HMC clearance move for index

[polishman]

How do you program a clearance move for indexing on a horizontal machining center.Is it misc integer?...If so how do you make that work?

[Tim Johnson]

I create a "retract" point for each plane and use the retract button cancelling out the approach and the "X,Y" of the retract. I haven't played with Safety Zone yet so I'm not sure how that works.

[polishman]

How do you "cancel out "the x and y?

[Jack Neelands™]

i integrated one into my post so that when the axis moves it automatically retracts to a set height...can be a pain when you want it to stay close to the part when indexing but a life saver when you really need it

[Qmp]

With Mpmaster Post. We send the tool home for any of rotation

 

Pat

[Tim Johnson]

quote:

---

How do you "cancel out "the x and y?

---

Just uncheck the check boxes

[polishman]

you lost me Tim ...what buttons would cancel the x and y moves

 

...."Just uncheck the check boxes"....?

[Jerosu]

quote:

---

With Mpmaster Post. We send the tool home for any of rotation

---

Same here. G90 G53 Z0 before any index is in the post. For job shop work you might have multiple jobs running on differnet sides of a tomb that stick out vastly different amounts. I don't really want to chase that around and worry about whacking something. I'd edit a program on

a case-by-case basis if you really needed to save that time and were sure that it would never ever ever ever ever ever hit anything running on a different face.

 

I think Tim was referring to the check boxes under the "Ref Point" button. Personally I hate that thing for programming a horizontal. Although I like it for vertical rotary work since there isn't always enough Z available to clear the corner of a part during a rotation so you can move in XYZ at your choosing.

[Storkman]

quote:

---

How do you program a clearance move for indexing on a horizontal machining center

---

Huh? I always thought that was what the clearance setting in the toolpath parameters was for?

[Tim Johnson]

quote:

---

you lost me Tim ...what buttons would cancel the x and y moves

 

...."Just uncheck the check boxes"....?

---

Toolpath manager > operation that you want the tool to retract > Toolpath parameters > Check the check box in Ref point and open > uncheck the Approach box on the left (Approach will then gray out), check the Retract box if needed and uncheck the X and Y boxes leaving the Z checked, select either the Absolute or Incremental if needed > Select, select the point that you want the tool to retract to. > Green check and you're done.

 

HTH

 

Terry,

 

I use the clearance for clearing the part geometry if needed, but use the retract for clearing the fixtures before the pallet rotation.

[Storkman]

Set clearance in toolpath for rotating, retract and feed for clearing part. That is why clearance has the check box to use this setting only at the start and end of toolpath.

[polishman]

stork dude:

I only want the clearance plane to retract at an index only ,and only after not before the operation.

I have multiple operations with the same tool on the same index and only want the retract after all of the operations are complete.It seems when you check the retract box on the clearance plane it puts that value at the beginning and end of the operation.

Thanks Tim

I'll give your suggestion a try!

Stan

[Psychomill]

I just have a retract to home position written in the post everytime it indexes. Machines today are so damned fast, I haven't noticed much of a cycle time increase for a program no matter how many times I index. Going from a "minimum" retract for clearance to a retract to home hasn't really changed my cycle times... Yes, I compared it.

 

 

And an added note:......

 

If you want additional control for your approach/retract for each tool or tool path beyond the post, you can also use the "Ref Point" box and control X, Y and Z for either approach, retract or both..... I use this button alot for clamp or setup clearance that might only be in the way on certain areas of the part. Or I'll also use it to shift the part in XY prior to a tool change for large envelope setups with long tools to be sure the tool changer doesn't change tools into the part....

[Tim Johnson]

Terry,

I might have 10 operations before I need to rotate the pallet, but during those ops I'll be diving in and out of various obstacles so I need two "clearances"

 

Rob,

As usual you're right. Our slowest machines (I'm not counting our Fadals, they're not "real" machines anyway) run at 1900+ rapids so it really doesn't matter, just force of habit. I also use the approach and retract for additional clearances in addition to indexing.

[polishman]

Could someone put up a screen shot.I dont seem to have the ref point button .

I am running ....MR2 10.2.2.31

Thanks

Stan

[Storkman]

Gotcha Tim.

[polishman]

I found it ....thanks guys for your help

WE ARE DONE HERE!

Stan

[polishman]

Worked like a charm!!!! I feel so stupid! LOL