Hor 5-axis post

[DavidB]

I have a couple Vertical 5-axis posts.

Whats the best way to mod one of my Vertical posts to work on a Horizontal in MCX?

 

Now I'm confused is it the Machine def or the post that determens Hor or Ver machine?

 

I take the Generic Horzontal Table-table machine def supplied with MCX but I cannot add a post to the control def? MCX crashes everytime I try?

The generic 5-axis post does not give me correct code so how can I add a modified post to this machine def?

 

Thanks

[DavidB]

This is so frustrating!

 

Why can't I edit a 5-axis post from V9 use the post update c-hook to make a new .MCD?

 

I keep getting 14 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:19 PM - Initialize processing the post

15 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:19 PM - Post processor file name: T:PROJECTMASTERCAM_LIBRARIESMPOSTSVXA66_5AXIS.PST

16 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - The keyword STARTBIN was found but the binary post file is missing!

17 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - You chose to continue.

18 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - Post version information (input):

19 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - UPDATEPST9 was used to modify this file.

20 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - The post was written to run with Mastercam Version 9.

21 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - The post product type is Mill.

22 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - Initialization of pre-defined post variables, strings, postblocks was successful.

23 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - The 'startbin' header was found but not 'endbin'

24 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - Search for defined post variables, strings, postblocks failed!

25 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:23 PM - The application has been aborted!

26 - 09 Feb 2006 02:14:24 PM - ***** End of update processing *****

 

V9 I could edit a post, select it post the toolpath, check code, make post mods.

 

This machine and control def I really must say I hate

[Greg Williams]

David,

 

What have you done

 

Is it possible that your post has been encrypted to your dongle?

 

The update post C Hook definatly works for 5 axis posts as I have used it on a few.

[iowajim62]

your missing the .psb file that goes with it

like budgie said that was customized and locked wtih a .psb file by somebody.......

[DavidB]

Ok I have a Ver 5-axis post, I edit a few things save as Hor 5-axis post this time I also copyed the .psb file and renamed it Hor 5-axis .psb

 

Now I have a machine and control def

Thanks guys.

 

More questions to come Im sure

[Greg Williams]

Oh,

 

Now I see. You need to open the *.pst file and edit the path to the *.psb file which is about 7/8 the way down the post otherwise it wont work.

 

the two need files to be linked together

[DavidB]

This is from my VERTICAL 5-axis post.

code:

---

 #Primary axis angle description (in machine base terms)

#With nutating (mtype 3-5) the nutating axis must be the XY plane

rotaxis1$ = vecx #Zero

rotdir1$ = vecy #Direction

 

#Secondary axis angle description (in machine base terms)

#With nutating (mtype 3-5) the nutating axis and this plane normal

#are aligned to calculate the secondary angle

rotaxis2$ = vecz #Zero

rotdir2$ = vecx #Direction

---

Can someone help me in what I need change the rotaxis and rotdir to for a HORIZONTAL?

 

Thanks

[Greg Williams]

David,

 

There is no easy answer for that one as we need to know the axis configuration of the machine

 

The is a powerpoint file

 

www.ppcadcam.com/Mastercam_forum/Text_&_post_files_&_misc/

[Greg Williams]

Whoops

 

the file is called 5 Axis Generic post.

 

Remember test test and test again before running

[DavidB]

If you take one of my Vertiacl machines lay it down so the spindle is now Horizontal its the same conf just The spidle is Horizontal

 

A rotates around Z axis (spindle)

B rotates arond Y axis

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

So really A is C then, right?

[DavidB]

James for some reason all my 5-axis machines here rotate about Z=A rotary axis.

my 5-axis Mori and Makino both A axis rotates about Z axis (spindle) and A rotary axis is the primary rotary axis and the second axis is B which rotates around Y.

So in theory I should be able to take one of my Vertical 5-axis post then somehow define the spindle being Horizontal in the post instead of Vertical and I should be set?

[Greg Williams]

quote:

---

Z=A rotary axis.

my 5-axis Mori and Makino both A axis rotates about Z axis (spindle) and A rotary axis is the primary rotary axis and the second axis is B which rotates around Y.

