APT C-Hook for X

[Greg Williams]

Hi,

 

I know that there is a C-Hook for NCI to Apt for V9.

 

Does anybody know of a way to write APT files in X?

[JG]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd like to know where the one for V9 is, I've never heard of it AND I was just looking for something similar yesterday.

 

thanks,

 

Jg

[cadcam]

I have not seen one for VX yet but would like to see one.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Greg,

 

The NCI2APT Chook is a custom Chook written by Cimtech Inc. in Fife, WA. It is a great utility and converts into 5 different formats of APT code. It is a custom add-in to Mastercam and must be purchased seperately from Mastercam.

 

Contact:

 

Cimtech Inc.

Steve Kidd, Owner

5013 Pacific Hwy E.

Fife, WA 98424 Suite 1

www.multiaxis.com

253-922-8770

 

 

-Colin

[Colin Gilchrist]

It has been updated for X too!

[Greg Williams]

Colin,

 

Thanks Mate

[DavidB]

Greg,

Can you inlighten me whats APT?

[Guest]

APT Programming

[3rdstring]

APT is a non gcode method of programming a machine.

[gcode]

quote:

---

I have not seen one for VX yet but would like to see one

---

Glen Stephens told me he had an X APT post

availble last summer. It was a for-sale, SIM protected post.

[DavidB]

What type of machine runs APT?

Why use APT over gcode?

Sorry for the questions never heard of APT before.

 

Thanks

[Greg Williams]

quote:

---

Glen Stephens told me he had an X APT post

availble last summer. It was a for-sale, SIM protected post.

---

Glen Stephens at CNC?

[Greg Williams]

David,

 

Macines don't run APT.

 

Essentially APT is a universal (go between) code that is output from most CAM systems this APT code is then run thru a post to produce G Code for the machine to run.

 

CNC uses NCI as this intermeidiate code.

[DavidB]

So your looking to change a NCI into a APT file?

Then with this APT file you could bring it into say another CAM package and post it?

 

Thanks Greg

 

Buy the way I'll be doing a big job with your 5-axis A66 post soon

[gcode]

quote:

---

Glen Stephens at CNC?

---

yes

 

quote:

---

Macines don't run APT.

---

At my last job, we had 2 5X machines running APT.

They had an aftermarket interface called NIT that was very powerful. It was a regular PC hardwired into the machine's control. NIT has

5 axis cuttercomp, vector controlled jogging

tooltip cuttercomp, midsquence restarts and all sorts of goodies.

The only downside, is that its very difficult to hand edit APT code, even simple changes can be dangerous.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Glen Stephens is a CAD/CAM Consulting in SoCal, NOT CNC Software (at least as a the last time I talked with him a few weeks ago.

 

Yes he has created an APT post. A shop I know of is using it and they are pleased with it's performance.

[Guest SAIPEM]

quote:

---

David,

 

Macines don't run APT.

 

Essentially APT is a universal (go between) code that is output from most CAM systems this APT code is then run thru a post to produce G Code for the machine to run.

 

CNC uses NCI as this intermeidiate code.

 

--------------------

Cheers

Greg

---

That's not quite true.

 

There are plenty of machines out there that can run APT-CL files directly.

You'll find them mostly in aerospace.

 

I used to do it with a product called Control Post from a company in Orange County, CA called NIT.

 

You can even get machines that run directly on BCL.

 

Don't confuse APT itself with APT-CL.

 

APT is a VERY POWERFUL Programming Language.

APT-CL data is a VERY SMALL subset of APT.

APT-CL files are typically used by systems like UG , CATIA and Pro-NC as the neutral CL file that is then post-processed to G-Code.

 

Mastercam uses the NCI file for this.

 

It's relatively easy to write an APT post for MC if you've done any significant post work.

If not then you should also consider the CAMAIX C-Hook as well.

[cadcam]

Dang I feel Dumb I did,nt even think about asking Glenn thanks Gcode and James maybe i should ask my own office before asking here.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Greg,

 

You are quite welcome. Depending on your needs it sounds like an actual APT post for Mastercam might be more what you are looking for.

 

Thanks,

 

Colin

[MLewis]

A brief NC history lesson for all you Mastercamerites

 

The APT source that you see from most CAD systems is a small 'goto/x,y,z' subset of the original language.

 

APT (Automatically Programmed Tools) is one of the first NC programming languages.

Originally developed to program complex aircraft parts and still in use at some large companies.

The programming language NCL is based on APT.

 

APT existed before CRT screens and personal computers and is totally text based. It was quite common to either prepare the program

using IBM punch cards, or the blazingly fast 10 cps (that's characters per second) Teletype machines using 1" punched paper tape.

The program was loaded into the computer, processed through APT and would either produce a G code program or in most

cases an error listing. The programmer would take the error listing and correct the punch cards or the paper tape and re-submit

the program. A good programmer would usually take about three runs to get G code.

 

No Graphical Verification, you had to look at the G code. Flat bed paper plotters would come later, you could look at xy,yz,xz and iso plots.

 

HERE'S A POORLY WRITTEN EXAMPLE OF A 4" SQUARE WITH A .5" RADIUS ON THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER

 

You defined Points, Lines, Circles, Splines, Surfaces, etc. using a text language giving each element a

unique name and then drive the geomtry using text instructions. Like giving someone driving directions,go left,go right,etc.

 

 

PARTNO/DUMB-PART

P1 = POINT/0,0,0

P2 = POINT/1,0,0

L1 = LINE/P1,P2

L2 = LINE/4,0,4,4

L3 = LINE/YAXIS,0

L4 = LINE/(POINT/0,4,0),AATANGL,0

C2 = CIRCLE/YLARGE,TANTO,L1,XSMALL,TANTO,L2,RADIUS,.5

PLN1 = PLANE/0,0,1,0

$$DEFINE THE CUTTER A .5" BULLNOSE WITH A .12" RADIUS

CUTTER/.5,.12

$$ TELL THE POST TO LOAD TOOL 1

LOADTL/1

$$ START AT X-1,Y-1,4

FROM/-1,1,4

SPINDL/3000,CLW

$$ STAY .5" AWAY

THICK/.5

RAPID,GO/L1,PLN1,L4

COOLNT/FLOOD

THICK/0,.5

GO/L1,PLN1,L4,20

THICK/0,0,.5

GO/L1,PLN1,L4

INDIRV/1,0,0

THICK/0

TLLFT,GOFWD/L1,TANTO,C1

GOFWD/C1,TANTO,L2

GOFWD/L2,PAST,L4

GOLFT/L4,PAST,L3

GOLFT/L3,PAST,L1

COOLNT/OFF

RAPID,GODLTA/4

RAPID,GOTO/-1,1,4

SPINDL/OFF

REWIND

FINI $$ THAT'S ALL FOLKS

[mrainey]

If you're curious, you can get a free graphical programming system based on a subset of APT here:

 

http://www.cncfocus.com/

[TheePres]

Also,

I believe BillyStein was working on this..

[billystein]

see apt5m9.pst on ftp.

haven't tried yet for x but it should update ok.

[Greg Williams]

Billy,

 

Thanks for your help

[billystein]

anything for the forum