Manual

VMA 15.0.0 AutoMeasure Manual

🌟 What This Manual Is

This is the comprehensive guide to NEXIV AutoMeasure VMA 15.0.0 — the current production version used in active manufacturing facilities worldwide. Version 15.0.0 builds on 11.6.2 with 8 new features including the Teaching Support system, measurement tool suggestion, and AF retry settings. This manual covers every feature, every workflow, and all new additions exclusive to version 15.

⚠ Dongle Required: VMA 15.0.0 requires a USB hardware dongle to run. The software will not launch without it. If you are setting up a training environment, version 11.6.2 does not require a dongle and is better suited for practice machines.

Chapter 1

What's New in Version 15.0.0

Version 15.0.0 adds 8 new guide topics not present in 11.6.2. All 279 existing features carry forward unchanged. Here is what's new:

Teaching Support NEW

Semi-automated recipe creation. Select features from an image or CAD drawing and the system creates measurement tools automatically.

Tool Suggestion NEW

AI-assisted next-tool recommendation. When adding a tool, AutoMeasure suggests up to 4 likely candidates based on what you've measured so far.

Vision AF Retry NEW

Configure automatic retry behavior when Vision AF fails during replay. Choose retry positions and retry count instead of a hard stop.

Laser AF Retry NEW

Same retry logic as Vision AF Retry, applied to the Laser AF probe for more resilient replay on challenging surfaces.

CSV Column Naming NEW

Customize the column headers in exported CSV files per measurement tool. Integrates cleanly with MES and factory systems expecting specific column names.

MapMeasurePro UPGRADED

MapMeasure is now MapMeasurePro with expanded batch inspection capabilities for 2D flat-part measurement.

Version Comparison

Feature	VMA 11.6.2	VMA 15.0.0
Guide file topics	279	287 (+8)
Dongle required	No	Yes
Teaching Support	No	✓ Yes
Measurement Tool Suggestion	No	✓ Yes
AF Retry Settings	No	✓ Yes
CSV Column Naming	No	✓ Yes
Korean language support	No	✓ Yes
Classic mode bundled	No	✓ Yes
EVF code	EVF40000/41000	EVF72150

Chapter 2

Getting Started with VMA 15.0.0

Before You Launch

Version 15.0.0 requires the USB dongle to be inserted before launching the software. Insert the dongle into a USB port on the PC, then follow the startup sequence below.

Insert the USB dongle
Plug the hardware key into a USB port. Windows will recognize it. No driver installation is needed — the dongle is recognized automatically.

Power on the NEXIV controller
The external controller unit connected to the measurement stage. Always power the controller before the software.

Wait for joystick indicator lights to go OFF
Lights come ON, then go OFF. The OFF state means the controller is initialized and ready. Do not proceed until this happens.

Launch AutoMeasure
Open NEXIV AutoMeasure 15.0.0 from the desktop. If the dongle is missing, the software will display a license error and will not open.

Log in
Select your login level (Operator, Engineer, Manager) and enter your password.

System Initialization
Click [Auto Detect] in the initialization dialog. The stage homes in X, Y, and Z. Keep the stage clear during homing.

Login Levels

Level	Account	Capabilities
Operator	NEXIV3-OP	Run existing recipes (Replay only)
Engineer	NEXIV3-ENG	Create, edit, and run recipes
Manager	NEXIV3-MGR	Full access including system settings, calibration, CSV naming

Chapter 3

Understanding the Modes

Teaching Mode

Where recipes are created and edited. Place measurement tools, set coordinate systems, configure parameters, and define tolerances. Requires Engineer or Manager access. New in 15.0.0: Teaching Support is available from the Edit menu to speed up recipe creation.

Run Measurement (Replay) Mode

Executes an existing recipe on a live part. The system follows the sequence, captures measurements, applies tolerances, and generates results. Available to all login levels.

Confirm Results Mode

Review measurement data after replay. Inspect individual results, see graphical representations, and generate reports.

Classic Mode (15.0.0 Exclusive)

Version 15.0.0 bundles a separate Classic application (version 1.9.6.0 in some configurations, 3.6.6.0 in others). Classic provides a legacy interface for operators accustomed to older NEXIV versions. Important: teaching files that use 15.0.0-exclusive features (AF retry, CSV naming) will not behave correctly in Classic mode.

Chapter 4

Creating Recipes

Recipe Basics

A recipe is a measurement program for a specific part. It contains: stage movement commands, measurement tool definitions, coordinate system assignments, tolerance values, and output settings. Recipes are stored as .nmp files in C:\NEXIV3\TEACH\[recipe name]\.

Step-by-Step Recipe Creation

Enter Teaching mode
Edit → Teaching, or click the Teaching button in the toolbar.

Set your Initial Coordinate System
Coordinate → Initial Coordinate Setting. Define your part origin and axes before placing any measurement tools. This is the most commonly skipped step and the most important.

