No 4th axis output unless needed

[John Morris]

I have a VMC with a removable 4th axis and I usually run the same post regardless and manually delete the "A's" in the editor. I would like to know how others handle this scenario. I'm assuming a could copy and modify my post to not use the 4th and post that way or is there a post edit that would not output the " A " unless it is needed for indexing or full fourth milling?

[Guest]

I typically use this method

 

http://www.emastercam.com/board/index.php?showtopic=36394&st=0&p=28344&hl=+rotary%20+question&fromsearch=1entry28344

[Newbeeee™]

We have ours set to prompt (dialogue box) if A output is required. Default is 0 (no A output) so hit return.

1 gives index only

2 gives index and lock codes (brake on and off)

3 gives simultaneous.

Works really well and just the one post for 4x machines (3 the same and one different) + 2 types of 4th axis (brake and 5c non-brake).

Our reseller implemented this for us and it works a treat.

HTH

[Mr. Wizzard]

It takes a little post, a little MD/CD, and a little WCS & Toolplane set-up. I use MPMaster, Haas TM-2 with 4th on the side, and toolplanes.

 

My post is set for it, I use WCS and toolplanes to control output. I never move the part. Rotate, relocate WCS for 3-axis output only. Rotate, relocate Toolplanes for paths requiring 4th-axis output. You never get an "A" unless the 4th should be moving.

[Zoffen]

I have use different axis combinations for 3x machines with a 4th that can be taken off the machine.

A 3 axis and a 4 axis combination set in the machine def manager.

[John Morris]

I like the idea of having the prompt at posting. I incorporated the changes discussed in the other post that Jparis linked (thanks by the way). The first problem was the prompt only got rid of the -A- at program start. It then posted A's at every tool change, so I added the code to the tool change section, see below.

 

ptlchg$ #Tool change

pcuttype

toolchng = one

q1 # ADDING ROTARY QUESTION

if rot_enable = 1, rot_on_x = 1

else, rot_on_x = 0

save_rot_axis = rot_on_x # END ROTARY QUESTION

 

Now I get a prompt for every tool change. Is this the way it should work? Or is there a cleaner way to get this done with only one prompt at the beginning?

[K2csq7]

Your getting the prompt for each toolchange because you put the "q1" in the toolchange postblock, so everytime theres a toolchange, it will ask you the question.

Before you added that question to the toolchange postblock you were only asked once at the start of file because the post only encountered the call to the question once.

It didn't post the A calls at the start of the file because your rot_on_x was set to zero (by the answer you gave it).

but that variable gets changed at each toolchange by other existing code in the post...

 

What I would suggest is to create a varible that gets set according to the answer to your question at the start of the posting process...(remove the call to the question that you put in the toolchange postblock).

Then use that variable (which will not get reset at toolchanges) to set the rot_on_x at each toolchange....

 

So have the call for the question only in the psof postblock, but have the answer goto your new variable instead of the rot_on_x variable....

then in the toolchange postblock put something like this...

 

rot_on_x = "new variable"

you may need to locate where in the toolchange postblock rot_on_x is changed by the existing code in the post, then put the line I showed above AFTER whatever existing code affects the rot_on_x variable....

 

Hope you can make sense of that...

[K2csq7]

BTW I made that up as I went along...