therocker,

 

A common approach would include:

• Placing geometry on unique levels
• Exporting operations to an operation library to be imported via a NETHook

A typical process, simplified, would be opening a drawing, iterating levels, selecting geometry on a level(s) and import an operation to apply to the geometry. From here you could add the file to a nest list or post the file, etc, depending on what you are looking to accomplish.

 

There is a Visual Studio Mastercam Class library project template linked in another post in this forum that will help setup a default NETHook project that can be used as a starting point for your NETHook.

 

Hi,

This is EXACTLY what I need, to automate my process ! 

I understand how to create operations and store them to operations library.

I understand how to import / merge geometry. 

But HOW can I (using .NET-C# Hooks)  import an operation, an "link it´s machining surface" , for example, to Geometry from Level 5, and link machining boundary to chain geometry in Level 6 ? 

I´m talking about MC_X9 and 5 axis operations like Surface High Speed, Multiaxis Mash (Geodesic and others ....) ..... 

Thanks,

Edi. 

Hi,

"How can I" (the famous starting line ...) "create a silhouete boundary with .NET-Hook, or C-Hook .... in MC_X9 ?
Would it be possible to use "FT Functions" ? 

For example, in other topic about "Rolling" geometry I´ve read your advice to use code in C-Hook :
post_FT_command ("Mastercam", "do_xform_roll"); 

So, can something like that be used from .NET Hook to generate "Silhouete" ?
In Mastercam.ft I´ve found FT function "create_SilhouetteBoundary", so in C-Hook I could do it like :

post_FT_command ("Mastercam","create_SilhouetteBoundary");    ?   

That would do it ? 

OK, if that works, the questions that raise are : 
- first I have to select geometry that would be used for Silhouete ... how can I do that ? 
- first I must choose Level, View, etc. (that would be destination for Silhouete boundary) .... how can I do that ? 

Can we call FT functions also  from .NET-C# hooks ?
How would this same code look like (select view, level, geometry and then call FT "create_SilhouetteBoundary" ... )  in .NET-C#  ?
 

thanks a lot. !  
Edi.  

Hello,

 

we have done several posts like that before.

 

It is all done by one postprocessor  which includes logic to change output between different configurations

 

The method we use is the use of misc integer parameter to set the one of three configurations.

 

This method also enables you to "mix" different configurations within one NC file.

 

For instance:

 

Mi5$ = 1 ==> XYZAB (C= 0)

Mi5$ = 2 ==> XYZAC (B= 0)

Mi5$ = 3 ==> XYZBC (A= 0)

 

Of course it takes a lot of work to set it up (postprocessor must be practically rewritten from ground up)

Probably the hardest thing is to  correctly switch on and off all machine functions when changing configurations within one NC file.

 

One note: you will most probably not be able to achieve this by using Mastercams  Gen5ax because this postprocessor has some logic binned which prevents it to change configurations.

At first we have tried to change the Gen5ax  to get the wanted output (the one with multiple configurations) but were unsuccessful. So we created our own generic 5axis postprocessor which enables us to use up to 3 configurations within one NC file.

 

regards.

Hello Gorazd,

Nice to see you here, last time we met was about 15 years ago in Ljubljana

So, is this idea you´re talking about the way to make 6 axis post ?

All this I´m thinking about is just for that reason - how to solve post for 6 axis machine, for one project I´m working on.

regards,

Edi

Technically, it is probably possible. That is a ton of work to do something like that though. Is this just for choosing which 5 Axis kinematic logic you want to use? If so, it is probably much easier to modify the Generic Fanuc 5X Mill Post to change the internal variables.

 

The Generic Fanuc 5X Mill Post already has the logic inside to change the kinematic configuration, rotary limits, and so on. So if you manipulate the 'mtype' variable and associated 'rotaxis' and 'rotdir' configurations programmatically, then you've got much less work to do.

Thanks Colin.

Well, my task now is to write a post for 6 axis mill, and I´we never done that before. I´m just looking the way to do it.

Of course, so far I´we done 5 axis posts, and that is standard in MC with good resources to start from (generic 5x posts).

At the moment I have zero resources (like some generic post as an idea how to start) or anything.

Luckily I have some time to do it, right now it´s more like "can you do it" than "when will you finish it".

I´d be gratefull for some guidance.

Edi

If you are adept at post writing, use the matrix to calculate position of your A B and C axes.  Conventional toolpaths use the 9-value matrix and multiaxis toolpaths use the 12-value matrix (same as the 9, but vector info added).

Hm, so that would be the way to write 6 axis post ?

Is there some resurce that would give me more info about how to write 6 axis post ?

If there would be something like generic 6 axis post, I´d be the luckiest guy at the moment

I haven´t found anything, anything so far !

Thanks,

Edi   

It is my understanding that external files can be read from and written to as text files.  There are also a few limited functions that can be done, like checking to see if a file exists, deleting a file and renaming a file.  There are no commands to pass processing to another file as you would with a machine subprogram.

 

There are companies that write totally custom posts that can make what you need.

Hi,

I´m the one writting custom posts

But this should be my first post for 6-axis machine.  I´we done 5-axis posts so far, that´s not a problem.

While it is possible to use external files while post processing, I do not believe that it is possible to pass the variables required to another post.  It would be better to have a custom 6-Axis post made for your machine.  One post can do it all.

Hi,

Thanks for a start.

How can I process external file ... I´we searched and can´t find proper way to do it ?

I´d like to test it, to see if it takes me anywhere.

I was thinking how to make one 6-ax post, but I allways get stuck with issue that the whole post is set up for one specific kinematic, and that kinematic uses 5 axes. 

Edi

Hi,

Can please someone give me a Little help about way to solve 6 axes posting. 
I´we concluded that I should build a postprocessor that will run 3 subpostprocessors.

Why do I want that ?
Maybe I´m wrong and someone has other idea ?
So, first I would build 3 posts that would process different kinematics :

1) X,Y,Z,A,B

2) X,Y,Z,A,C

3) X,Y,Z,B,C

Then, the "main postprocesor" would have logic to detect which post would be used for particular operation and call particular "subpost".

And then, while posting, we would have something like this :

OP1 -> post 2)

OP2 -> post 3)
OP3 -> post 2)

OP4 -> post 1)

.... etc. .... all together would go to one joint .NC file

So, can I do something like that ?

Is there a function that can call another post from post ?

Thanks all,

Edi.

Hi,

Can please someone give me a Little help, something similar to this topic.

So, I Need to build a postprocessor that will run 3 subpostprocessors.

Why do I want that ?
I´m working on post for 6 axes machine, and I´we concluded (maybe I´m wrong and someone has other idea ?) that first I would build 3 Posts that would process different kinematics :

1) X,Y,Z,A,B

2) X,Y,Z,A,C

3) X,Y,Z,B,C

Then, the "main postprocesor" would have logic to detect which post would be used for particular operation.

And then, while posting, we would, for example, have something like this :

OP1 -> post 2)

OP2 -> post 3)
OP3 -> post 2)

OP4 -> post 1)

.... etc. .... all together go to one .NC file

So, can I do something like that ?

Is there a function that can call another post from post ?

Thanks all,

Edi.