Horizontal 5 axis

[ckwhite]

Just bought a horizontal mill with a 5th axis. My reseller cannot get the post right. Or I don't understand how to set it up correctly.

 

Our other horizontal machines are set up using Top as the WCS and then rotate around the Y axis to create other planes.

 

He is telling me I cannot use this same logic on the 5th axis. I need to setup using FRONT view as my WCS. Is this correct? I have more questions but let me get this one answered first.

thanks

 

X4

He is using the Generic Fanuc 5 Axis Mill Post

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

deleted to not high jack a thread.

 

[ 04-12-2010, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Ron Branch V & M Precision ]

[ckwhite]

Calm down!!!! In no way did I imply that he was not doing his job right. Did you not read my THIRD sentence? "Or I don't understand how to set it up correctly."

 

My only complaint is that he is too busy teaching class to help me understand. That is why I came here looking for an answer. Sorry to offend.

[ckwhite]

My first operation is WCS (front)

T/C PLANE (front).

It looks good B0 and C0.

From the front view I rotate about the Y axis 90deg. Create new plane and operation.

Operation 2 = WCS (front)

T/C PLANE (front rotated 90)

Should that output be C0 B90?

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

deleted to not high jack a thread.

 

[ 04-12-2010, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Ron Branch V & M Precision ]

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

Well it depends on your machine. On some machines you rotate 90 in Mastercam and it relates to B270 on the machine.

[Dave.L]

ckwhite,

 

I found nothing offensive with you post.

 

We don't program 5-axis or I would be glad to help.

 

Someone will certainly give you a hand.

[ckwhite]

I would appreciate it if you didn't hijack this thread with some unimportant minor detail. You cannot assume you know me. Do you know who my reseller is? I assure you I do! I have worked with them for years. They do a great job when they have time.

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

There they are deleted and I do not know you or your dealer. If I did or didn't I still say why bring them up at all if it is not about them?

 

quote:

---

My reseller cannot get the post right.

---

If you were calling my post making abilities into question and that paid my bills then sorry but I would take offense.

 

[ 04-12-2010, 12:17 PM: Message edited by: Ron Branch V & M Precision ]

[ckwhite]

I digress! You are right. I was asking for it.

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

Look I am here to help and sorry but I call it like I see. Like I said I did the same thing as well so if you consider that good company or not it is what it is.

 

Do you have a sample file or something you can share? I would be glad to point you in the right direction. Can you give me examples of what the code is doing and what you are needing?

[ckwhite]

My first operation is:

Front/Front 2d contour = Output should be B0 C0

My output is B0 C90

 

My second operation is:

Front/(Plane created by rotating about the Y axis 90 deg from Front view)

2d contour = Output should be B90 C0

My output is B90 C90

[ckwhite]

Second operation is

WCS = Front T/Cplane = left side

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

You can do it either way. If you want to use toolplanes over wcs the post should pick up the total C rotation. If you use WCS then the post calculates the rotations from that plane only, this method usually requires you also set an appropriate work offset values in machine.

 

Being on a horizontal does make the post logic different depending on how you want program it. (Mainly the fact that the Z axis is already perpendicular to the front plane.)

[ckwhite]

Ok just spoke with reseller. He says WCS should always be Top for 5 axis posts. But orient the part so that B0 and C0 is from the front view. This he says will allow you to use left side for the leftside of the part and right side view for the right side of the part. (This makes since) He is working on figuring out why the C axis is moving when it should be C0 B0.

[gcode]

I've done several posts for

5 axis double rotary horizontals.

( a rotary table standing upright

on the B axis table) and in all of those,

Top WCS, Top Plane was B0 C0

Never had a "store bought" 5X horizontal post

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

We have a Kitamura 5-axis horizontal. We got the post from In House Solutions. It did not work correctly right out of the box, but In House and our Reseller helped us get it dialed in perfectly. I have not programmed this machine yet but I can look and see how it is set up tommorrow.

[mcpgmr]

Top is the way I'd do it. Then set your wcs as if you were looking at the part like you were behind the spindle. I had a guy tell me at a previous employer that you should imagine yourself looking at the spindle not from behind the spindle on a horizontal. Wrong! All their post were tailored to this too! Talk about bassackwards. Right hand rule always rules. HTH.

[Greg Williams]

I think this is the setting that you are after

 

code:

---

 # Table/Table spindle axis alignment.  This sets the orientation of the base

# matrix based on the direction that the spindle retracts when it moves

# straight out. A typical VMC retracts straight up in Z+ of the world

# coordinate system. The setting for this type of machine is 3(Z+). The spindle

# of an HMC typically retracts to the back of the machine. This setting will be 2(Y+).

# A nutating table/table is always set to 3!

spind_align : 3 #1=(X+), 2=(Y+), 3=(Z+), -1=(X-), -2=(Y-), -3=(Z-)

 

#Machine base matrix (Base matrix to map positions into)

matb1$ : 1

matb2$ : 0

matb3$ : 0

matb4$ : 0

matb5$ : 1

matb6$ : 0

matb7$ : 0

matb8$ : 0

matb9$ : 1

---

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

Our 5-axis horizontal post is set up like this:

 

WCS is set to top.

The front plane is B0.

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

Here is a better description.

 

WCS is set to top.

 

Front plane = B0 C0

Right plane = B90 C0

Left plane = B90 C180

Top plane = B90 C90

Bottom plane = B90 C270

 

We have purchased all of our 5-axis posts thru In House Solutions and are very pleased with all of them.

[F800R]

CK,

 

What machine did you get? Was the 5th an add-on or factory? If an add-on what brand? I'm looking at adding one to one of our Mitsubishi horizontals. Just looking to see what you did on yours.

 

Kyle

[ckwhite]

thanks everyone,

Our 5th axis sounds alot like justin's.

It is a kitamura with a rotary table mounted to the tombstone. That's the best way I know to describe it.

[ckwhite]

Greg, that is how my post looks

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

ckwhite,

 

Ours machine is a Kitamura My Center HX630i. I would look into getting a post from In House Solutions.