Post "spray mist problems"

[Bruce]

I am running mill 8.11 and using a MPHEI370.pst. Ever time I try to use the mist and run the post this error message appears.

Selector variable Spdlsel = 8.0

out of range for string select.

I can't find a M function to turn on the mist & spindle at the same time but is it possible to output code to turn on the mist on a line before or after the spindle starts.

Bruce

[cadcam]

Does your mahine support a mist callout?

the error is a spot in the post that is not turned on to make this mist work.

You will need to follow Jamman thought on the post to make it work.

[ 11-22-2001: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[JAMMAN]

Roger Martin hooked me up for this one.

If you know the "M" code for mist it should be easy. This is what mine looks like:

sm09 # Coolant off

sm08 M7M8 # Coolant on - FLOOD selection

sm07 # Coolant on - MIST selection

sm06 # Coolant on - TOOL selection

smcool # Coolant code target string

I turn spindle water and flood water on after the first rapid move and before the spindle starts. Putting your "M" code in front of the "mist" line will generate a seperate line with your m code when mist is selected in tool parameters window. Note: tool parameters window (in op manager)coolant selection is set by the coolant type you selected in the tool itself, however you can change it in the tool parameter window if you need to.

As for your error message, I'm sure you will get a reply soon.

My prapid lines look like this:

pctr_flags1 #

n, sccomp, pgcode, x, y, z, pfr, pcan

n, pcoolon # Coolant ON

n, *ss, *spdlon # Tri-dundancy line

pctr_flags2 #

The "pcoolon" will output whatever you told it to in the tool parameters window.

Oh the power of a post

I hope I haven't missed anything.

[Allan Brown]

If your error mentions "spdlsel = 8.0" as being out of range, it sounds like you have a combined spindle with coolant string table in the works (e.g. M13, etc.). If the post is V6 era, you may have to expand the table to beef it up for the extra coolant commands in V7 and V8.

[Bruce]

Dave

Yes you are right, I do have a combined spindle/coolant string and yes the post is V6 era. I tried Jim's idea and it turned the mist on in the line before but I still got the same error message in the next line. What's mist callout, sorry still learning. I will play around with it over the next few days and see how I go.

[Allan Brown]

The combined coolant / spindle string lookup must be expanded to cover all the coolant types. Chances are you only have off and flood covered. You need to expand the table for each possible coolant type (in sets of three for each spindle state).

code:

---

sm04 M4 # Spindle reverse - no coolant

sm05 M5 # Spindle off - no coolant

sm03 M3 # Spindle forward - no coolant

sm04f M14 # Spindle reverse - with flood coolant

sm05f M5 # Spindle off - with flood coolant

sm03f M13 # Spindle forward - with flood coolant

sm04m M14 # Spindle reverse - with mist coolant

sm05m M5 # Spindle off - with mist coolant

sm03m M13 # Spindle forward - with mist coolant

sm04t M14 # Spindle reverse - with thru tool coolant

sm05t M5 # Spindle off - with thru tool coolant

sm03t M13 # Spindle forward - with thru tool coolant

 

spdlon # Target Spindle-on M-string

spdlsel = coolant * 3 + fsg3(ss) # Spindle on selector based on

# coolant - 0 = off, 1 = on

fstrsel sm04 spdlsel spdlon

---

[Bruce]

Dave

I tried this and still had problems. I solved the problem by forcing a M03 ( I dont run the machine in reverse so it's not a problem) at the program start and at tool changes. I then introduced "smcool" in the line before for the coolant & mist control.