Converting mill post to router post in X2

[cadduty]

Can a Mill post be converted to a Router post in X2? If so, how?

Thanks

[crazy^millman]

Well yes they are not much different what is the control, machine, and do you have sample code of what you are getting now and what you are looking for??

 

BTW Welcome to the forum

[cadduty]

Its a FANUC 15M controller on a SHODA router. The problem is that we only purchased the Router level 1 package, but the post I have is a Mill post. MC wont let me set up a router machine definition using the mill post.

[crazy^millman]

What does the router post give you for code??

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Couple of ways to get there:

 

Plan A

1. update post and pick router (it will ask if ok)

 

2. update as a mill post/mach def and then rename .mmd to .rmd (mch def)

 

3. top line of post

for mill:

[post_VERSION] #DO NOT MOVE OR ALTER THIS LINE# V11.00 E1 P0 T1176218181 M11.00 I0

for router:

[post_VERSION] #DO NOT MOVE OR ALTER THIS LINE# V11.00 E1 P0 T1176218181 M11.00 I0

 

note the P# changes

 

Plan B

swing by office or email and Mike will fix it

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

Jimmy

plan C send it to Don and I can fix it also.

[cadduty]

I cant post anything at this point other than some default router machine. I go to select a machine type (router is the only option I have), then click on select. I then choose the FANUC15M.MMD machine def. which is a Mill definition. Then when I try to look at the machine definition an error message says that I need to select the proper machine type to continue. My guess is that I need to convert the Mill machine type and the post over to a Router machine type before it will even allow me to use it for tool pathing. I was hoping there was a utility for this to be done "outside" MCX.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Give me a call and I'll step you through plan A

Do you still have a copy of v9 post?

[Bob Hedrick]

quote:

---

2. update as a mill post/mach def and then rename .mmd to .rmd (mch def)

---

That would be a BAD idea. As the machine type is stored internally in the database (it's not based on the file extension), the software will think the machine is a Mill every time it accesses information about it. To see an example of what I mean, try the following:

- rename a .MMD to a .RMD file

- create a router machine group with this RMD

- edit the local (machine group) copy of the machine definition

- edit the control definition from the Machine Definition dialog.

 

Note that the control type for the CD is MILL, not Router. That will probably cause problems when posting.

 

I'm sure there are other examples where the software could be confused in a similar fashion. (especially for users that don't have Mill enabled on their SIM)

 

To speed up creation of the Router from the mill:

- Start in Design in an empty file

- Settings -> Machine Definition Manager -> Router icon

- Click on the Component File 'Open file' button and select the mill you want to convert.

- Drag the components from the list control over to the machine tree in the proper order.

- Define other parameters, as necessary.

[Dan_AKA_ROY]

Great, Bob! Thanks, I might try that myself.

 

We purchased a 3 axis Quintax router last week. It has a pc-based MACH 3 controller. Anyway, I just post out code from X2SP1Mill. Works fine for me. I use a generic 3 axis fanuc output. I do that on our other router also. I just adjust the speeds and feeds to a more suitable value for routering (spindle speed is machine dependant, so it doesn't matter what I tell MC). I basically output the same fanuc code for our routers as I do for our VMC.

 

Works fine, in anyone's opinion - should I change it to an RMD file as Bob Hedrick described?

 

I never actually thought it necessary. Been routering for years posting mill codes...

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Bob was correct, after renaming mmd to rmd the control file kept trying to go back to mill and would reload router default mmd.

 

ended up just updating v9 post and selecting router post type and it worked.

[cadduty]

Kudos to the Barefoot guys once again! Thanks Mike and Jimmy.