Communication component design in CMM software R&D based on I++ specification

Component development technology can guarantee system' independence, minimize the system's coupling between software and hardware, enhance the software reusability, and then reduce the software development cost. This paper presents a method to develop a communication interface component which encapsulates an Inspection Plus-plus (I++) command management function with the above features. The component is designed for handling bi-directional communication between the measuring software and the measuring equipment via a set of encapsulated API (Application Programming Interface). As a result, it can effectively separate the software from measuring machine. The test result shows that the component can work well with the other modules of DirectDMIS, a set of CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) software developed by Precision Measuring Technology Lab of Shanghai Second Polytechnic University, where a real CMM equipped with a controller system developed based on I++ was involved.