Hi all, I have a table-table setup with a B and C (I think- Z axis rotary on top of a Y-axis rotary). All my directions and angles are working out fine, and I'm getting good numbers out. My main issue is that I would like to stop the machine from "flipping" the primary rotary. For instance, if I am machining a dead center 180deg arc over a hemisphere, my B axis will go from -90 to 0 to -90. In the small degree range the primary has to accelerate pretty high. I'd rather the B-axis continue on an just go straight from 90 to -90. I'm not actually machining anything, it would be more like a probe run. I'm using the generic HAAS 5-axis post that I've modified to include my limits and directions. I am using the mi10 = 0. Here is what I think are the relevant sections. #Assign axis address str_pri_axis : "C" str_sec_axis : "B" str_dum_axis : "A" #Toolplane mapped to top angle position strings str_n_a_axis : "A" str_n_b_axis : "B" str_n_c_axis : "C" #Machine rotary routine settings mtype : 0 #Machine type (Define base and rotation plane below) #0 = Table/Table #1 = Tilt Head/Table #2 = Head/Head #3 = Nutator Table/Table #4 = Nutator Tilt Head/Table #5 = Nutator Head/Head #Primary axis angle description (in machine base terms) #With nutating (mtype 3-5) the nutating axis must be the XY plane rotaxis1$ = vecx #Zero rotdir1$ = vecy #Direction #Secondary axis angle description (in machine base terms) #With nutating (mtype 3-5) the nutating axis and this plane normal #are aligned to calculate the secondary angle rotaxis2$ = vecz #Zero rotdir2$ = vecx #Direction #Secondary shift (determines position and angle calculation) #plane correction 90 degree shift case (plus or minus) #used when secondary plane is defined perp to primary zero #EX. P - vecx, vecy S - vecz, vecy shift_90_s : 1 #Shift pos.=1, neg.=-1 #Rotary axis limits adj2sec : 0 #Attempt to adjust the primary axis from secondary? #Allows primary axis to flip 180 to satisfy secondary #0 = Off #1 = Use method when secondary is out of limit #Use with pri_limtyp = one to keep secondary as controlling #limit when limit tripped #Use with pri_limtyp = two to allow 180 degree reposition #Set pri_limtyp and sec_limtyp on following conditions #0 = Less than 180 degrees #1 = Equal or greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees #2 = Soft limit at 0-360 degrees with hard limits slightly beyond #Set limhi-limlo to hard limits, inthi-intlo to 360 degrees total #limhi-limlo are expected equal amount from inthi-intlo #3 = Greater than 360 degrees auto_set_lim : 0 #Set the type from the angle limit settings (ignore these) pri_limtyp$ : 3 sec_limtyp$ : 1 #Rotary axis travel limits, always in terms of normal angle output #Set the absolute angles for axis travel on primary pri_limlo$ : -9999999 pri_limhi$ : 9999999 #Set intermediate angle, in limits, for post to reposition machine pri_intlo$ : -9999999 pri_inthi$ : 9999999 #Set the absolute angles for axis travel on secondary sec_limlo$ : -95 sec_limhi$ : 95 #Set intermediate angle, in limits, for post to reposition machine sec_intlo$ : -95 sec_inthi$ : 95 bias_null : 0 #mi4 and mi5 bias are applied at null toolchanges use_clamp : 1 #Use the automatic clamp Mcode #Table/Table spindle axis alignment. (Typically Z+. Always Z+ with nutating machine types!) # Choose the axis that is parallel to the spindle with all rotaries at their zero positions. spind_align : 3 #1=(X+), 2=(Y+), 3=(Z+), -1=(X-), -2=(Y-), -3=(Z-) #Machine base matrix (Base matrix to map positions into) matb1$ : 1 matb2$ : 0 matb3$ : 0 matb4$ : 0 matb5$ : 1 matb6$ : 0 matb7$ : 0 matb8$ : 0 matb9$ : 1 #Tolerance settings for wind up p_tol_ang : 210 #Primary angle move to exceed for direction change s_tol_ang : 210 #Secondary angle move to exceed for direction change d_tol_ang : 210 #Dummy angle move to exceed for direction change #pri_limtyp = 1, tolerance to validate tripping limit # reset the p_frc_adj_sec flag when back to normal range #pri_limtyp = 2, angle move >= to trigger reposition on primary and # angle move >= with rev5 or 180 reposition to validate tripping limit p_rsoft_tol : 45 #sec_limtyp = 2, Angle move >= for reposition s_soft_tol : 270 adj_lim_trp : 90 #Angle move in p_pri_rot180 to trip reposition #pri_limtyp = 3 and sec_limtyp = 3 control values p_rsoft_tol3 : 45 #Angle move >= with rev5 or 180 reposition Thanks so much for the help in advance!

Hi, Can anyone tell me how to create a parallel cut (5-axis) toolpath with equidistant spacing no matter the surface angle? I'm using X6. If you can picture it, I am basically trying to get parallel arcs across a hemisphere that have equidistant contours between them. I've been playing around a lot, but I can only get constant shifts in one axis. I would think that if there were an option for "constant cusp" then it would probably work to bring the spacings correctly. Thanks!