But when we use G137 - the machine alarms out.... we run that on X + C unless G137 should be ran in X+Y?

Hi, I know its an Okuma and its a major PITA, but... what is the best way of getting codes to function properly for face machining (polar interpolation)? At the moment, we have the machine setup to do G101, G102, G103 and using L format, but the bloody thing still alarms out. Do we need a M15 and M16 for directional control? Are the negative X numbers correct? We are trying to machine a massive watertrace feature into the part and initially with using C-axis milling (without polar), I have a 148 long page program that which the feed rate is too fast, so we had to have polar interpolation added and that part is not working. The code below is how it currently posts out. I know having G137 in there is bad, so we removed that. N238(3.0 ISCAR FEED MILL SQUARE INSERT) NT32 (RESTART POSITION) N239 (RGH POCKET FEED MILL) N240 (OPERATION NO - 7) N241 G20 HP=4 N242 TC=1 N243 MT=3201 N244 M321 N245 TL=3232 BT=0 BA=0. G52 N246 MT=3001 N247 M146 N248 M110 N249 G00 C0. N250 SB=605 M13 N252 G00 G17 X0. C0. Z5. N253 M08 N254 M175 N255 M263 N256 G00 Z.5 N257 Z.01 N258 G94 G101 F30. N259 Z-.12 N260 X.2435 C.0001 F137. N261 G103 X-1.219 C.0001 L.7312 N262 X2.1935 C.0001 L1.7063 N263 X-3.169 C.0001 L2.6812 N264 X1.9081 C-3.3688 L3.6563 N265 G102 X3.6805 C-1.7808 L3.0725 N266 G103 X4.1435 C.0001 L3.6562 N267 X2.5956 C3.4558 L4.6312 N268 G102 X-.7912 C4.6214 L3.0725 N269 G103 X-5.0046 C1.023 L4.6313 N270 G102 X-3.8956 C-3.4956 L3.0725 N271 G103 X1.7142 C-5.4702 L5.6062 N272 G102 X5.7905 C-1.818 L3.0725 N273 G103 X6.0935 C.0001 L5.6062 N274 X4.2111 C4.6082 L6.5812 N275 X-.7817 C8.1904 L3.0725 N276 X-1.3553 C6.5239 L3.0725 N277 X-6.9372 C1.3104 L6.5812

Heres an update: We are getting closer to getting our code format correct - just a few minor changes. We are programming this correctly now - which is interesting compared to programming for the doosan puma. Learned quite a bit of new codes that machine requires LOL... and yea you are right about chasing alarms.... we recently ran into a road block where on the milling portion, the machine was alarming out about a c-axis clamp... found out the next day we need a M146 and M109 after the G136 in order to "disconnect" the clamp before starting a new interpolation cycle that needs it... OY.... stubborn machine lol Postability recently updated their post files - which kinda made things worse lol. What happened before the update was this: C-axis output on the regular drilling cycles was starting at 90deg instead of 0 where it should be - even when our first milling interpolation hole is zero, machine wants to start at 90. So Postability recently updated and made it 180 instead >.< kinda makes me want to pull my hair out lol

I'm kinda having the same problem with our Okuma as well.... I am trying to find a lot of information on the G181 and G183 canned cycles and not having much luck. The code below is what I currently have. We need to start drilling at Z-3.63 since there is clearance at that level - mastercam shows me the pecking is correct, but the machine is going full retract to Z+.5 - is there a way to control this? We want the peck clearance plane to be at Z-3.53 and when it jumps to another hole we do want full retract to Z.5... N3140(.4114 10.45MM OSG DRILL) NT14 (RESTART POSITION) N3150 (C-AXIS FACE DRILL - SPOT .41 THRU) N3160 (OPERATION NO - 9) N3170 G20 HP=4 N3180 TC=1 N3190 MT=1401 N3200 M321 N3210 TL=1414 BT=0 BA=0. G52 N3220 MT=0101 N3230 M146 N3240 M110 N3250 G00 C0. N3260 SB=436 M13 N3270 G00 G17 X19. Z10. N3280 M08 N3290 G00 Z.5 N3300 G94 N3310 G183 X19. Z-5.174 C0. K4.03 D.0899 L.0899 F1.8 N3320 C45. N3330 C90. N3340 C135.

