PRODUCTIVITY+

[landscnc]

Anyone liking the productivity+ for HAAS. i feel like i can longhand pre and post part probe programming alot easier than what ive seen in the few days I have been playing with it. And I am having no luck with the calibration part of it. keeps telling me no toolpath found but i can see it probe a ring in verify. Not impressed at all.

[Mr. M]

Do you have the right macros loaded onto the machine? I have used it to program probing on an Okuma VMC and thought it worked pretty well. Are you using the stand-alone version?

[landscnc]

i feel i have the proper macros in the common folder and i have posted a simple probe bore but the HAAS would throw alarms about incorrect calibration mode so thats when i started having the calibration issues. im on a 90 day trial and not starting out so good 

[Sticky]

I don't understand why the mastercam inspection plus plugin wants you to calibrate and use a different set of variables than the inspection plus already int he machine. IMO this does nothing other than complicate the process and increase the risk of an accident.

[landscnc]

I don't understand why the mastercam inspection plus plugin wants you to calibrate and use a different set of variables than the inspection plus already int he machine. IMO this does nothing other than complicate the process and increase the risk of an accident.

yes since one program we use hand written probing then to start using this P+ we would have to recalibrate many times a month not liking it or im missing something. i did get the calibration partof it to post but still not sold on the whole deal

[Sticky]

I think they really botched the whole thing by trying to post out the whole macro for each cycle. They should have just use a drill point tool path that allowed you to select any of the standard cycles and the optional inputs for that cycle, and only output into your program that command.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

It does allow you to do some more complicated things, like inspect drafted walls in a mold, adjust offsets, and recut features with the adjusted tools only if they were out of tolerance.  I was doing this on a Kitamura horizontal a few months ago.  Also, if you don't like it posting out the macros every time you can make it output all the macros at once and then keep them on the machine.

[Sticky]

The regular inspection plus macro's installed in the control do all of that.

[landscnc]

The regular inspection plus macro's installed in the control do all of that.

yeah i thought so also

[GoetzInd]

The AE's at Renishaw that I've talked to wonder the same thing...

 

Mike

[YoDoug®]

I don't understand why the mastercam inspection plus plugin wants you to calibrate and use a different set of variables than the inspection plus already int he machine. IMO this does nothing other than complicate the process and increase the risk of an accident.

 

It's the same macro numbers for calibration variables. In addition to the regular 4 point inspection plus calibration routine you need to run the inspection plus vector calibration routine. That is probably the data that is missing. 

[Colin Gilchrist]

The idea behind the way they do things is to help eliminate any "variations" in your Probing Macros. The idea being, that "if we output all the macros that are referenced as part of this particular program, then there will never be a an issue where a Macro on the machine doesn't match the macro being called in our program."

 

There is a switch inside the RenMF file that can be set to output only the calls to the Macro programs, and not the measurement macros themselves. So it can be made to "fit your setup, and way of working in your shop". But it doesn't default to that, out of the box.

 

Do you have the Renishaw Post Configuration tool? Ask your Reseller about it. They should be able to use it, or give you a copy, so that you can edit the RenMF file to your standards.

 

When you first load and use Renishaw Productivity Plus with Mastercam, the default settings are make it run for someone with no experience probing. Which, technically, it does. By outputting the Probing Macros as Subprograms at the end of your Main program, they ensure that you can load it on a control and run it.

 

I've done consulting for several companies that wanted to get setup with the Prod+ package. Once you get the issues worked out, it is a pretty sweet package.

[Sticky]

The AE's at Renishaw that I've talked to wonder the same thing...

 

Mike

 

I've had the same response from two Renishaw guys.

 

It's the same macro numbers for calibration variables. In addition to the regular 4 point inspection plus calibration routine you need to run the inspection plus vector calibration routine. That is probably the data that is missing. 

 

I'll admit I've never run Mastercam plugin, but In House was pretty insistent that that calibration variables were different between the mc plugin and the regular 9801, 9802 and 9804 programs. I don't think anyone actually uses 9803 in place of 9804 anyways, so I don't see that being an issue.

 

The idea behind the way they do things is to help eliminate any "variations" in your Probing Macros. The idea being, that "if we output all the macros that are referenced as part of this particular program, then there will never be a an issue where a Macro on the machine doesn't match the macro being called in our program."

 

There is a switch inside the RenMF file that can be set to output only the calls to the Macro programs, and not the measurement macros themselves. So it can be made to "fit your setup, and way of working in your shop". But it doesn't default to that, out of the box.

 

Do you have the Renishaw Post Configuration tool? Ask your Reseller about it. They should be able to use it, or give you a copy, so that you can edit the RenMF file to your standards.

 

When you first load and use Renishaw Productivity Plus with Mastercam, the default settings are make it run for someone with no experience probing. Which, technically, it does. By outputting the Probing Macros as Subprograms at the end of your Main program, they ensure that you can load it on a control and run it.

 

I've done consulting for several companies that wanted to get setup with the Prod+ package. Once you get the issues worked out, it is a pretty sweet package.

 

I kind of see your point, but the bigger issue to me is what "variations" are we talking about? The whole beauty of the inspection plus suite of macro's is that the same commands do the same thing on a Fanuc, Mitsubishi, Yasnac etc.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I've had the same response from two Renishaw guys.

 

 

I'll admit I've never run Mastercam plugin, but In House was pretty insistent that that calibration variables were different between the mc plugin and the regular 9801, 9802 and 9804 programs. I don't think anyone actually uses 9803 in place of 9804 anyways, so I don't see that being an issue.

 

 

I kind of see your point, but the bigger issue to me is what "variations" are we talking about? The whole beauty of the inspection plus suite of macro's is that the same commands do the same thing on a Fanuc, Mitsubishi, Yasnac etc.

