tool.