Post Processor Problems

[cuttingedge]

I am setting up a small shop out of my home garage. I am having alot of trouble getting my machines working properly. All three machines worked properly at my former shop. I am tring to troubleshoot the problem. I first thought it was a power problem, I am using a phase convertor and voltage regulator. But the errors reoccur at the same place each time I run the job. If I run the same file at another shop it runs fine. I think I have pinpointed the problem to a possible post processor problem. I am able to use the post that is designed to be used with the centroid control on my mill, however, I am not able to cut using the filter option. It is leaving big gouges in the die that shouldn't be there. It seems like it is reading the right numbers, but isn't communicating them to the machine properly. I am using mastercam 8.1.1, I am wondering if there is a modified Centroid post that I could try to use or any other suggestions. If anyone has had a similar problem, I would appreciate feedback on the possible causes and remidies.

Thank You

[Guest]

Call your dealer.

 

I have bowed to forum peer pressure and edited out the bad attitude.

 

[ 03-04-2003, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: Marc Lindsey at San Diego CAD CAM ]

[cadcam]

turn of the output arcs in the filter this wil stop the gouging the out put.

[Brendan P]

Ya know Marc,that is a rotton thing to say

to a fairly new member.

Just because he has a hotmail account don't

make him a pirate!

Many people (including myself) use more than 1

account.Just so happens to be free.

Also some people do not want to use their primary

account because of fear of SPAM sent to them.

This forum was started for mastercam users to share their knowledge with each other.

 

If there is a question on cuttingedges'being a

liscensed user,than this is what the webmaster's

job is to verify his sim # just like they did to me!

I am not trying to start any problems,but when I

read stuff like you wrote, I will not keep quiet!

Give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

 

I could care less what the name of his company is.

Obviously not everyone is getting the impression that he is a non liscensed member as you suggested

as I would not be writing on this thread!

So maybe you should re-phrase yourself to not include me as the (everyone).

Just because a person works out of his garage

does not mean he is non liscensed.

 

This is a very touchy subject for me because I

myself was asked for my sim # on a premise from

some nit wit who basically accused me of not

having a liscense!

I promptly sent my sim # to dave (webbie)

How will you feel if he is asked (like I was)

and produces it.

Then he will probably not even want to stick around!

Not only that,he states that he is using V8.

One knows that V9 is already hacked!

[Scott Bond]

Hi Bucket head

That was not his personal wording it was

just a copy and paste of one of the FAC.

"""Frequentry asked questions"""

 

Hi cuttingedge

If this is the same machine with the same file posted with the same post,,then i dont't have a clue. If it is a new post-to that machine and it is haveing a possible acr problem, then turn all the arcs into poly-line and post it with filtering the arcs in.this will not fix anything , but it will narrow it down a little, and allow you to cut this week end.

 

[ 02-28-2003, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: Scott Bond ]

[Mick]

Actually, one thing I just thought too, is that some user(s) may have a less than satisfactory relationship with their dealer, and so maybe look to this forum for alternative assistance.

Maybe users should start their post with "I've tried my dealer, and have had limited success, and so I'm asking here"

Just my 10 cents worth...(hmmm....10 cents doesn't buy much nowadays

[chris m]

quote:

---

If I run the same file at another shop it runs fine. I think I have pinpointed the problem to a possible post processor problem

---

1) Do you mean you can post the file at another shop and it works fine on your machine?

 

If so; can you beg, borrow, buy, steal that post for yourself?

 

2) Do you mean you can post the file at another shop and it works fine on their machine?

 

If so; can you take their posted file and try it on your machine?

 

3) Do you mean that the actual program that runs in another shop won't run on your machine

 

That sounds like a problem with your machine, possibly settings for arcs, acc/dec, something.

 

Marc, take it a little easy on the guy, he didn't just say "Does anybody have a post for a Haas?" like the FAQ states.

