Contact Details:
Tel nr: +27 (0)21 975 2852
Email: info@bestbier.co.za
Address Details:
Bestbier Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Unit 10 The Reserve 2
Capricorn Way
Brackenfell
Cape Town
South Africa
VGStudio
VGSTUDIO is the ideal choice for visual quality inspection in industrial applications, e.g., in the electronics industry, but also for the visualization of data in fields of academic research such as archaeology, geology, and life sciences.
VGSTUDIO covers the entire workflow, from the precise reconstruction* of three-dimensional volume data sets using the images taken by your CT scanner to visualization (in 3D and 2D) and the creation of impressive animations.
Features and Benefits
Features
- Visualization
- 3D visualization of even very large CT data sets — with almost no limit on data volume
- Real-time ray tracing for a photo-realistic look
- Combined visualization of voxel and mesh data, including textured meshes
- Arbitrary orientation of 2D slices
- 2D slice rotation view around a customizable axis
- Gray-value classification of a data set
- A wide variety of 3D clipping options
- Unrolling of objects or leveling of freeform surfaces in a 2D view
- Combination of consecutive slices into a single 2D view
- Analyses
- Data quality analysis according to the ASTM E 1695 standard to monitor the CT scan quality over time
- Bookmarks
- Save 3D and 2D views, clippings, selected coordinate systems, and rendering settings as bookmarks.
- Switch between bookmarks and between different views within your project easily with one click.
- Include views from bookmarks in reports.
- Data Set Alignment
- Simple 3-2-1 registration
- Simple registration
- Measurement Instruments
- Distance, polyline length, and angle measurement instruments.
- Snap mode to snap instruments to the surface for an easier use of measurement instruments.
- Videos/Animations
- Create impressive animations of your volume data with just a few clicks.
- Automatically generate the camera trajectory between two or more key frames.
- Save your animation as a movie or create an image stack.
- Display of Analyses Data & Reports
- Display all analysis data generated with VGSTUDIO MAX or VGMETROLOGY.
- Use the export and reporting features and save results in the VG Report Format (.vgrf) and as customizable test reports, e.g., in a .xlsx or .pdf file.
- Data Import/Export
- Import data from most major industrial CT systems.
- Import standard image formats (such as .bmp, .jpg, .jp2, .raw, .tif) as well as DICOM and DICONDE data.
- Open metrology projects created with VGMETROLOGY or VGMETROLOGY ES (.mvgl files).
- Read and write .vgarchive files that combine all files, folders, and even source data.
- Reduce data set sizes when importing data on less powerful computers.
- Save memory by opening data sets with unloaded gray values.
- CT reconstruction Add-On Module
- Supports cone beam, fan beam, parallel beam, planar, and helical (spiral) CT.
- Exports reconstructed volume data sets directly as VG projects.
- Uses one or multiple GPUs to speed up calculations by incorporating OpenCL.
- Reconstructs even very large data sets (limited only by the PC hardware used).
- Provides a real-time, single slice preview.
- Uses robust automatic scan geometry corrections.
- Reduces metal and ring artifacts.
- Extends the field of view by shifting the detector or rotation table.
- Improves the image quality using the standard Volume Graphics beam hardening correction or the optional Iterative Artifact Reduction (IAR)The CT Reconstruction Module is not part of the basic edition of VGSTUDIO and must be purchased separately.
Technology licensed by Fraunhofer EZRT
VGStudio Max
No matter what insights you need to glean from your products, VGSTUDIO MAX will get you there. The modular software suite offers the complete spectrum of Volume Graphics functionality (CT reconstruction, GD&T, material analyses, and simulation).
Basic Edition
Your starting point is the basic edition of VGSTUDIO MAX. Even in its most basic edition, it offers:
- data quality analysis
- visualization and animation capabilities,
- segmentation features,
- reporting features, and
- automation functions.
Choose from a wide selection of modules for material analysis, geometry analysis, simulation, and CT reconstruction. And if your needs grow, check out the add-on modules for VGSTUDIO MAX.
Add-on Modules for Material Analyses
- Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module for the non-destructive discovery of imperfections in castings, including the prediction of pore cuts. Analyses available according to the guidelines P 203, P 202, and P 201.
- Fiber Composite Material Analysis Module for the calculation of fiber orientations and other relevant parameters in composite materials
- Foam/Powder Analysis Module for cell structure characterization in porous foams and filter materials
- Foam Analysis
- Powder Analysis
- Digital Volume Correlation Module for quantifying displacements between initial and deformed volumes
- Battery Analysis Module for measuring 2D anode overhang on a wide array of battery types and scan qualities
Add-on Modules for CT Reconstruction
- CT Reconstruction Modules for the reconstruction of 3D volume data sets using images taken by a CT scanner
Add-on Modules for Geometry Analyses
- Coordinate Measurement Module for measurements on even the most difficult-to-access surfaces of a component
- CAD Import Module for the import of native CAD files, such as CATIA V5 and Creo/Pro/ ENGINEER
- PMI Extension for CAD Import Module for the additional import of product and manufacturing information (PMI)
- Nominal/Actual Comparison Module for comparing manufactured parts with CAD, mesh, or other voxel data
- Wall Thickness Analysis Module for the localization of insufficient or excessive wall thickness or gap width
- Manufacturing Geometry Correction Module for the correction of tools for injection molding or casting and 3D printing geometries
- Reverse Engineering Module for the conversion of CT scans into CAD models that can be used in CAD systems
Add-on Modules for Simulation
- Fixture Simulation Module has been designed to simulate the assembled state of a deformed part to replace the need of a CT scan of the part with a special fixturing device.
