Technical Connection Notes - VTube-LASER to Metronor LightPen and M-Scan 120 Scanner

Comparing LightPen and M-Scan 120 Scanner

• Even though both systems require data to pass through TCP/IP from VTube-LASER, the METRONOR Lightpen and the METRONOR M-Scan 120 scanner communications devices are entirely different. 
• The devices are considered separate measuring center devices in the VTube-LASER.
• For both devices, access the utilities window like this:

LightPen Selection in VTube-LASER

The LightPen interface connects directly with the METRONOR software from VTube-LASER.

Change the LightPen device like this:

Step 3 shows that the Default Project State is usually changed to the LightPen setup because switching between the LightPen and the M-Scan 120 in VTube-LASER is normal.  Both have slightly different setups for switching ball probe and LASER devices on and off.

Now, enter the utilities window in Measure Setup >  Measure Device menu:

Remember that you only need to enter the device utilities for initial setup and diagnostics.  To make a connection otherwise, click on the large LED in the upper right corner of the VTube-LASER interface.

LightPen Setup

VTube-LASER communicates with the METRONOR metrology software through a TCP/IP connection.

The METRONOR software can be run on the VTube-LASER or a separate computer. If it is run on the same computer, then the TCP/IP address can be LOCALHOST.

As the interface says in point 2, VTube-LASER must be allowed to communicate through TCP/IP port 1390.

If the METRONOR software is running on another computer, then the VTube-LAER computer needs to have ping access to that computer. (You must be able to ping the other computer and get a reply using a command box.)

Before connecting to the METRONOR software, connecting to the LightPen inside the METRONOR software is necessary.  

With a successful connection, you will see data flowing into VTube-LASER in the log at the bottom of the VTube-LASER METRONOR window. You will see new Probe XYZ data in VTube-LASER when you click the acquisition button.

VTube-LASER Selection of the METRONOR M-Scan 120

For the M-Scan 120, change the measuring device to "Nikon System" like this:

You can change the default project state to Metronor M-Scan 120 and the name to M-Scan 120, so the user sees "M-Scan 120" at the top of the VTube-LASER viewport.

M-Scan 120 Setup

We do not advise that you attempt to perform this setup alone. The M-Scan 120 setup is very complex. It requires a skilled technician's help (from METRONOR) before it can work. 

The information here allows you to perform basic diagnostics if a technician asks.

Several things need to be installed and running for this to work.

Three servers run to make this connection work for VTube-LASER.

1 - VTube-LASER's NM API Server.

2 - Nikon's NM API Scanner Helper Service

3 - Metronor's Software

All three of these servers must run correctly. (If a problem exists in any of the three servers, data communication back to VTube-LASER will stop.)

This is an overview of how the interface to Nikon scanners works.

Technical Installation Notes

1—The NM Scanner Helper software must be installed and running as a service.

If METRONOR does not install it, we can supply the version we used for testing in our systems.

The filename is something like NikonMetrologyAPI_v4.9.3.9883_R3.1.exe. It is a huge installation file.  Run the installation to be sure it is running in the system tray overflow, where you can see several icons like this:

One of them will be the NM icon. If this is not present, then install the API software.

2 - Load and configure the METRONOR software setup.

This includes alignment of the cameras.

3 - Connect to the M-Scan 120 inside the METRONOR software.

4 - In VTube-LASER, load the Utilities window in Measure Setup > Measure Device menu.

Only proceed to this point after the previous steps are complete.

This VTube-LASER interface will run NMAPI_Server.exe.  The server program is in the VTube-LASER program folder. The date of this file should be January 7, 2025.

Server on the Same Computer

It is possible to run this VTube-LASER server on a separate computer, but we don't recommend it unless the METRONOR software also runs on another computer. The default server loading method is to run it on the VTube-LASER computer, so the checkbox is usually checked. The other two checkboxes are typically unchecked.

IP Address

The server IP can be 127.0.0.1 or LOCALHOST. (These mean the same thing.)  If the server is running on another computer, then the IP address will be the address of the other computer.

Port

The port starts at 40400.  If port 40400 is unavailable or blocked, a connection will not occur.  This is why we allow for a port change. (Port 40000 worked only on some computers in our initial development.)

Loop Intervals

The loop intervals govern the amount of information the server sends. If set to 0 milliseconds, the server will lock up VTube-LASER because it will flood VTube-LASER with too much information in a short time span. The Intervals that work for our test computers are the default setting. 

Diagnostics

If we need to test the interface, the technician will show the console (the server's interface) to determine where the connection fails. This is best handled by a technician.

Manual Connection Test

To attempt a connection, move to the Control tab and press the Connect to the TCP/IP Server.

If a TCP/IP connection is made, the "Connect" button will be disabled, the "Disconnect" button will be enabled, and VTube will ask the server to request Nikon LOCALIZER and SCANNER information from the Nikon Metrology API.  (The pulldown comboboxes will be empty until after the connection is made. Only the NM API can give the server the correct choices.)

Once the choices are available, it is necessary to choose the correct localizer and scanner for a connection to work.  The connection to the scanner is a direct connection through NM API. It does not require the METRONOR software to connect to the scanner. Still, Nikon Localizer is needed to connect to the METRONOR software to return the correct coordinates to VTube-LASER's server.

Solving VTube-LASER's Potential Server Communication Issues

First, VTube-LASER loads the NMAPI_Server.exe, which then can connect to the NM API Helper Service.  

VTube-LASER then attempts to communicate with the NMAPI_Server through TCP/IP. If IP setup or port assignment is incorrect (or even blocked), VTube's NMAPI_Server.exe will not communicate with VTube-LASER.