O/T Macro can you do this?

[Lars Christensen]

Any comments, suggestions, experience or ideas would be highly appreciated.

 

I got a vertical mill with Fanuc 18i control, the machine is equipped with two identical tombstones and fixtures, the machine is pure production machine and it is running a category of parts, where each category has a series of different parts, each series is different from each other by adding a different tool or feature. The fixtures on the tombstones can be modified by adding or replacing different spacers to suit each category.

 

Example:

Category A includes series 1 through 9

Category B includes series 1 through 9

Category C includes series 1 through 9

 

The amount of each types of part are changing every day depending of which parts are getting ordered by the costumer.

 

Example:

Monday

144 pcs. Category A series 7

72 pcs. Category C series 3

 

Tuesday

360 pcs. Category B series 2

200 pcs. Category C series 3

 

So would it be possible to make a macro program that will do something like this:

 

Main Macro program.

“I would like to run 144 pcs. Of “Category A series 7” on pallet 1 side 0 and side 90.”

“I would like to run 72 pcs. Of “Category B series 2” on pallet 1 side 180 and side 270”

“I would like to run 600 pcs. Of “Category C series 1” on pallet 2 side 0, 90, 180, 270”

(These numbers, categories and series can changes from day to day)

 

Now the machine will go to tool pocket #120 and take a tool that contains a ¼” diameter 3” long graphite tube type electrode, and check each side of the fixtures by enter a pocket that is special for each of the categories spacer, and there after checking on the tool probe that the graphite electrode is still intact, and there by confirming that operator has the right spacers installed.

 

Now the machine will start to make chips, and keep count of how many times it has executed each side and go into a stop or pause, when a sudden series has finished the required amount.

 

I know that there was a book recommended here not long ago about macro programming and I am considering buying it, but 1st. I would like to find out if macro programming could benefit my situation.

 

Thanks

Lars

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

yes you can do that with macro programming. you could even call msgs to tell operatot how many spacers to use

 

also you could pull the amts from your scheduling softare or other file on server pc

 

i think dprint sends info out the com porton machine

 

cant remember read command.

[Lars Christensen]

Thanks Jimmy, seems like I am going to buy a book

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

there are several websites dedicated to custom macro b programming you can get alot of info from them

[Guest]

Jimmy,

 

Care to share any of these sites? I bought the book from Industrial Press by Peter Smid but any other information I can glean is always welcomed.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

http://www.machinetoolhelp.com/Application...rogramming.html

 

http://www.cncci.com/resources/tips.htm

 

http://www.programmingunlimited.com/tips.htm

 

http://www.cncsecrets.com/macros.htm

 

Try those to start with. They have examples/explanations. Craig and I are getting ready to start a post that will out put a macro and pre load variables needed to make the part on a lathe.

 

I would also look into vb scripting. It is very powerful. Use the examples in v9 to kinda get an idea of how they work. We are going to do scripting classes starting next year.

[Guest]

Thanks Jimmy,

 

Looks like some good stuff here.