 

C

 

[ 03-01-2003, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: chris m ]

[cuttingedge]

Thank you to everyone (except the first jerk ) who responded. Not that I should need to defend myself to some guy who has a chip on his shoulder, but I will. I payed the high dollar for a legit copy of mastercam, I am a real shop who doesn't care to put his email, name, or address out on the web for anyone to xxxx up and start spamming me. And finally, I would gladly give advice or help to any topic I could, I posted this the first day I signed up to get help because the tech support guys at my dealer are usless and gave me no help.

 

With that said, I have worked on the problem some more and have narrowed it, but have not solved it. I needed to add the "z" to the circular interpulation line in the post, solving the arc problem when I run a swept program. When performing surfaces is when I seem to be getting the problem. When I turn the filtering option off it cuts fine. But I'd like to use that option. When using the filtering to arcs option turned on, I take the file from my shop and cut it using a different post and different controls it cuts fine. But when I run the same program at my shop on my machines (Centroid control) it gouges in the same place each time. On two different machines I have in my shop. It seems like the problem only occurs on surfaces with arc moves.

 

Any more help to lead me in the right direction is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank You!

[Rick Damiani]

quote:

---

When performing surfaces is when I seem to be getting the problem. When I turn the filtering option off it cuts fine. But I'd like to use that option.

---

What does the gouge look like? Does it look like the arc moves are being ignored and/or substituted with line moves? Does the posted code have G2 and G3 blocks in it where the gouges are occuring?

[chris m]

quote:

---

different post and different controls it cuts fine

---

How different? Are we talking slight differences in machines or completely different? What machine / control combination are you using in both places?

 

C

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

cuttingedge,

 

What is your filter setting for 'Minimum Arc Radius'?

What is your setting for which planes to 'Create Arcs in (XY,XZ,YZ)'?

 

How about some sample NC code?

Without that - we are just guessing.

If you could show us say - 6 blocks before and after the gouge

and if you know which block the gouge happpen - all the better.

[Smit]

You know, the first reply to this fellows post really does bother me. I guess it's good that so many people feel a sense of ownership of this forum, but I think that a small amount of humility would go a long way sometimes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not saying anything (i.e. not replying) to a post that you don't feel like being helpful with. If a member thinks it's helpful to direct another user to their dealer it can be stated in a manner that is not offensive. Perhaps an addition to the FAQ that no user is entitled to know the SIM number, email address, shop name, etc. of any other user without his permission would be appropriate. That knowledge (IMHO) is something only the webmaster is entitled to.

My two cents.

Smit

[Zero]

quote:

---

What is your filter setting for 'Minimum Arc Radius'?

What is your setting for which planes to 'Create Arcs in (XY,XZ,YZ)'?

---

that would be my first 2 questions too..

 

your controller or post might be having trouble with small arcs and doing them backwards

 

what plane are the gouging arc moves in? xy, yz, xz....

 

[ 03-04-2003, 09:04 AM: Message edited by: Zero ]

[cuttingedge]

Again, thank you to all the replies. After the lack of assitance form my dealer, I am grateful for the help I'm getting on the forum.

quote:

---

How different? Are we talking slight differences in machines or completely different? What machine / control combination are you using in both places?

---

I am using a centroid post with centroid controls at my shop. The other shop is a modified post (that doesn't work at my shop, already tried) on fanuc controls.

quote:

---

What is your filter setting for 'Minimum Arc Radius'?

What is your setting for which planes to 'Create Arcs in (XY,XZ,YZ)'?

---

Min. Arc radius is .005, and the settings for XY,XZ,YZ are 17, 19, 18 on the post. In the centroid manual the setting are 17, 18, 19. Could this be the problem? I am going to get some of the NC code and will post it when I get it. The gouges seem to occur in both the XZ and YZ planes.

