5-Axis CNC Controls

[Travis_Buchanan]

We got final approval today from our parent company to purchase a 5-axis router. I would like to know the advantages / disadvantages of "tool tip programming" vs "piviot point programming". What controls offer tool tip programming, and can they read and caculate tool length offsets? tool diameter offsets? Does any Fanuc controls have this ability yet? We are basically looking at 2 machines, both are well built and we have some 3 & 4 axis of each brand. One comes standard with an Osias 10 series(sp?) and the other standard with Fanuc 160i. We do have the option of getting different controls on these machines. Can some of you all tell me about some of these options and how they work, and what controls have what abilities. I see a great advantage to being able to program tool tip and having mastercam spit out x,y,z & a,b for the tool tip. I also like the ideal of being able to use tool length offsets. I really don't like having to mount and measure my tooling then programming to the tool. I think the tool needs to be controlled by the program & control. All the 4-axis I have now must be programmed from piviot point and tool length offsets only work in Z. Thanks in advance for your input.

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Buzz

[ERIC14779]

the xxxxor 8055M control can run either tooltip or with a tool length offset also I see that they also have tool length probing now.

 

what brand of router are you looking at??

 

Quintax makes 3 different "stoutness" machines. a trimmer for plastic, a medium duty for some aluminum and pattern work, and a heavy duty for all out aluminum and nonferus(sp) metals (40 HP spindle)

[Glenn Bouman]

Fanuc has this with their G43.1 option.

[Travis_Buchanan]

Eric, We are looking at Heian & CMS. If I can do tool tip programming on the Heian it has my vote. It comes with a Fanuc 160i control. Either one of these machines will be custom built for us. They basically have a 5' x 10' table, 39" of Z travel, 20 position tool changer, 20hp 18k spindle, and a lathe type attachment mounted to one side of the table which is a 6th programable axis. The chuck end of the attachment is loosened and slid in a dovetail to the back corner when not in use and the tail stock is removed from the bed all together.

 

Can you run a program on your xxxxor, say a program of a line projected onto a surface, with piviot point set to 0 in Mastercam 5-axis post, take it to the machine, input tool length offsets and it will caculate correct tool path? That is what I want to be able to do.

 

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Buzz

[ERIC14779]

buzz

 

yes I belive that you can.

 

you should contact Quintax their website is

 

web page

 

and call them up and talk to a Denny Brazelton about what you need for a machine they build custom machines all the time

 

mabe they can set you up for less $$$$

 

JMTC

 

[ 03-08-2002, 05:47 PM: Message edited by: ERIC14779 ]

[Travis_Buchanan]

Well we have ordered our machine it will arive with a Fanuc 160i MB control. We have been offered a choice of 2 types of "tool tip programming" options.

 

Option 1 : G43.4 which compensates tool tip along the tool vector by the positioning of x,y & z axis.

 

Option 2 : G43.5 which compensates tool tip along the tool vector by the positioning of x,y,z,a & c axis. Must specify I,J,K

 

Is anyone here familular with these options? I recieved a fax from the company in Japan on this, and It is hard for me to understand their translations sometimes. Ever read a Fanuc manual? This poor old hillbilly likes things explained in common sence shop talk. I am thinking that option 1 is tool length compensation only, and option 2 allows for both length & diameter comp. Can someone here explain the difference between these 2 options?

 

Thanks,

Buzz