- Volume Meshing Module for the conversion of CT data to meshes for subsequent use in simulations
- Structural Mechanics Simulation Module for the simulation of mechanical stress directly on CT data
- Transport Phenomena Simulation Module for the simulation of fluid, electrical, or thermal flow and diffusion, such as on porous or composite materials:
- Capillary Pressure Simulation
- Electrical Conductivity Simulation
- Molecular Diffusion Simulation
- Thermal Conductivity Simulation
- Absolute Permeability Simulation
VGMetrology
The Universal Metrology Solution
VGMETROLOGY is made for metrologists. Our universal metrology solution turns your computed tomography (CT) scanner into a comprehensive and precise metrology device.
- Full-featured. VGMETROLOGY offers you the full metrology-related functionality of VGSTUDIO MAX including GD&T functionality.
- Uncompromisingly accurate. VGMETROLOGY gives you the complete picture of all object surfaces — and saves it in the very compact .mvgl format.
- Universal. VGMETROLOGY works natively on voxel, point cloud, mesh, and CAD data.
- Easy-to-use. The focused range of functionality makes VGMETROLOGY easily accessible for new users.
- Efficient. Powerful automation functions speed up your work when dealing with repetitive tasks and analyzing periodic structures.
- Seamless. You can exchange files between VGMETROLOGY and other Volume Graphics products.
The Volume Graphics Metrology Kernel in VGMETROLOGY has been tested by the national institutes PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) and NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).
Features and Benefits
Features
- GD&T functionality (based on DIN EN ISO 1101)
- Object registration by Best-fit, 3-2-1, RPS, sequential, or feature-based method
- Storage of different registrations of an object to easily switch between them; measurements are updating accordingly
- Intuitive sequential alignment to register two objects against each other based on corresponding pairs of geometry elements
- Automatic selection of the type of geometry element to be fitted
- Automated generation of datum systems
- Creation of common datums
- Nominal/actual comparisons on CAD, mesh (.stl), and voxel data, including on Regions of Interest (ROIs)
- Wall thickness analyses both for near parallel surfaces (using the ray method) and for curved or branching surfaces (using the sphere method)
- Extensive reporting functions
- Automated analysis of single data sets or a group of data sets with macros and templates
- Automated replication of measurement plans across periodic structures
Benefits
- In contrast to tactile and optical methods, industrial CT holistically scans all surfaces of an object, even if they are inside your part or difficult to capture.
- CT is the ideal basis for metrology applications. While tactile coordinate measurement methods are also non-destructive, CT is also non-intrusive. This means measuring with CT doesn’t deform the part. And unlike optical methods, CT still works accurately even if the part reflects or is translucent.
- A .mvgl file contains the best possible object surface without any loss in quality.
- At the same time, a .mvgl file is smaller than a .stl file with comparable precision. But unlike the .stl format, a .mvgl file is small because it only contains the surface of the object. In a .stl file, a polygon mesh approximately describes the surface of the object. The smaller the .stl file, the less accurate the mesh.
- A .mvgl file contains surfaces determined with subvoxel accuracy. To achieve subvoxel accuracy, VGMETROLOGY processes the gray values of individual voxels in a way which makes even those details visible that are smaller than a voxel.*
- Our .mvgl format packs everything metrologists need into one compact, easy-to-handle file. This is especially handy when exchanging metrology data sets over the Internet.
- Works natively with point clouds and meshes created by tactile and optical scanners in addition to voxel data
- Loads CAD models in formats such as CATIA V5, Creo, Pro/ENGINEER – in addition to the import of STEP and IGES formats *
- Automatically translates and intelligently evaluates additional part information that is stored in Product and Manufacturing Information (PMI), e.g., dimensioning, GD&T, layers, annotations, or captions **
- Imports point clouds in ASCII files, .csv files, and plain text files
- Supports mesh files in the .stl format, both ASCII-coded as well as binary-coded
- Reduces measurement uncertainty because geometry object fitting is optimized for each supported data type (voxel, CAD, mesh, and point cloud data)
- Imports textured meshes and colored point clouds for a more meaningful documentation and visual analysis of objects
- Correct tools for injection molding or casting and 3D printing geometries in a seamless digital workflow with a lower number of iterations – keeping the quality up and the time to market short.