Consider using Teaching Support
If your part has clearly visible features (edges, circles, rectangles), use Edit → Teaching Support → Measurement Tool Creation to semi-automate tool placement. See Chapter 5 for details.

Add and configure measurement tools
Select probe types from the Measurement Tool menu. Position each tool on the video panel. Set parameters in the probe settings dialog.

Set tolerances
For each measurement, define upper and lower limits. Results outside these limits are flagged NG during replay.

Configure output settings
Set CSV export format (Settings → Application Settings). In 15.0.0 you can also customize CSV column names (Settings → Application Settings → Result File Item Name).

Save
File → Save. The .nmp file saves to the TEACH folder.

Chapter 5

Teaching Support NEW in 15.0.0

What Is Teaching Support?

Teaching Support (also called AutoTeaching) is a semi-automated recipe creation system introduced in version 15.0.0. Instead of manually placing each probe, you show the system which features to measure and it creates the tools automatically — then optimizes the probe settings for you.

★ Why This Matters: On a complex part with 20+ measurement points, Teaching Support can reduce recipe creation time from hours to minutes. It analyzes your part image or CAD drawing and identifies measurable geometry automatically.

Teaching Support Workflow

Open Teaching Support
Edit → Teaching Support → Measurement Tool Creation. The Specify Figure Selection Method pane opens.

Choose your input method

Select from the whole image — uses the live camera view. The system analyzes contours from the video panel.
Select from CAD drawing — import a CAD file and select features from the drawing geometry.

Acquire the image
The Get Target Shape pane appears. The system performs image acquisition. A progress bar tracks the process. When complete, the [Start selection] button becomes active.

Select features on the Graphics panel
The Shape Selection pane opens. Click on features in the Graphics panel to identify them as measurement targets. Selected features are highlighted.

End selection and review tools
Click [End selection]. Measurement tools are automatically created on the list panel for each selected feature. Review and adjust as needed.

Execute optimization
Edit → Teaching Support → Measurement Tool Execution. The system automatically optimizes probe arrangement, illumination, and light amount for Circle, Arc, Line, and Rectangle tools. This step takes the tool definitions and refines them for your actual part.

Measurement Tool Suggestion

When adding a measurement tool manually in Teaching mode, version 15.0.0 can suggest what tool to add next. Enable this from Settings → Application Settings → Measurement Tool Suggestion, then check [Enable function].

When enabled, a mini window appears each time you add a tool, showing up to 4 candidate tools ranked by likelihood based on your measurement sequence so far. This helps engineers follow logical measurement progressions without missing features.

Chapter 6

Base Elements

Measured vs Calculated Features

AutoMeasure distinguishes between measured features (detected from the image) and calculated features (derived from measured features). Base Elements are the calculated layer — fitting a circle through measured edge points, finding the intersection of two lines, calculating the distance between two circles.

Point

Single X,Y position. Used as datum references, intersection points, and calculated midpoints.

Line

Line fit through two or more points. Used for angle calculation, datum edges, and symmetry lines.

Circle

Fit through measured edge points (minimum 4 points). Returns center X,Y, diameter, and roundness.

Arc

Partial circle — same as Circle but covers less than 360°. Used for radii on corners and partial bores.

Rectangle

Four-sided feature. Returns center position, width, height, and angle of rotation.

Ellipse

Elliptical feature. Returns center, major and minor axis lengths, and rotation angle.

Calculated Relationships

Distance — point-to-point, point-to-line, line-to-line, circle-to-circle
Angle — between any two lines
Intersection — where two lines cross
Midpoint — center between two points
Tangent line — tangent from a point to a circle

Chapter 7

AutoMeasure Wizards

Standard Wizard Categories (8)

Category	Code	Purpose
Dimension	100	Width, height, diameter — linear dimensions
Distance	200	Distance between features
Datum Setting	300	Automated coordinate system establishment
APS (Auto Pattern Search)	400	Finds part features automatically using pattern matching
Angle	500	Angular measurement between features
Height	600	Z-height using Laser AF or Vision AF
Geometric Tolerancing	700	GD&T — flatness, perpendicularity, runout, etc.
Z Datum	800	Z-axis reference datum setup

Classic Wizard: Profiling Category (900)

The Classic application bundled with 15.0.0 includes a 9th wizard category: 900 Profiling. This integrates the Profiler option into the wizard workflow for surface contour measurement. Note: the 900 Profiling category is in Classic only — it does not appear in the main AutoMeasure wizard list.

Chapter 8

AF Retry Settings NEW in 15.0.0

The Problem This Solves

In version 11.6.2, if a Vision AF or Laser AF probe fails to detect focus during replay, the recipe stops with an error. The operator must intervene, investigate, and restart. On production lines running 24/7, this causes costly downtime.

Version 15.0.0 adds configurable retry behavior. Instead of stopping, the system automatically retries the measurement at a different position. This handles transient failures (a piece of debris, a reflection anomaly) without operator intervention.

