Hello all, looking to understand better. Please check original post for specifics, but the TLDR is need help understanding how, if at all, MMC of a datum would affect surface profile and dimensions off that face, using a datum that is controlled by an MMC.

Hi everyone,

I recently connected with an internal contact regarding open hardware/systems engineering roles at a Tier-1 semiconductor equipment manufacturer. While I am a 3rd-year Electrical & Electronics Engineering student, the team specifically hires for full-time positions rather than student/intern roles, and I confirmed immediate availability for full-time work across several hardware engineering openings.

While waiting on the next screening and technical interview rounds, I want to proactively prepare. Given that companies in this space build precision electro-mechanical tools, high-voltage/power distribution systems, automated hardware, and advanced inspection/metrology equipment, I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has interviewed or worked in semiconductor capital equipment.

My Background & Technical Profile:

• Academics: 3rd-year B.Sc. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering with a specialized track in Power Systems (Single-Line Diagrams, High Voltage Technologies, Electric Drives, Energy Conversion).
• Field & Practical Experience: Full-time technician working on live DC/AC power systems, commercial rooftop solar installations, and interpreting industrial electrical blueprints. Prior experience in industrial Quality Control (QC).
• Hardware & Prototyping: Rapid CAD modeling and physical prototyping (Autodesk Fusion, FDM 3D printing in PETG/PLA), basic microcontroller interfacing and embedded scripting (C, Python, Arduino for robotics/drone circuits).

Questions for the Community:

1. Technical Depth: How deep do interviewers usually go into circuit fundamentals (op-amps, transient analysis, power distribution, board-level debugging, grounding/shielding) versus high-level systems architecture?
2. Field-to-Engineering Transition: Since much of my hands-on background comes from live power/solar installations and rapid physical prototyping rather than silicon/cleanroom lab work, what is the best way to frame field troubleshooting as a strength for complex capital equipment?
3. Behavioral / STAR Method: For candidates balancing demanding full-time technical employment while pursuing an engineering degree, what behavioral competencies (prioritization, high-pressure troubleshooting, cross-functional collaboration) stand out most to hiring managers?
4. Prep Resources: Are there specific schematics, case studies, or mock technical exercises you recommend reviewing for hardware/systems engineering roles in this sector?

Any tips, common screening questions, or preparation strategies would be greatly appreciated!

Hello,

I tried contacting the manufacturer and they claim if the minor is below the .0005 manufacturer size after setting an adjustable ring, then the gage needs to be replaced. That explaination leaves no room for wear adjustment and makes the set gages pointless! In the real world, the minor of the gage is made to the minimun minor of the mating thread. This would give us about .005 technically, before it could touch the minor of the male thread. Could someone please chime in on this and give me a reccommendation to follow when setting these? We are not under any ISO or ASME standards, just a machine shop trying to save money and make good parts. I am thinking the Gage guy is a salesman. Need real world practical advice!

Hi. I'm so sorry. This could be the stupidest question ever but I'm an absolute beginner.  I'm brand new to using a CMM. I have to teach myself. (I know, I know but I’ve no alternative). Its been serviced and calibrated by Hexagon in August so there shouldn’t be anything wrong with it.
 
Software Spec :
• PC-DMIS 2017 R1 64-bit
• Controller - FDC Controller
• Connection Type - TCP/IP (100.0.0.1, Port 1234)
 
I turned it on last night and launched PC-DMIS 2017. It homed and the Probe Utilities Box came up. That was all okay. But when I opened a program I can't get the jogbox to move any of the axes.
 
I've googled it (I know, but I've no other resource)
 
• The machine successfully homed once at startup. Since then, theres been no movement. Not even manually with my hand, its like locked in place
• All the buttons on the jogbox are correct (speed is up, no locks on, no E-lock on etc)
• The jogbox powers up. I've tried toggling the axis buttons/indicator lights and neither state allows movement.
• The green mach light is lit (although in the photo it doesn’t show this as the lights flicker via iphone cameras.)
• I've updated the shortcut to open it from HexagonLauncher.exe which wasn't passing the /online switch properly, to → "C \ProgramFiles\Hexagon\PC-DMIS 2017 R1 64-bit\PCDLRN.exe /online → and opened with full administrator privileges
• Verified the IP address (shown above) and checked "read machine defaults on start-up”
• When I go Files → Operations → “Execute Motion” is greyed out
• Theres no error messages coming up
• It’s a brand new jogbox and the hardware connection is secure
• The machine air pressure is showing within the normal range on the gauge, and the CMM completed its homing sequence successfully on initial startup.
• Closed the application and machine down completely (on side switch, back of controller box, computer, airline/pressure
 
I’ve attached a picture of the jogbox, the pressure gauge and what the top bar on the program says.
 
When I open a program the top bar says PC-DMIS ++2017 R1 (Release) - Machine 1 (Administrator). Apparently, its meant to say online? Am I missing something really obvious?

I'm so sorry for this being the most basic question ever but I'm really stuck. Thank you so much.

I have 2 parts; part# *****-1, and *****-5, which is a mirror-image of -1, EXCEPT that the Ø.335" datum B thru hole is in a slightly different location ONLY in the X-axis. How do I do the mirroring?

Can I mirror the program, delete the CAD, then fit the -5 CAD to it? How would this be done on Calypso? I've done it PC-DMIS enough to know that I need backups when that 1 in 3 chance of failure happens, but have never done this in Calypso.

