Problems with Fadal post

[Thad]

We're experiencing some very bad things with our Fadal post. We run our Fadals in Format 1. We've scrapped or gouged 3 details now. The problem is that it doesn't show up in backplot, verify, or the graphics at the machine, but it does it (consistantly) when it actually runs the program. This is the same post that we've used for the last year and these are similar parts that what we've been cutting. All the problems seem to occur on arc moves.

 

Original post settings were as follows:

 

code:

---

breakarcs   : 1     #Break arcs, 0 = no, 1 = quadrants, 2 = 180deg. max arcs

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

helix_arc : 1 #Support helix arc output, 0=no, 1=all planes, 2=XY plane only

---

Our resident "post expert" changed the following:

 

code:

---

breakarcs   : 2     #Break arcs, 0 = no, 1 = quadrants, 2 = 180deg. max arcs

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

helix_arc : 2 #Support helix arc output, 0=no, 1=all planes, 2=XY plane only

---

Since the Fadal uses R values as variables, a radius of R1.25 was interpreted as R1+.25. Fadal users know what I'm talking about. So, we changed back to IJK output. We posted the same file with a different post and it ran fine. Therefore, we made sure that our Fadal post and the other post had the same arc settings, thinking that would fix it.

 

Yesterday, I updated to the latest mp.dll. This morning we found out it happened again on nights. What else should we check or do to get this taken care of. It really sucks not be able to trust your post.

 

I forgot to mention, our nightshift said that it output a I and J value over 1000 inches. Isn't there a setting to set the max arc?

 

Thad

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

quote:

---

The problem is that it doesn't show up in backplot, verify, or the graphics at the machine

---

That it does not show up on the graphics at the machine is interesting.

 

You can set a maximum radius allowed, in the PST (altered or add if it does not exist) ->

 

maxrad : 999 # Linearize any arc larger than this

[Thad]

quote:

---

That it does not show up on the graphics at the machine is interesting.

---

Interesting isn't quite the word *I* had in mind.

 

Thanks Roger.

 

Thad

[Roger Peterson]

Thad what is your arccheck set to in your fadal post?

[Roger Peterson]

Oh, and what mp.dll are you running?

[CNCme]

Good Day,

 

IMHO... Switch to format 2

 

Tony G

Almost Employed Senior Programmer

N.E Massachusetts - Southern New Hampshire

_________________________________________

End mills and tooling are like The "AMMO"

And coolant and chips are like the enemy

Under your boots as you advance in the

Manufacturing Battle

------------------------------------------------

[LNDCAD]

Also check the following two lines in your Fadal Format 1 Post:

 

maxrad : 399.9999 # Maximum arc radius radius > will be linearized)

 

do_full_arc : 0 #Allow full circle output? 0=no, 1=yes

 

HTH

[Big B Sprint88]

I use Fadal format2 and it works great, the one right off of the V9 cd. The only thing I have to change is at the end of a program it post out a "G91" and I use a "G90" everything else works good, and it writes good subprograms too!!

[jdempsey]

I had a problem with mine when i first started using it with version 8. I had to uncheck the (I think it is) create arcs in the filter. Stopped all the problems.

[Thad]

quote:

---

Thad what is your arccheck set to in your fadal post?

---

arccheck is set to 1.

 

quote:

---

Oh, and what mp.dll are you running?

---

9.18

 

LNDCAD, do_full_arc is set to 1=yes

 

jdempsey, most toolpaths don't get filtered.

 

I don't know if this is causing any problems, but when we first got MC, our resident post expert started modifying a Fadal2 post instead of Fadal1. We've had no problems with this post up until now.

 

Thank you all for your replies.

 

Thad

[Roger Peterson]

Thad, try setting your arccheck to 2 and repost the same file to a new nc file and do a file compare in Cimco and see if anything changed.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

---

...Interesting isn't quite the word *I* had in mind...

---

ROFL!!!!! Yeah, scrap parts are rarely "interesting".

 

quote:

---

...Post "Expert"...

---

Let's break down the word Expert phonetically.

