Setup programs

[ckwhite]

I was wondering how other people do this....

I have a two station program,

put part on station 1 then flip to station 2.

I don't want to have multiple tool changes so I jump from station to station with the same tool. During setup this is very aggravating (cutting air). So I would like to post the operations in a particular order for setup only, and keep the operations order for production.

How can I do this?

Transform without moving anything just copy?

Maybe batch?

Thanks.

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

Well you would have to use the block skip would be about your only solution. You can add a misc integer to your post. Then when ever you program that operation just turn the misc integer on. Now you get block skip instead of having to make a program with one vice one program with both vice then one program with out the part in the 1st vice. Machine with more than one block skip are real nice for something like this.

 

HTH

[TheePres]

Or you may consider using sub-programs.

[ckwhite]

What I have done in the past is have 2 MCX files. 1 for setup and 1 for production. Only problem is that I have two files to change if I want to make changes to the program. I would like for Mastercam to copy/mimic the operations exactly just in different orders.

[cadman2112]

DAMN,

 

I'd like Mastercam to get me a cold beer or three.

 

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

Well you could do a macro with a if goto statement the same way. Make #100 = 1. On your machine you should be able to change it on the fly. Then as you get to operations for each operation using the tool have it do it the if [#100 = 1] goto N100. Now you need to make the N output go along with the operation which would not be that bad. So in the machine you just change the #100 macro on the machine, or you could get real fancy and use a different macro value for each tool of each operation make a cheat sheet so you know and now you got on program you can control how and when each operation will or will not run depending on the value of each macro number.

 

HTH

[fro_matt]

Could you Ctrl+click and and only post the ops you need for station #1, and then do the same for #2? or you could just run the entire program after station 1 is proved out, thats how i do it

 

just my .02

[Tony35]

you could also create a toolpath group named "setup" and just copy the ops you need for op 1 and a group for op 2 and post them out

 

JM2C

[[email protected]]

I do what Ron said in the first reply......block skips are my friend!!

[Slydman]

The best way i found is using subprogram for each tool, then i create two different main, one for the setup and the other for production.

 

So wathever modification i do as implementation, it always good for both production and setup.

 

Also, when using two different machine for each operation, i can optimise each main program from the machine.

[Tim Johnson]

you can try this;

code:

---

(MACRO LIST)

(#500 = CURRENT PART RUNNING)

(#501 = FIRST PART)

(#502 = LAST PART)

 

(TOOL No.8 -- 11/32 [.3438] CARBIDE DRILL)

N0660G91G30Z0

N0670M06T08

N0680#500=#501-1(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0690#500=#500+1(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0700G90G00X1.25Y-.75G54P#500M08(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0710G43H08Z3.44S1389M03

N0720Z1.94

N0730G98G83R.665Z-.153Q.175F9.73

N0740Y-5.125

N0750G80G00Z6.

N0760IF[#500LT#502]GOTO0690(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0770M05

N0780G91G30Z0M09

N0790M01

 

(TOOL No.17 -- No.3 [.213] DRILL)

N0800G91G30Z0

N0810M06T17

N0820#500=#502+1(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0830#500=#500-1(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0840G90G00X2.533Y-2.77G54P#500M08(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0850G43H17Z3.44S1076M03

N0860G98G83R1.41Z.746Q.141F6.94

N0870G80

N0880IF[#500GT#501]GOTO0830(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<)

N0890M05

N0900G91G30Z0M09

N0910M01

---

The first toolpath goes from the first offset to the last. The second goes fron last to first. To run only one part set #501 and #502 to 1.