 

To me, it was really a "let's cover our xxxx", by making sure nobody gets bit by running the "wrong version" of an inspection macro.

 

For the vast majority of users, you just need to set the RenMF option to "not output the macro subprogram", and make sure you configure the RenMF file to use the same Macro Program Numbers that are in use on your machine. Typically, these are going to be 9810 through 9999 program numbers.

 

Many users can get similar functionality by just editing the custom drill cycles, and driving the probe with a drill tool path. There is obviously a lot more work required if you go the "Custom" route, but then you get the flexibility of driving the feature any way you want.

[BenK]

I have done the custom drill cycle route but now I would like to try the Productivity+ option. It has a few features that would be nice over the custom cycles. Being able to add the logic in to measure and re-cut a feature if necessary would be helpful.

[Sticky]

I have done the custom drill cycle route but now I would like to try the Productivity+ option. It has a few features that would be nice over the custom cycles. Being able to add the logic in to measure and re-cut a feature if necessary would be helpful.

 

I don't see any reason why you couldn't do that to custom drill cycles, but I would rather the mc plugin worked seamlessly rather than screwing around with drill cycles.

[YoDoug®]

I'm not sure about other controls but in Okuma mills I run the standard inspection plus calibration routines through the Renishaw GUI at the machine. Then I am calibrated and good to go for both Ren GUI probing and the Productivity+. We did however find there is a variable conflict between the in process calculation variable numbers and the Renishaw tool setting software variables for calibration. If we run a productivity + routine it overwrites the location of the touch setter. However, we normally don't set customers up with the Renishaw tool setting because we have our own macros that use the Okuma gauging software for tool setting that require less input from the operator. 

[Colin Gilchrist]

I'm not sure about other controls but in Okuma mills I run the standard inspection plus calibration routines through the Renishaw GUI at the machine. Then I am calibrated and good to go for both Ren GUI probing and the Productivity+. We did however find there is a variable conflict between the in process calculation variable numbers and the Renishaw tool setting software variables for calibration. If we run a productivity + routine it overwrites the location of the touch setter. However, we normally don't set customers up with the Renishaw tool setting because we have our own macros that use the Okuma gauging software for tool setting that require less input from the operator. 

 

Doug,

 

You'd be doing yourself a favor by getting a copy of the Renishaw Prod+ Configuration Utility. You can modify the RenMF file to use any range of variable numbers you want. Then the output doesn't step on your existing macros.

 

Again, that's part of the reason they "default" to outputting everything. That way Renishaw ensures that you are first setting all the values in the correct variables, then using those variable values inside the measuring routine macros.

 

Another advantage for users with limited memory is that by including the Macros being called as subroutines, you are using the most limited amount of memory possible. For example, if you are only probing a single surface, and a bore, you only need the "protected move macro", "single surface measure", "4 point bore/boss", and the "calibration" macros. You don't have to load all the "unused" macros.

 

Obviously users that have the full Inspection Plus package would just want to call their "standard" macro calls. (I say "their standard", because Renishaw sells different levels of the Inspection Plus software, so it is possible you might have different macro program numbers for "your particular installation".)

[YoDoug®]

Doug,

 

You'd be doing yourself a favor by getting a copy of the Renishaw Prod+ Configuration Utility. You can modify the RenMF file to use any range of variable numbers you want. Then the output doesn't step on your existing macros.

 

Again, that's part of the reason they "default" to outputting everything. That way Renishaw ensures that you are first setting all the values in the correct variables, then using those variable values inside the measuring routine macros.

 

Another advantage for users with limited memory is that by including the Macros being called as subroutines, you are using the most limited amount of memory possible. For example, if you are only probing a single surface, and a bore, you only need the "protected move macro", "single surface measure", "4 point bore/boss", and the "calibration" macros. You don't have to load all the "unused" macros.

 

Obviously users that have the full Inspection Plus package would just want to call their "standard" macro calls. (I say "their standard", because Renishaw sells different levels of the Inspection Plus software, so it is possible you might have different macro program numbers for "your particular installation".)

 

Colin, no need for the config utility. A little over ten years ago we purchased Productivity+ at a job I was at. It was version 1.01. They said we we may have been the first US company to purchase it. I spent a lot of time with Renishaw software people working out posts and software bugs. I got to know the posts, or at least the non encrypted part, very well. There was a lot less functionality back then. The software has come a long way. anyways, we do edit the RenMF file to non conflicting variables now that we know, but we still prefer our Okuma touch setting routines over the Ren GUI. 

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

 

 

The regular inspection plus macro's installed in the control do all of that.

 

Will they probe normal to a drafted surface, moving in X Y and Z simultaneously?

[landscnc]

Can anyone please show me how to probe the 2.4042 dim with productivity+ . only one touch per surface. it keeps probing places where there isnt even any lines. PROBES.mcx-9

[landscnc]

i have searched and searched for a video or some kind of help on this and nothing.

[BenK]

There are a few videos on youtube. Check out the link below.

 

link

 

 

[Bob W.]

Will they probe normal to a drafted surface, moving in X Y and Z simultaneously?

Yes, I've done it with molds on my Makinos manually.  Vector surface probing (9521).

[landscnc]

Can anyone please show me how to probe the 2.4042 dim with productivity+ . only one touch per surface. it keeps probing places where there isnt even any lines. PROBES.mcx-9

Not one download in 1 1/2 days, so the answer to my original post is no uses this Productivity+ or likes it. End of post. TY all. I can long hand all our pre and final on machine probing way quicker. Now to be fair I dont have custom macro turned on with this 90 day trial which might be the trick to this whole thing. So they should give the custom macro with the trial. Whatever.