Right angle heads and cutter comp

[gcode]

I'm doing some right angle head work on an HBM

With the right angle head pointing straight down

a wear comp left tool path posts G18 G41

This is correct, I've run tool paths like this many times

 

Now with the tool pointing straight up, a wear comp left

is again posting G18 G41.

I'm thinking it should be G18 G42, even though it's a comp left tool path.

 

I believe the reason for this is because the control always looks at the tool

from the positive direction.

 

Does this sound right to the Fanuc gurus out there??

[Robert Ouellette]

doesn't the control look the tool as on the left of the cut line or the right of the cut line relative to toolpath direction? therefore if you are chaining an inside cut going counter clockwise it would not matter if it is pointing up or down. it would still be G41 left cutter comp. now if you cut one counter clockwise and the other clockwise then they would change. but I could be wrong as I have not cut much work with a right angle head on a HBM. but I have cut with a right angle head on the left and the right which I would think would be the same as top and bottom.

[gcode]

I looked up some old proven right angle code that machined pockets on all four
inside walls of a large box.
All tool paths were climb cutting on the left side of the finished walls
With the RA Head pointed down and left, CDC was G41
With the RA Head pointed Up and Right CDC was G42.

I'm using a new post and the part is a 40 foot long weldment worth $250K
I do not want to screw it up :-)

[taperlength]

The control sees left or right looking from the positive end of the axis towards the negative.  Does not matter which axis. With the G18 code, which is the XZ plane, then the tool axis is Y and the control sees G41 as left, looking from the positive end of the Y-axis towards the negative end of the Y-axis.

[K2csq7]

I'm using a new post and the part is a 40 foot long weldment worth $250K

I do not want to screw it up :-)

 

It's nice to have those "low-stress" days every once in a while!