 

Also, on my machine, Helical and circular motion can be programmed in two different ways. specifying the final point and the parameters I,J,K (center point of the as incremental values from the start position) or specifying the final point and the radius of the arc. I am currently using the I,J,K method. How do I change to the other method, what would I need to do to the post?

 

Thank you.

[Guest]

Cuttingedge:

 

I apologize for the attitude that went with my post. I will edit it out. However, based on your first post my answer is still the same. See your dealer. Based on you subsequent posts I would recommend you call CNC directly and ask for their assistance and inform them you are unable to get satisfactory help for your dealer. I am not a jerk most of the time. I was in a very bad mood when I responded to you post. As for your post I believe it has something to do with your post’s or machine’s capabilities to output or do arcs in the G18 or G19 plane. How old is your post. What version on Mc was it originally written for? You mentioned it was a modified post, which post did the post writer start with?

 

Bucket head:

 

I never have and never will speak for anybody but myself.

 

Chris:

 

I read the first post and saw this line:

 

quote:

---

I am wondering if there is a modified Centroid post that I could try to use or any other suggestions.

 

---

I saw this as asking for a post. That is why I put in the information from the FAQ.

 

 

To all the rest:

 

I apologize for the attitude.

 

[ 03-04-2003, 11:21 AM: Message edited by: Marc Lindsey at San Diego CAD CAM ]

[jdempsey]

I have the same problem with my Fadal. When you turn on the create arcs it really creates some arcs. It will try to arc down below the part, up above the part, and everywhere in between. Try turning off all the create arcs and run the filter on it. It works for me.

[cuttingedge]

Marc,

 

I appreciate your retraction of your original post. Your tone and attitude was the same as every other person who I had tried to seek assistance from (until the other helpful posts in this forum). I have been dealing with this problem for 6 months now with no help in resolving it. I have contacted my dealer and mastercam tech support. Mastercam told me to email them the problem and all they would do is send it on to my dealer. After many conversations/emails with the individual at my dealer, he told me to "figure it out myself". So I looked into the problem more myself. I am not familar with modifying posts and don't want to start creating more problems for myself by changing things that shouldn't be. So I came on this web site to see if there was more information available. Then I get your response and figure no one wants to help out a legit small shop guy. I am grateful for all the other posts and I appreciate the help and willingness to lend what advice individuals know. I am not looking for the cheap way out. I was wondering if there is a better centroid post or an improved post I'm not aware of it and was wondering if anyone else knew of it. With the willingness to pay for it. I understand we all have bad days, I've been having six months worth, but maybe next time you are in a bad mood you may want to stay away from the forum. So you don't create any enemies. But with that behind us...

 

quote:

---

What version on Mc was it originally written for? You mentioned it was a modified post, which post did the post writer start with?

 

---

I am using the original centroid post that came with my mastercam 8.1.1 (only modification is that I added a "z" that solved the arc problem with swept programs)

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

quote:

---

Min. Arc radius is .005, and the settings for XY,XZ,YZ are 17, 19, 18 on the post. In the centroid manual the setting are 17, 18, 19. Could this be the problem? I am going to get some of the NC code and will post it when I get it. The gouges seem to occur in both the XZ and YZ planes.

---

Min. Arc radius is .005" (I ASSUME we are talking INCH units)

This could be a problem, those are some very small arc moves.

Try .05" or .1" and see if the problem goes away.

 

My question -> What is your setting for which planes to 'Create Arcs in (XY,XZ,YZ)'?

was to deremine if the gouges were the due to problems of doing arcs in the YZ or XZ planes.

Does you NC program have arc moves in a plane OTHER than the XY (G17) plane?

 

 

quote:

---

Also, on my machine, Helical and circular motion can be programmed in two different ways. specifying the final point and the parameters I,J,K (center point of the as incremental values from the start position) or specifying the final point and the radius of the arc. I am currently using the I,J,K method. How do I change to the other method, what would I need to do to the post?