 

---

Are you sure? Normally C axis rotates around the spindle axis Z which is primary and A rotates around the X axis - Secondary

B axis rotates around Y axis so that sounds OK.

 

What is the machine model?

[Greg Williams]

David,

 

Is this the axis configuration

 

[DavidB]

I've been running my 3 Vertical 5-axis machines for 3 years with A rotating around Z axis (spindle) I know it should be C axis but believe me its not.

One machine is a makino GF6 with a Fanuc the other a VK 45 with a Mori control they where running this way before I started here.

 

The pic you show above is correct for my Verticals except replace C with A (the purple rotary) rotates about Z (spindle) and the other rotary runs with Y axis, your pic runs with X axis.

 

So my primary is "A" axis rotates about Z (spindle)

Secondary "B" axis rotates about Y

 

Now take the pic and rotate it 90 degrees looking from right side view and that would be my Horizontal machine config.

 

Thanks all so far

[Greg Williams]

David,

 

So if every thing is the same just layed over then all the settings you currently have should be sweet if you program as I do for horizontals

 

That is

 

Top plane = B0

Bottom plane = B180

Created plane = B90

Created plane = B270

 

If you wish to use methods two then the settings need to be changed

 

Front plane = Bo

Back plane = B180

left plane = B90

right plane = B270

 

So which way do you want to program?

[Watcher]

I think that you can change the matrix settings on your post, in order to change the orientation of the coordinate system and to facilitate the programming.

[crazy^millman]

If you want the change the matrix then you need to look at this part of the post:

code:

---

#Machine base matrix (Base matrix to map positions into)

matb1$ : 1

matb2$ : 0

matb3$ : 0

matb4$ : 0

matb5$ : 1

matb6$ : 0

matb7$ : 0

matb8$ : 0

matb9$ : 1

---

A -1 reverses that vaiable. I did this for a gantry. We have the same machine just each 3 spinlde haed is 180 from each other so you pick the MD and the post and good to go. Sucks in X becuase if you want to change you have to go into the MD and change the post back and forth verse the nice old of way of just changing the post but suc is life with progress.

 

But I would read this section in the Post:

code:

---

  # Table/Table spindle axis alignment.  This sets the orientation of the base

# matrix based on the direction that the spindle retracts when it moves

# straight out. A typical VMC retracts straight up in Z+ of the world

# coordinate system. The setting for this type of machine is 3(Z+). The spindle

# of an HMC typically retracts to the back of the machine. This setting will be 2(Y+).

# A nutating table/table is always set to 3!

spind_align : 3 #1=(X+), 2=(Y+), 3=(Z+), -1=(X-), -2=(Y-), -3=(Z-)

---

Seems it might help you here.

[DavidB]

Greg,

When I program my Horizontal Front T/plane is B0?

[crazy^millman]

Yeah that is how I do it David.

 

HTH

[DavidB]

Im still stuck I just cant get the post to give me correct outputs for B0=front B-90=left side

B = second

A= prim

A90 B0 = Machine something in Topplanes

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Ron, you could set a question in the post then the answer could change the offending variable as needed.

 

JM2C

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

I usually setup Horizontal posts so that B0 is the Top plane. This makes ISO look a little funny, but I don't care. It makes more sense if B rotates around Y just like the cnc does it. These are the settings I use in a generic 5 axis post.

 

Horizontal: C around Z, B around Y

 

str_pri_axis "C" #CW positive

str_sec_axis "B" #CW positive

str_dum_axis "A"

 

mtype : 0 #Machine type (Define base and rotation plane below)

#0 = Table/Table

 

rotaxis1 = vecx #Zero

rotdir1 = vecy #Direction

 

rotaxis2 = vecz #Zero

rotdir2 = vecx #Direction

[crazy^millman]

James I tired that using a mi and could not get it to work. What am I missing I want matb1$ = mi5 and was hoping to use that as a switch but did not seem to work. I did get the post ogive me 5axis and 3 axis output from one post and ws wating to also have it give me both gantries from one post. Maybe X will play nice with the Matb varaible using a mi in there. I will give it a try tommorrow and post up my results. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I'm with Steve. Top is B0, B90 is created and B180 is Bottom I think and B270 is created.