What data do we need from you for offline creation of a PC-DMIS measurement program?

To create a measurement program for your coordinate measuring machine with Hexagon PC-DMIS offline, we set up a programming environment at CSL that matches your machine as closely as possible. In addition to the part data, we need a few files from your measuring computer. How CMM programming for Hexagon PC-DMIS works at CSL is described on the service page. This guide covers the data you provide and where to find it.

1. Basics: version and reference program

Tell us the exact PC-DMIS version the measurement program should be created in, for example PC-DMIS 2025.2 64-bit.

Also send us a reference program from your machine: the program file *.prg together with the corresponding CAD model *.cad. It does not have to belong to the part we are writing the new program for. From it we adopt:

• program structure
• naming of programs and features
• alignments
• commands in use
• customer-specific standards

2. The BACKUP.ZIP from the Settings Editor

Create a backup of your settings with the PC-DMIS Settings Editor. The BACKUP.ZIP file contains, among other things:

• registry and PC-DMIS settings
• user settings
• Environment Configurator
• usermachine.dat

3. Copied manually in addition: probe and system files

Probe files *.prb

Default path:

C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Hexagon\PC-DMIS\2025.2\

The version number in the path matches your PC-DMIS version. The *.prb files describe the probes in use: probe assembly, tips and calibration data.

Further system files

Default path:

C:\ProgramData\Hexagon\PC-DMIS\2025.2\

• usrprobe.dat — user-defined probe components
• PROBECHANGER.DAT — virtual probe changer
• userquickfix.dat — user-defined QuickFix data
• localfixturedefs.dat — local fixture definitions

4. Machine geometry for simulation and collision checking

Default path:

<PC-DMIS installation directory>\Models\CMM\

From this folder, send us the *.draw files and the corresponding machine models. We need them for offline simulation, collision checking and a true representation of your machine geometry.

This matters most with user-defined machine configurations: the model files referenced in usermachine.dat must be included.

5. Reporting and customer standard

If you do not use PC-DMIS standard reports, include your report or template files.

Also define the report header fields you want, for example:

• part number
• drawing number
• order number
• serial number
• inspector
• customer
• lot number
• further customer-specific entries

Ideally, include a sample report as a PDF. It shows unambiguously how structure, presentation, header data and output should look.

Recommended handover

We treat your configuration and program data confidentially. What a program costs and how it is quoted is described on the CMM programming page.