Sounds like you can just add some type of counter.

Initialize #620 = 607

Then as you run though your routine and store your time, have something like this

IF #620 GT 616 THEN #620=607

#[#620] = #606 (STORES FIRST TIME IN #607)

#620 = #620 + 1 (THIS WILL INCREMENT UP BY ONE EACH TIME)

I hope I understood the question.

I think I may be on to something. I am trying to cancel everything, and update all the position (similar to when the post performs at a tool change).

The code is looking OK now, with a few bugs I'm still trying to work out. I'll post what I come up with if I can get it working.

Thanks, I am trying every ones suggestion.

Does anyone know of a way to force the -C- axis position to C0 when the -A- axis is also at 0, on a 5th axis machine?

This only occurs when the tool number repeats, and changing -A- axis position to A0 from another position.

If I force a tool change here then it will post out A0 C0, but if I don't force a tool change it goes to A0, but leave the -C- axis in whatever position it was prior. And I know that the code will work just fine like that, but our operators like to be able to easily read the program and make sure it matches the print.

Any Ideas?

Thanks

Ray

In our case the Fixture offset is used to indicate the centerline of the rotary, and the Dynamic offset is used to indicate where the origin is on the part from the centerline of the rotary.

In our MasterCam file, we do nothing special. We don't use multiple fixture offsets. all of our program use G54, regardless of how different planes there are.

We only use dynamic when doing full 5th axis type of cuts. For 3+2, we use a rotation macro. In your case you could use multiple work offsets. But when you are doing Multi-axis type of cuts, use top view, and the dynamic will take care of positioning. I don't really see a need for ever using multiple dynamic offsets, but I'm sure someone here has a situation where that might be needed.

I hope this makes sense.

Here is a sample of a simple start up of the DFO

T1(FTN 21200040 - 2 finish face mill)
M6
G0 G54 G90 X-2.3327 Y1.8645
B-90. A84.
S6500 M3
M10
M12
G43 H1 Z8.
G0 G54.3 P1 G90
X-2.3327 Y1.8645
B-90. A84.
M8
Z1.6

I don't know anything about your specific machine, but we use DFO on our Jidic Horizontal. On the Jidic there is a separate page to enter dynamic fixture positions. Similar location to where you would enter you standard fixture offsets. That's assuming you have the option turned on in the machine.

We have one machine that uses DFO, and MasterCam works without doing anything special. You may need to add the codes to activate and deactivate it. We have another machine that uses TCPC, and we had to have help getting MasterCam to work with that style of programming. Collin helped us out with that.

I'm not familiar with G10 L21, we do use G10 L2, and G10 L20 for setting work piece origin offsets and additional work piece offsets. A quick search for G10 L21 didn't turn up anything in my Fanuc book. So I can't help you with that.

Yeah, we usually do make our own. Just trying to find a cheaper way. Maybe RonC idea of taking a day or so and make 5 or 6 different length and sizes.

Thanks for the replies everyone

Why not put a heli-coil in the sti hole and use a standard screw?

Most of the time we do, but other times when certain process follow the machining, the holes would need to be masked to avoid fluids that react with the heli-coil materials causing corrosion. And other times, we would have to route the parts to assembly for installation, then route them right back to the machining center. And that wastes time.

Does anyone know of a company that stocks cap screws that fit STI threaded holes. We use them for fixturing once in a while, and we always end up making our own. But it just seems it would be a lot cheaper to just buy some off the shelf assuming anyone makes and stock the standards.

are you sure you don't have use tools step peck coolant enabled

I've used Tools, Step, Peck before and I've never seen this behavior in depth cuts. Although I haven't used it in a while. I think it must be a bug of some sort.

This has not happened to me. Has this always happened since to started using X7?

I wanted to send out some props to Colin for getting our post working with TCPC.

Brilliant job. You're the man.

Ray

I think I would keep it simple. 4th axis positional machining, with simple surface rough and finish.

We use a 5th axis rotation macro setup in the machine, so the centerline of rotation doesn't matter. And the operator only has to setup one offset.

It will only work for positional 5th axis and not simultaneous 5th axis, but that's what needed most of the time anyway.

I know that's really didn't answer your question but I thought I through out the option.

Ray

How about parameter No.: 20013?

Touche

But how would you put the logic in to decide which Tool plane to pull the comment from? It looks like he had multiple G10 lines in a single program. I guess you may be able to look at what offset goes with what tool plane and pull that comment. I'm not sure

I guess I would stick with the manual entry idea, So much easier.

