Rotary Axis Moves - Breaking Into Quadrants

[Mick]

Hi there,

 

Does anyone here work with an Okuma Vertical, using an A axis?

 

I've been toolpathing a rotary axis part, which is pretty simple (basically a pulley), and I programmed a rotary axis contour to rough the groove, using Axis substitution.

 

However, even when breaking the curve into quadrants (I'm using unroll), the post outputs th code as one rotation, and since the the start and endpoint is the same, the post doesn't output an A axis move on the required line.

 

The code I currently get is:

 

NAT1 (ROUGH CONTOUR UPPER LEVEL)

T1 M6 (32MM R390 ENDMILL)

(MAX | Z5.)

(MIN | Z-17.651)

S8000 M3

G0 X38.275 Y0.

G56 Z130. H1

Z128. A180.

G1 Z121.47 F300.

F1179.219

G0 Z130.

M16

Z124.47

G1 Z117.939 F300.

M15 F1214.517

G0 Z130.

M16

Z120.939

G1 Z114.409 F300.

M15 F1251.992

G0 Z130.

M16

Z117.409

G1 Z110.879 F300.

M15 F1291.854

G0 Z130.

M16

Z113.879

G1 Z107.349 F300.

M15 F1334.338

G0 Z130.

Z900. M5

X-300. Y900.

M2

%

 

The M15 lines should have an axis move, followed by two more A axis moves (due to me breaking the arc into quadrants), however due to the start point and end point A axis being the same A value, these are being eliminated.

 

Has anyone encountered this, and if so, were you able to fix it?

 

I'm using the MPMaster Okuma Post.

[gcode]

I'm assuming this post usually gives you good A axis output??

As an experiment, try loading a stock

GENERIC FANUC 4X MILL

and see if it gives you A output.

This is pretty strange, the usual issue with these toolpaths is a million "A"s output when

2 or 3 will work

[Greg Williams]

Mick,

 

What flavour of post are you using?

[Mick]

Greg,

 

I'm using the X3 version of the MPMaster Okuma post.

 

The one real problem I have never been able to master (no pun intended) is A axis programming on Okumas using Mastercam. I need help

[Mick]

gcode,

 

I did indeed switch to the MPMaster post. It outputted the A move fine. However, that is with the Arc still broken. Shouldn't it have output the seperate A moves for each arc quadrant?

[gcode]

Mick,

check out the machine definition tree of the Fanuc machine that is giving you A output.

Right click the rotary axis and select properties

and check out the settings in the bottom right corner

"Axis suspports continous postioning" should be checked

Compare this to the settings for your Okuma machine def and see if there is a difference.

[Mick]

gcode,

 

I checked out the machine definition tree of the Fanuc machine, and the settings are the same as the Okuma post.

 

I would have thought, with the arc broken, that the seperate A coordinates would have bee output for each endpoint of each quadrant.

 

Its like some kind of filter is in place?

[gcode]

Mick,

I don't have X3 installed anymore, but if you'll send me a zip2go I'll check it out this afternoon..

[Greg Williams]

Mick,

 

Have you a sample file we can take a peek at?

[Mick]

Sorry guys, I have been a tad busy :/

 

I do have a sample file, and I will z2g it later on today, and send it through