 

ex = Is a has been

spurt = Is a drip under pressure

 

[Keith Graydon]

quote:

---

IMHO... Switch to format 2

 

---

+1

[gms1]

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

 

I had problems with overcutting my arcs when I used R instead of IJK on our Fanucs. I use overlap in circle mill all the time and the R values were throwing the control into fits trying to give me a 'best fit' arc. I would change this back to ijk for sure.

 

Greg

[perfecseal mankato]

Thad,

I run

do_full_arc = 1

helix_arc = 1

helix_tol = .0006

arccheck = 1

Had problems with the new mp executable

fails with arckcheck = 1 and do_full_arc

on some toolpaths (logged bug)

try going back to mp9.17

[Thad]

quote:

---

Thad, try setting your arccheck to 2 and repost the same file to a new nc file and do a file compare in Cimco and see if anything changed.

---

Roger, nothing changed.

 

Thad

[crazy^millman]

Well Thad you can take this for what it is worth. We run format 1 all day and night and do 2000 surfaces parts and have no problem. I am using the MPMASTER_FADAL and it works like a charm.

 

Here is my section out of it:

code:

---

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

arctype : 2 #Arc center 1=abs, 2=St-Ctr, 3=Ctr-St, 4=unsigned inc.

do_full_arc : 0 #Allow full circle output? 0=no, 1=yes

helix_arc : 1 #Support helix arc output, 0=no, 1=all planes, 2=XY plane only

breakarcs : 2 #Break arcs, 0 = no, 1 = quadrants, 2 = 180deg. max arcs

maxrad : 999 #Maximum arc radius

---

I guess the only supect area not covered yet would be your DNC. I have seen data stavation be a probelm to cuase things to off. I would keep looking at the screen when this happens and check my buffer and make sure it is staying up and not getting into the 20 for lines in buffer that could be a problem may have to slow the feed down or apply the filter to the toolpaths.

 

If this is not going on then I am with trying to do something different with your post. I used the format 2 post for the format 1 and never had probelms either. Talk to your dealer the MPMASTER_FADAL accounts for thing that the fadals do weird like indexing. I have also made my post do all the fixed subroutines like engraving, pockets round and rectangle.

[Thad]

Ron,

 

I wasn't running DNC, so there was no data starvation. I think we're going to start over with the Fadal 1 post off the 9.1 SP2 CD. We don't do any 4th axis, multiple fixture offsets, or any other stuff like that. If it comes down to it, I'll be contacting someone about the V9.17 mp.dll like perfecseal mankato mentioned.

 

Thank you all for your replies. At this point, I consider this a closed issue. The major problem is that post changes can only be tested by cutting another part since the errors don't show up until you run the program. We don't have the time, equipment, or manpower to chase this type of problem down. Starting fresh can be a good thing anyway. Thanks again guys.

 

Thad

[kathy]

Thad -

 

Sorry to take so long to get back to you.

If you could, would you put a mastercam file on Jay's ftp site, and I'll run it through our Fadal post, and than through Vericut. It should isolate whether it's a post issue. Wouldn't take me long to do.

 

Kathy

[Thad]

Thanks for the kind offer Kathy, but we're not going to spend any more time on it. Besides, we already know it's a post issue because using another post works fine. Thanks again.

 

Thad

[Jayson Kramer]

Thad, when you get a chance please check your mail. thanks jay

[Thad]

Thanks Jay, I'll have a look at it.

 

Thad

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...we already know it's a post issue...

---

I thought it was a post "expert" issue!

[Thad]

Easy now, James. Calling him the "resident post expert" was not meant to knock him. He just happened to know more about editing posts than the rest of us slobs...thus earning that title. I know, all in good fun.

 

BTW, I've got to admit that I did like your phonetic definition of expert.

 

Thad

[rickt]

The max radius on my Fadal, a year 1998, is 399.9999 inches. If it sees a radius greater than that it will do strang things. There is a place in the post to limit the radius size. I set mine at 390.0000 and everything works fine.

This isn't a problem with MasterCam, so it wouldn't show up in the back plot.

 

Rick tomer