Vision AF Retry Settings

Access from: Probe → Parameter Setting → [Vision AF probe] → Retry Settings

Setting	Description
Do not retry	Legacy behavior — failure reports immediately (same as 11.6.2)
Retry at a different position	On failure, retry at 1 of 8 surrounding positions. Continues replay if retry succeeds.
Retry count	Number of retry attempts before reporting failure
Retry offset	Distance from original position to retry positions

⚠ Compatibility Note: AF Retry Settings are exclusive to NEXIV AutoMeasure 15.0.0. Teaching files that use retry settings will not behave correctly in the Classic application.

Laser AF Retry Settings

Access from: Probe → Parameter Setting → [Laser AF probe] → Retry Settings

Identical retry options to Vision AF Retry. Apply to Laser AF probes measuring Z-height. Particularly useful on reflective metal surfaces where laser detection can occasionally fail.

Chapter 9

Coordinate Systems

Three Coordinate Systems

System	Origin	Purpose
Machine	Fixed to stage mechanism	Hardware reference — never changes
Initial	Set per workpiece at teaching time	Part reference frame — aligns measurements to the part, not the machine
Local	Temporary, set per measurement group	Step-level datum within a recipe

Always set Initial Coordinate before teaching: Without an Initial Coordinate System, your recipe locks measurements to the machine origin — meaning the part must be placed in exactly the same machine position every single time. That's not practical on a production floor.

Setting Initial Coordinate

Move to your part datum
Position the camera over a reference feature — edge, hole center, or alignment mark.

Coordinate → Initial Coordinate Setting
Open the dialog. Measure your X origin, Y origin, and rotation reference features.

Confirm
The coordinate display shows 0,0 at your datum. All subsequent measurement tools reference this frame.

Chapter 10

Calibration

Type	Purpose	When
Vision Processor	Pixel-to-mm scaling per magnification	After changing objectives; periodic maintenance
Light Amount	Reference illumination levels	After bulb replacement; when lighting changes
Vision AF	Camera autofocus accuracy	After optics changes
Laser AF	Laser sensor Z-distance conversion	After optics changes; periodic maintenance
Shading Image	Correct uneven illumination across field of view	Periodic maintenance

Most important: Vision Processor Calibration must be accurate at every magnification level you use. Without it, all measurements will be systematically wrong — even if everything else looks correct.

Chapter 11

Running Replay

File → Open
Load the .nmp recipe file for your part from C:\NEXIV3\TEACH\

Set Lot and Sample
Enter lot ID and sample number in the Run Measurement panel. This determines where results save.

Position the part
Place the part on the stage. The Initial Coordinate System will handle minor positioning variation automatically.

Press Replay
The system runs the full measurement sequence. If AF Retry is configured, transient probe failures will retry automatically without stopping.

CSV Export

Configure from Settings → Application Settings, or use the DLL SET CONVERT command:

SET CONVERT,1 — Vertical format (one result per row)
SET CONVERT,2 — Horizontal format (all results in one row)

In version 15.0.0 you can also rename CSV column headers: Settings → Application Settings → Result File Item Name Settings. Changes apply to all future CSV exports.

Chapter 12

Results & Reporting

Reading Results

After replay, Confirm Results mode opens automatically. Each measurement shows:

Measured value — what the system detected
Nominal — the target value from the recipe
Tolerance — upper and lower limits
Deviation — how far from nominal
OK / NG — pass or fail status

Result Files

Results save automatically to C:\NEXIV3\DATA\[recipe]\[lot]\ as .nmr files. These can be reopened at any time for review or report generation.

Report Printing

File → Print Report from Confirm Results mode. Select from 14 built-in layout templates. Preview before printing. Reports can include measurement values, tolerance charts, and graphical feature representations.

Chapter 13

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
Software won't open — license error	Dongle not inserted or not recognized	Insert dongle, wait for Windows to recognize it, then launch
Initialization error on startup	Software launched before controller ready	Close software, wait for joystick lights to go OFF, relaunch
Measurements systematically wrong	Vision processor calibration outdated	Run Vision Processor Calibration for all magnification levels in use
AF probe fails repeatedly in replay	Surface condition, debris, or calibration	Enable AF Retry Settings; check illumination; recalibrate AF
CSV not exported after replay	Convert mode not set	Set CONVERT to 1 or 2 in recipe settings or Application Settings
Teaching Support tools look wrong	Image contrast insufficient for auto-detection	Improve illumination; adjust threshold; fall back to manual tool placement
Classic mode ignores retry settings	AF Retry is 15.0.0-exclusive feature	Use AutoMeasure (not Classic) when retry behavior is needed

Need the official Nikon documentation? VMA 15.0.0 ships with 22 PDF manuals. Check C:\ProgramData\NEXIVAutoMeasure\ on your machine. Visit our Downloads page for organized access to all official documentation.