---

As for setting the post to output 'R'adius format, instead of I,J,K, look for this in the PST ->

 

arcoutput : 0 # 0 = IJK, 1 = R no sign, 2 = R signed neg. over 180

[steve f]

 

Min. Arc radius is .005, and the settings for XY,XZ,YZ are 17, 19, 18 on the post. In the centroid manual the setting are 17, 18, 19. Could this be the problem?

 

 

Cuttingedge,

 

You bet this could be the problem. If your control needs G18 for X,Z arcs and G19 for Y,Z arcs (like most other controls) and your post has them switched as you say (G19 for X,Z and G18 for Y,Z) then your machine is attempting an arc move in a X,Z plane when it's supposed to be interpolating in the Y,Z plane and vice versa. Particularily where the arc moves are small your machine may be attempting a near full circle arc in a plane perpendicular to what it's supposed to be doing. Try changing your post to conform to what the manual says for arc planes and hopefully your problem will disappear.

 

Steve

[pactec]

You should try running an "empty" machine( one with nothing on the table) with single step on in the controler. Create a simple file, post it, and run it step by step to determin what the call out is versus what the machine actually does. Sort of like comparing files.

 

This is the easiest way to figgure out what is going on. If it alarms, you know what to do based on the alarm message. If you're expecting an arc in Y,Z going down and away from you and you get one doing something different you can document it and it will make sense to anyone editing the post.

 

HTH

[Brendan P]

Hey cuttingedge,one thing you will find as I

did the hard way is that you dealer will be

of great help,providing that you are "current"

on your maintenance plan.....

 

no pun intended

[cuttingedge]

Roger,

 

quote:

---

Min. Arc radius is .005" (I ASSUME we are talking INCH units)

This could be a problem, those are some very small arc moves.

Try .05" or .1" and see if the problem goes away.

 

My question -> What is your setting for which planes to 'Create Arcs in (XY,XZ,YZ)'?

was to deremine if the gouges were the due to problems of doing arcs in the YZ or XZ planes.

Does you NC program have arc moves in a plane OTHER than the XY (G17) plane?

---

I changed the radius and the same problem occured. Yes there are arc moves in a plane other than the XY, and the XY cuts fine. The problems occur in the XZ and YZ planes.

 

quote:

---

As for setting the post to output 'R'adius format, instead of I,J,K, look for this in the PST ->

 

arcoutput : 0 # 0 = IJK, 1 = R no sign, 2 = R signed neg. over 180

---

What is the difference between the two R no sign and R signed neg. over 180? What exactly does that mean? My book says I need start point and radius. What does that mean?

 

Thank You

[steve f]

..."R signed negative over 180" is used because the control will not make a correct partial arc if R is used on a sweep of more than 180 because the distance between the two points (start and end) of an arc starts decreasing and the toolpath will follow the shortest distance. There are always two possible arc moves when 2 points and a radius are specified and your cnc control will always chose the shortest route when using an R address unless R-(value) is specified, in which case it'll choose the longer route.

 

Regardless of what kind of radius address you use I have a feeling it hasn't much to do with your gouging problem. Does your post actually output G19 for an X,Z move and G18 for a Y,Z move?

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

cuttingedge,

 

A couple things to check...

 

1>

Check that you are getting the proper G18 or G19 plane mode set for the arc(s) in question.

Set the post for I,J,K arc output format and check the arc moves.

G18(XZ) arc should have X,Z,I,K addresses

G19(YZ) arc should have Y,Z,J,K addresses

 

2>

On "some" machines (don't recall if Centroid is one of them...) the arc direction must be REVERSED when doing arcs in the (G18) XZ plane. G02=>G03 and G03=>G02

[cuttingedge]

Thank you to everyone who has helped me eith my situation. I have tried the changes recommended and some suggestions were benefical. I have decided for now to cut with the create arcs and filter options turned off, which seems to eliminate the problem with the arcs. Again thank you for all your help and time in resolving this issue.