Setup Sheets: Post Processor vs. ActiveReports with .Net

[JCDFCM]

Hello,

 

   When it comes to creating setup sheets, which has more power and flexibility: Post Processing or ActiveReports with .Net?

Below is a bare bones, to the point tool sheet with no graphics as an example:

 

SEQ # |                       |
   TL # | TOOL ID        | DESCRIPTION                                                                                       | GL
N15___|___________|________________________________________________________|______
47        |7000-85520   |.500 DIA 2-FLT EM     1.750 EXP                                                           |5.100
            |                       | G10 L11 P47 R.000 (ADJUST LENGTH OFFSET)                               |
            |                       | G10 L13 P47 R.000 (ADJUST DIA COMP)                                           |
            |                       |   * ROUGH FACE BOSS                                                                        | 
            |                       |   * REMOVE MATL                                                                                 | 
            |                       |   * ROUGH AROUND BOSS                                                                  |
            |                       |   * CLEARANCE STEP                                                                           |
N5382 |_______ ____|________________________________________________________|______
48        |7000-84820   |.375 DIA 2-FLT EM     1.750 EXP                                                           |6.490
            |                      | G10 L11 P48 R.000 (ADJUST LENGTH OFFSET)                               |
            |                      | G10 L13 P48 R.000 (ADJUST DIA COMP)                                           |
            |                      |   * FINISH O.D.                                                                                      |
            |                      |   * FINISH FACE 2ND LEVEL                                                                |
            |                      |   * FINISH BOSS                                                                                    | 
            |                      |   * FINISH FACE BOSS                                                                         |

 

 Above, you can start tool 47 at line 15 in the program and the op comments of each tool are below the

G10 lines. Sometimes the same tool will be used later in the program but we do not want all op comments per tool,

we want them only when the tool is used.

    Not being familiar with the post language, but familiar with .Net, what direction would be more practical to generate the above?

Which would be worth investing in the learning curve it would take to make any type of setup sheet or documentation?

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jlw™]

I quit messing with active reports when I found X+. Its simple and to the point and 3 clicks gets you all you need if you have properly defined your tools. I print the tool list and setup sheet for every job that goes in a shop router.

[civiceg]

Doesn't X+ list the tools in the order they are used in Mastercam and not numerically? 

[JCDFCM]

     If you look closer at the example tool list above, you see N15 above tool 47 and N5382 above tool 48...to do that, a reporting system would have to provide logic to either read the NCI file or the posted output and determine the line number of each occurrence of each tool. Additionally I need to list all operation comments under each occurrence of each tool as it is common for us to use the same tool at different parts of the program and utilize G10 lines to adjust part features cut with the same tool independently. Can X+ or Active Reports format a tool sheet like above or does the post processor have more lower level control accessing the NCI file. Though I have some VB.Net experience (not an expert), sometimes going a different direction can provide better results. My guess is that X+ is quick, down and dirty but will not provide the flexibility of Active Reports which has the power of .Net...of course at the expense of a longer learning curve. I would like to know if the post processer has access to more of the NCI file than the XML tags that Active Reports utilizes.

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[jlw™]

The X+ setup sheet may give you exactly what you want. When I run it I output OP number, comment, tool number and cycle time. It is in the order of the program and most guys check it off as they go.

[JCDFCM]

   I should clarify what I am after. The tool number, op number, comment, cycle time, etc. are all passed as XML tags and X+ and ActiveReports will both easily handle that type of info. What I am after is the N number from the posted output where the tool starts, it's in the NC program...it's the line number where you would call it up to run a specific tool in the middle of the program and adding that line number into the setup sheet. We currently have this in another CAM system that we use and would like to carry that functionality over into Mastercam.

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[Colin Gilchrist]

The Sequence Numbers only exist when the NC File is posted. You would either need a program that could filter that data from the NC File, or just capture it during post processing, and have the post produce both the NC File, and the setup sheet. Now granted, I'm biased, but I like doing it all in the Post, because both files are always in sync, and are both produced with a single action.