HI Brad, We are located in Clairton, Pa, which is like 15 miles or so south of Pittsburgh, Pa. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. UPDATE: we are slowly moving along with testing on this. We've had some success, and some not so success. I've also figured out how postabilities post file should work, at least I believe so. We got the turning stuff down, which is good, but the issue is, when we do the ID, the ID comes out .375 bigger for no reason, same with the OD. The only other issue is wondering why the head changes back to vertical position from horizontal after telling the machine to be at 90deg (horizontal position). Boss is suggesting the offset needs to be described as 90deg? I cannot see anything in the program that suggests returning back to vertical. No alarms or anything and the machine actually wanted to drill a horizontal hole while the spindle was vertical... odd, but dangerous.

I hadn't thought of that one, probably slipped thru the cracks in my brain. Thanks! We were trying to figure out the planes issue I was having and realized that we were sorta going about this wrong. What was happening was I thought I had to follow the turning WCS plane for milling, but nope. Since the part is set in top view, milling needs to be Top-Top-Top and don't check any rotation if all holes are equal spaced, I can use transform by plane and all the rotations are set instead of creating a plane for every hole... unless they are in odd spots. The issue I was having was when i was using the Y-axis selection button, things got wonky, same with C-axis. I would only use c-axis for drilling since using c-axis selection in mill drilling doesn't quite work the same way. -JD

Is there a way to edit coolant for every tool one time or I have to go through the hours long process of changing them for everything? All our tools are currently set for the 3 coolant option and the Okuma has a lot of coolant codes. I want to make it easier, but I'm afraid it most likely won't be easier to edit. I have no idea what X-style coolant is in mastercam but I do know the "advanced coolant" with 10 options would be handy for this... but requires me to change everything.

Okay so, finally got something going but... the guy that came in to show us the machine didn't stay long and also didn't explain much... so I gotta ask this: What is "NT41A"? N210(ROUGH LEFT - 80 DEG.) NT2 (RESTART POSITION) N220 (ROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF 44.00 OD) N230 (OPERATION NO - 2) N240 G20 HP=4 N260 MT=4101 M321 NT41A N280 G20 HP=4 N290 G50 S190

I've tried using the planes, even C-axis, and the machine actually rotated the part 90deg to machine along the OD instead of face... so something wasn't right there.

Ah okay, thanks. The company has someone coming in tomorrow to show us around the machine, but I'll bring this up to our Supervisor. Also, I'm guessing this requires the use of planes in order to get holes drilled correctly? Like c-axis face drill option or something else? Also, drilling seems a lil weird using G181 or something with an L code for peck control... or am i using the wrong one?

I would like to, but everything was already paid for.... im not sure if post file software is returnable lol

This is probably where my company failed to invest the time researching into the machine. I wish I knew ahead of time to ask more about it, but really wasn't expecting anything different. We do have a machinesim that was provided (also bought) with the post we bought from postability thru cimquest. I feel that we would benefit better if someone can come to the company and train us or go somewhere for training on how to properly program for this machine. I'll keep updating this as time goes on. Still waiting to hear back from the developers via cimquest.

So.... the company bout a 2013 Okuma... and i'm ashamed to say this is our first time seeing it and its a monster of a machine. So after installing and many issues, the company is pushing hard for it to make chips, but the problem is... none of us are familiar with it and I'm told it is in a whole other world for programming and machining and code wise. I got so frustrated with trying to get this right and just couldn't deal with anything more for a sample program to try and see what the machine does. The first thing postability informed me was I was setting up the part model wrong. They shared me this link: Videos: Lathe WCS — Postability | Mastercam Post Processors and I'm not used to doing it that way then I questioned them if thats the ONLY way to go about it cause it feels like it'll take much longer to program parts for it... Then the machine didn't like the "%" at the start and end of program in addition to the "L" on radius when turning. I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with this machine / programming mastercam for it... and any advise too... -JD

Would it be possible mcam 2022 is crashing on us due to too much solid models within a program? we currently only have 2gb vram and i want us to get these upgraded to 8gb...

