BestFit

On this page

Bring a scan and a design into the same view

A scan captures a manufactured part in a measurement setup. A CAD model describes its intended shape in another coordinate system. BestFit calculates a position and orientation that align measured points with reference geometry.

Give inspection software a repeatable starting point for comparing real parts with nominal designs.

How it works

Load a CAD reference and measured points in matching units. Choose which regions should guide alignment, then calculate the rotation and movement needed to bring them together. Apply that placement to the scan and inspect remaining differences. This keeps alignment and later measurement in one process.

Reduce time spent on manual alignment

Select relevant measured points and reference surfaces or wireframes. BestFit evaluates deviations and solves for translation and rotation. Your application can apply the calculated placement and show how the scan sits against CAD geometry.

This supports dimensional inspection, metrology tools, and review of manufactured parts.

Work with partial scans and repeated shapes

A partial scan may cover only one area of a part. Choose measured points and reference surfaces that describe the same region. This gives alignment relevant geometry to compare.

Repeated or symmetric features can produce several plausible placements. A suitable starting position helps guide the fit toward the intended region. After alignment, remaining differences can be reviewed against scan quality and the selected reference.

Choose which regions guide alignment

A broad fit helps compare overall shape. A fit based on selected regions helps inspect a particular area. The points and reference surfaces used for alignment therefore influence the differences shown afterward.

A best-fit placement and a datum-based alignment serve different purposes. Inspection software should keep the chosen alignment method with its results so reviewers can understand how the scan was positioned.

Use scan data that supports a stable fit

Dense scans may contain many points describing the same region. Select useful points to reduce calculation work, and review scan coverage and noise when interpreting deviations after alignment.

Make repeated scan reviews easier to compare

A quality team scans several manufactured parts, but each scan arrives in a different position. Manual placement becomes another task before comparison can begin. Differences in alignment choices can also make two reports difficult to interpret.

An inspection application can use BestFit to align each scan with a CAD reference using selected measurement regions. It can then retain the placement, selected regions, and reference revision alongside later deviation results. Reviewers can see how the comparison was prepared and revisit the same basis when a part needs further investigation.

Production and quality teams can then compare reports prepared on the same basis. Acceptance against specified datums needs an appropriate datum-based procedure, recorded with the report.

Build a connected inspection workflow

Use CAD exchange components to load reference geometry. Add PMI View to bring dimensions and tolerances into review, or Surface from Scattered Points when your task needs fitted surfaces.

Discuss your scan-to-CAD process with sample points, reference parts, and the regions your users need to compare.