The fmt "C" P9990_C, is just an example. I'm not sure what variable you want to change. post your code, and point us to what word is incorrect.

Yes, they are formatted inside the post. You should see a line like this "

fmt "C" 2 P9990_C

This is formatting the variable P9990_C to an absolute decimal 4/3

Find the variable you need to change and see what it is formatting it to. It's is as simple as changing that number in the fmt statement.

We use a manual entry. I don't think there is a way to read the comments from the view manager. And if it could how would the post know what view number to use?

Not an easy task. There are a couple of software's that claim they can do it, but we haven't found any that work very well. Vericut can do it, but it'll cost you a bunch. Another software I think is called STL to Mesh or something like that. Do a Google search you find a bunch that claim that can.

I would recommend that before you buy anything, get a demo of the software and see if it will really do what you need it to. Salesman will claim their products can do anything.

I just messaged you Mick.

So I asked this question over in the Industrial Forum, and I figured it really should have been asked here. In short I want to get my post to output the correct code using the TCPC G43.4 code. Basically once activated, the machine coordinance do not rotate with the part.

Right now we are using three different (purchased) posts to post out our 5th axis code. All of them work great for DFO (dynamic fixture offset), but none will post the correct code needed for TCPC (Tool center point control). Our Makino D500 was purchased with TCPC instead of DFO. To date, we have been using a seat of NX to generate the proper code when needed. We also have a seat of Esprit for our NTX, and it will also handle TCPC without any issues.

I'm no expert, but I can go into more detail if needed. I am attaching an explanation of the differenced between TCPC and DFO if anyone needs a better explanation.

Does anyone out there know if this has been done before, and how I may go about adding it to our post(s)

Thanks

Ray

I am about ready to take on TCP as well. Is it possible to get a bulletproof 5-axis TCP post for Mastercam? This is for a Makino A51nx HMC with a rotary table.

Well, I would think it should be possible. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone can figure this out. I wonder if I should put something in the "Post Help" section of this forum.

It's been about a year and a half. We purchased the post when we first bought the machines.

I'll guess I'll give them a call, and see what they can do at this point. It's not a huge deal either way, because we can always use NX when we need to do TCPC code.

I would still be interested in hearing if anyone knows the secret of getting this to work in our Mastecam post.

Yes, I didn't mention it but we also have a purchased post from Icam as well. And I know a lot of people talk very highly about them, but we haven't had very much success getting the output like we wanted. After going back and forth with their tech guys, we gave up a while ago trying to get optimal output. It was just getting too time consuming.

We have all of our post setup right now with absolutely zero editing required, but with the Icam post, we have to go in a do a lot of massaging.

I was just hoping someone knew of a way to add this to our own posts. The company is a bit short on cash right now, so spending more money on something that IMHO, should already be included in a multi-axis package, would be out of the question.

First of all let me state that I don't have the greatest grasp on TCPC versus DFO. We have always used Dynamic Fixture offset here without any issues. But recently we purchased a couple Makino D500 that came with TCPC instead of DFO. (Parameter 19696, bit 5, WPK is set to 1)

But here is my issue. We have 3 different post (purchased) and none of them support the G43.4 - TCPC.

Does anyone know how I would add this support to my post?

Here is a simple example of what our post is doing and what it needs to do.

Here is what our post is spitting out now

N1 T82019010 M6

(FTN 82019010 - .1875 FIN MILL )

( FINISH SWARF SLOT 3 )

S8000 M3

G0 G90 G54

G65 P9998 E1 C118.61 A-35.549

X-.0112 Y-.6835

G43 H1 D2 Z3.0593 M9

Z-.6907

G1 Z-.9407 F12. ( NOTE THE ENTRY IS ONLY A Z MOVE - THIS IS NOT CORRECT )

.

.

.

here is what is should be doing at the entry

T82019020 M06

(FTN 82019010 - .1875 FIN MILL )

( FINISH SWARF SLOT 3 )

S6112 M03

G0 G90 G54 X-.0165 Y-.5311

G43.4 Z.4421 H01

A-35.498 C118.61

G1 X-.0149 Y-.9448 Z-.1379 F20. ( THIS IS CORRECT )

.

.

.

Right now I am forced to use our seat of NX when I want to use TCPC, but I would rather get MasterCam working correctly to use this function

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry Benk, I'm not familiar with the data Center.

We run most everything off the MAS system, and we sometimes use the data server for large programs.

Sorry, I don't think I can help.

Good luck.