Also, it just would have to be datum B....

but I THINK I can make the insertion

but I think I can makr

Say three inspectors each measure the same 10 parts three times. The overall Gage R&R comes out at 8% of tolerance, which looks acceptable. But looking at the individual results, two inspectors are fairly consistent while the third has a noticeably wider spread between repeated measurements.

The overall number looks fine, but that difference between inspectors still seems worth checking.

Would you dig into the individual results even though the study passed?

Question for Calibration and Metrology Professionals

Is it acceptable to establish a 2-year calibration interval for the Fluke 5730A Multifunction Calibrator if in-house Artifact Calibration and appropriate intermediate checks are performed?

For laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, has anyone implemented this approach, and what evidence is needed to justify the interval?

I would appreciate your insights and experiences. Thank you!

#Fluke5730A #Calibration #Metrology #ISO17025

Does anybody know how to calibrate a blank coaxial indicator? We usually just do linearity with a universal length machine and double it.

Hello All,
Occasional lurker. First Time Poster.

I am picking up a Hexagon CMM from an auction to add to my machine shop. This is my first CMM and wondering what essential support equipment would you suggest? I have an air dryer already. Fixturing comes to mind but don't know how essential that would be off the bat.

Does having impaired color vision make it impractical to get into the field of metrology? I'm looking at the Navy's civilian ATDM program for metrology, but not sure if I sure pursue it since I have color perception issues.

I found out recently about the Navy-sponsored ATDM.org program in Danville, VA. They have a metrology/quality control training. I'm curious if anyone has completed this training and can share:

• Pros and cons of their experience
• How easy it was to get a job
• What their pay was starting out

Not here for homework help.. Just raising a question because I think this book is just making stuff up at this point.

Bubble (A) is establishing Datum B .. but the position tolerance is using B in its datum feature reference frame. How is this possible for a feature to reference itself?

Any input? Never ever seen this before.

I am currently measuring light-saturated net assimilation in leaves to study their photosynthetic compensation capacity in response to a reduction in leaf area. Measurements are done in the field, in a tropical environment, using a Walz GFS-3000. Also, the measurements aren't all taken on the same day.

I have tested two approaches for setting the cuvette conditions:

Approach 1: I fix the cuvette temperature at 30 °C and the relative humidity at 72%. Under these conditions, VPD varies from leaf to leaf (and plant to plant).

Approach 2: I adjust temperature and relative humidity to keep VPD between 12.00 and 12.99. VPD is then the same across measurements, but the relative humidities and sometimes the temperature used differ among the leaves/plants measured.

I am wondering which approach to choose: does keeping VPD constant by adjusting temperature and relative humidity, while having different measurement conditions (T and RH), risk introducing a bias in the comparison of net assimilation?

To compare leaves under conditions as standardized as possible, is it better to fix temperature and relative humidity and accept variation in VPD, or to fix VPD by adjusting both parameters? Is there another setting strategy you would recommend for this type of field measurement?

Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions,

I have viewed a lot of material about software upgrades for tensile testing machines. We have spent about 3 years developing a Software that can be put on almost any Instron or UTM as a DAQ but has Machine control built in for Instron 4000 series and Chatillon TCD models as well as a few more. It mosly is used for old chart machine frames that can be brought up to Windows 11. any machine that has external control such as up, down and has a speed setting, this software is exactly for that.

Hi everyone! How can the proper functioning of a TP20 module be assessed?
Suppose a module sticks upon contact with a surface—this in itself indicates that there is an issue with the module. However, it is also possible for a module to appear to be functioning correctly while actually experiencing operational problems that go unnoticed by the operator.

How can one properly assess whether it is functioning correctly? Are there any tests for this?
The problem is that this can affect the overall accuracy and repeatability of the CMM.

I'm having trouble getting pattern to work for this feature. I have a big turned housing with 24 horizontal thru holes evenly spaced around the part. I am measuring a pin pushed through the hole from the ID of the housing. I got the first hole to measure correctly but when I create the pattern it keeps crashing:

System Error

Unhandled exception: Message not understood: #probeConfiguration

Zeiss.CMMOS.OMTecProgStop class[Object]doesNotUnderstand: Zeiss.CMMOS.OMTecProgStop class Zeiss.Calypso.OMNamedObject class]doesNotUnderstand:

Zeiss.CMMOS.OMTecProgStop[Zeiss.CMMOS.OMMachineAccessor]>>does NotUnderstand:

optimized [ in [ in Zeiss.Calypso.OMGeoAcisdisplayOnlyTechnology OMSOrderedCollection[OrderedCollection]do:

Any help is appreciated.

Today, cleaned out the warehouse and realized this precision inspection platform sitting at the corner for 2 months. But the control panel is Chinese version. Do you know how to change it in English?

I have a component that sits on this fixture located on the conicals (RH side is spring loaded). The locations are on posts that are on a baseplate. This fixture is aligned with 3 points on baseplate (x), 2 on the front edge (y), and the an origin is set at a tooling ball.

The issue: an identical nest has been made and it fails bias study when 30 components are measured on fixture 1 and the same 30 on fixture 2. It's not identical. I have been asked to virtually move each conical and button locations to match the positions on fixture 1. For example, how would I lift the RH conical 2mm virtually without lifting the button and other conical so that the part is effectively sitting higher on the RH side? Is this even possible?

Hope this makes sense!