- Processes voxel, .stl, and CAD data together in one software.
- Calculates changes to injection molds, punching tools, or geometries of 3D printed parts based on scans of your sample part.
- Provides a color-coded visualization that shows you at a glance any deviations of the manufactured part from the target model, including curvatures and undercuts.
- Uses scan data of the part to quickly and easily generate correction areas in CAD format to adapt the part and the tool shape.
- Exports information about the newly calculated surfaces directly as CAD faces.
VGinLine
VGinLINE inspects your parts automatically and non-destructively with industrial computed tomography (CT). It’s simple to set up and works with almost every CT system on the market – right out of the box.
Automation for Every Requirement
VGinLINE automatically or semi-automatically inspects your parts with a recurring analysis pattern:
Fully automated, in-line: 100% inspection in industrial production
Fully or semi-automated, at-line: small batch series inspection in industrial production or quality labs
Semi-automated: sample tests in quality labs or at service providers
Maximum Flexibility
You can easily reconfigure VGinLINE yourself, whether you need to adjust for small changes to the product design or want to inspect a totally different product. Individually developed inspection systems are often geared to just one task, typically making changes difficult and very expensive to implement.ers
Extensive Compatibility
VGinLINE can work with almost any format – reconstructed CT volumes, even in proprietary formats (upon request), as well as projection images taken by your CT scanner, which VGinLINE can automatically reconstruct. No CT scanner? VGinLINE also supports point clouds and meshes in addition to voxel data.
Complex Inspections Made Easy
VGinLINE is based on a simple idea: Monitor directories for incoming CT data sets.
Let’s say your CT scanner saves the scan data of part 1 in one directory and the data sets of part 2 in another directory. If configured accordingly, VGinLINE knows to run a defect analysis on part 1, but to apply a measurement template and run a nominal/actual comparison on part 2.
If-then statements in jobs allow for even more complex inspections. For example, you can determine if you’re currently dealing with part A or B and, as a consequence, run different analyses. Or maybe further analyses are unnecessary if the first analysis finds an insufficient wall thickness, for example.
How It Works
With jobs, you define what VGinLINE does with CT data sets.
Use VGSTUDIO MAX to create macros and templates while drawing from the full scope of available analyses.*
Build a new job from scratch by combining macros and templates, or duplicate and modify an existing job.
In VGinLINE, you can include if-then statements in your jobs if necessary—simply via drag and drop.
To save time, you can tell the software to execute recurring steps within the inspection process only once.
More important jobs will be calculated first based on the priority you assign.
Our software assists you with setting up jobs and finding inconsistencies.
If an inspection could not be finished (e.g., because of a computer or network problem), VGinLINE ensures it will be processed again.
The dashboard keeps you informed about the status of your inspections and the results for every part in real-time.
Features and Benefits
Features
- VGinLINE integrates efficiently into your production process.
It reconstructs incoming CT data sets efficiently on the fly. They not need to be saved on a hard drive nor reloaded. Outgoing data such as statistics or analyses are passed along to other software via built-in interfaces, including a Q-DAS interface to Quality Management software. An SDK opens up VGinLINE to external systems such as a shop floor control system. Cavity markers in the CT scans can be recognized, stored and used to select the corresponding inspection plan.
- With Volume Graphics software, you always have total control of your system and your data.
No file will be deleted unless you explicitly tell VGinLINE to do so. To improve accountability and security, our software supports the Windows event log to log every relevant action. Access control to the system can be easily realized via the familiar Windows permission system, e. g., allowing only certain users to change configurations.
VGinLINE can export data for archiving purposes. The software ensures that this data is complete: For example, VGinLINE stores a CAD file that it used for inspection together with the result when exporting.
Production processes evolve, and inspections may have to be adapted. Revisions enable you to incrementally change jobs while still maintaining a history. Unique IDs provide traceability, and switching between revisions is easily possible.
- VGinLINE has got you covered—even when your needs change or grow.
Simply prepare new analyses in VGSTUDIO MAX or reuse parts of existing jobs. Custom-built in-line inspection solutions can’t match this degree of flexibility.
- You can easily distribute inspection tasks to several workstations in order to achieve the necessary data throughput or ensure the required redundancy in your process.
This makes VGinLINE not only flexible and scalable, but also fail-safe. If more workstations are necessary, just add them. Additional workstation licenses are offered at a steep discount.
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Use a reference volume calculated from actual manufactured parts that have been classified as ‘good’ for your automated inspection tasks.*
This teaches the software how a ‘good’ part should look and what deviations are ‘normal’. Based on the reference volume, VGinLINE performs, e.g., a nominal/actual comparison. This is not only much faster than conventional analyses, it also detects a wider variety of defects.
* The calculation of reference volumes is a service that has to be performed by Volume Graphics at an additional cost.
- We’re here to assist you, from the decision-making process right through to implementation.
And once implemented, we help you to further optimize your inspection process. Just contact our experts for advice!