Well, no... but i do like seeing the update after creation / changing tool paths from a safety standpoint. It sucks that the regen time is slower..... way slower than that of mills.

Would the better performing video card improve lathe regen speeds? In mcam 2019, theyre quite fast, but in 2020-2022, they've slowed down by at least half while everything else runs good. -JD

So, i'm looking to upgrade the video card we have on our PCs - which is a Quadro K620... Cpu, SSD, memory are great, see no reason to upgrade any of that, cept the video. I'm looking for feedback on which card do you guys prefer that works well. I was recommended a Quadro P1000. I'll have to ask to see what kind of budget we have but... -JD

So we have a Doosan Puma 3200LY and i am circle interpolating a hole using .001 lead-in and an arc in as well for smooth transition instead of forcing the endmill to slam into the wall at 90deg. The alarm only happens when my machinist tries to open up the cutter comp beyond .001" on either direction ( +/-). This happens on any hole size and e-mill. So boss believes the solution is to remove the radius and go linear in perpendicular and remove the ramp in. Her basic response was "Oh we had this issue all the time before and the fix was to remove the arc in". I got a response back from the machine reseller saying that the issue is the "line length G41/G42 is max distance". I'm honestly not sure if this is a parameter setting limiting this or what? So, i'm hoping to get some feedback on this, if anyone has any ideas? -JD

Crap.... i'm not able to edit post =(

So.... I read there is a Mazak guy who'se familiar with polar interpolation? Currently, I have the machine set to do a 1.57 dia hole offset from center on a milling cycle. What the machine is doing is a start/stop point to point with all the C-axis output moves. So the machine is a Mazak Multiplex 6300, control 640T... A bit of history: I had to go back n fourth with the Dealer ( the post company) and Mazak HQ on the issues I was having. Mazak pretty much told the Dealer to their faces how they don't know how to program for a mazak.... which was a bit gunny, yet rude at the same time. It became too much of a huge frustration issue for me because Dealer expects me to provide the right codes on how this is supposed to work, but since the post is new for this machine, and the Dealer didn't really have a working multiplex post file, it was a lot of trial and error. But anyway, back to now, does Mazak support polar interpolation? If they do, I don't think it is set right.... or not set at all. So who wants to take a crack at this? lol -JD

Not quite what I was hoping for =| But thanks!

Yea - I agree, cept I'm having an issue figuring out what the L code / parameter means for a Mazak CNC Lathe... I've looked everywhere online, seems for mazaks its very limited information about G+M code programming... Whats happening is, mastercam posted out a block with a L2 code and nothing was happening. Problem is, CIMQUEST gave me a Mazak nexus post file, claimed its quite similar to a Mazak multiplex - turns out that's not entirely true... So i'm at a total loss of how to go about getting this working, and CIMQUEST basically wants me to figure it out >.<

I asked my reseller for assistance on knurling. They simply gave me a finish toolpath using a grooving cutter and slid it on the part.... which prompts me to ask the question of whether that's correct or not. Then the guy informed me to have my machinist call him when we're ready to run that, cause I have no clue, nor does the machinist on how to set it up since the old man machinist retired, taking all his knowledge with him.

We've had too many digit alarms as well, but running an offline program. The alarm was due to the NXXXX code being more than 5 or 6 digits and the machine alarmed out since it reached the maximum. Go figure. But great you already figured it out tho!

Finally managed to go through the Mazak post last week on Monday or 2 weeks ago... and got the bugs worked out to something workable.... for the time being. As we move further along with various parts, I'm fairly sure we'll find some bugs here and there - hopefully minor bugs.