[JCDFCM]

Thanks! That is how our current software is setup...a lot to be said on both files being in sync and produced with a single action. Will pursue that direction...you answered my question.

 

JCDFCM

[Roger Peterson]

oofta, I've been down this road it's sticky.  Getting it to work is fairly easy.  In your post use a buffer to save a file that lists the tool # and associated N#, along with any other data you want.  This file can then be read by anything; .set, nethook, chook, active reports, etc...  You can also have the post automatically run a .set file or chook or nethook that would read the data at the time of posting.

 

 

the oofta part is one minor change manually made to the .nc file and it's all out of sync after a renumber.  So now your at the point you need to scan the actual nc file after it has been edited which is a much bigger job.

 

HTH

[JCDFCM]

     Our goal is to update the Cam system with any manual edits and repost...tedious but it's nice to have a mastercam file match what is actually being run on the floor. With that said, sounds like I should continue in the post direction as you mentioned above. In hopes of understanding what your suggesting, using a buffer will post a partial file in addition to the full posted nc file at the same time as well as at the end, the post runs a .set file that would read the partial file and format it to our preference? What would be less painfull, writing the formatting logic in a custom post or in the .set file...or ActiveReports?

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

You could write a NET-Hook to do some processing after posting and write the data to disk or merge with an existing data source.

[Roger Peterson]

yes, your post that creates the .nc file can buffer out as much or as little data as you would like to an external file.  at the end of the posting process it can also launch a .set setup sheet or a .dll or a standalone .exe file.  what's best or easiest really depends on what format file you are looking for.  .set files are very easy but won't give you graphics or screen shots of your part / toolpaths.  I'm unsure how you would automatically launch an active reports setup sheet, it would probably take a chook.  It would also be possible to have the setup sheet scan the .nc file for toolchanges and record the associated  N line number.

[JCDFCM]

In order to produce two separate tool sheets, one graphics based for building the tools and one text based to be used at the machine at the same time, I could possibly do the following:

 

1) Execute ActiveReports to write out the op comments to a text file and create the Tool Assembly graphics.

 

2) Post the Mastercam program which will buffer out the N#, T#, and tool description of each tool to a text file  and after posting, execute the AfterPosting event code from the NetHook  which will contain the VB.Net code to read in the text file containing the op comments and read in the buffered out file containing the N#, T#, and  tool description of each tool and format the desired tool sheet.

 

3) Maybe even write a VB script that will launch the ActiveReports setup sheet followed by posting the program  with one click of a button.

 

Questions: 1) Is there a Mastercam project template for Visual Studio/VB.Net 2010?
                  2) Is the reason for setting the flag to indicate executing the NetHook code only if you are posting for the mill that you wanted this special tool list for?

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

In order to produce two separate tool sheets, one graphics based for building the tools and one text based to be used at the machine at the same time, I could possibly do the following:

 

1) Execute ActiveReports to write out the op comments to a text file and create the Tool Assembly graphics.

 

2) Post the Mastercam program which will buffer out the N#, T#, and tool description of each tool to a text file  and after posting, execute the AfterPosting event code from the NetHook  which will contain the VB.Net code to read in the text file containing the op comments and read in the buffered out file containing the N#, T#, and  tool description of each tool and format the desired tool sheet.

 

3) Maybe even write a VB script that will launch the ActiveReports setup sheet followed by posting the program  with one click of a button.

 

Questions: 1) Is there a Mastercam project template for Visual Studio/VB.Net 2010?

                  2) Is the reason for setting the flag to indicate executing the NetHook code only if you are posting for the mill that you wanted this special tool list for?

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

 

I just (re)published the old NET-Hook templates for Visual Studio 2010 so you should now see it when you search extensions online from within Visual Studio. Any trouble let me know.

 

I just mentioned adding in a flag that the NET-Hook sets when it is run so that the event is not processed every single time posting is executed unless that is the process you are after.