For example:

when it rotates from B0 to B90 (I got positive B value)

when it rotates from B90 to B45 ( I got "B-45", it mean it tells machine go negative direction)

but the machine does not need to have " - " in it, so machine can rotate back to B45, do you think can you edit it?

Please,

Thank you.

I'm using generic post from MasterCAm. Is there any way to change the post to get secondary rotary with always positive number? Meaning it does not need to telling the machine which direction, because machine can always read positive number. The range direction from -5 to 105 degrees.

If anyone can change please help with it.

Thank you very much.

Hello,

I could not understand about 5-axis post processing.

I tried to program for 3+2 axis and I got different between un-check and check box at Force Tool Change.

When I don't check at Force Tool Change I get A and B different with check at that box.

When I checked I got program like:

.....

The matrix is pretty simple. You get 9 ordered variables, that describe the endpoints of 3 different vectors; X, Y, and Z.

 

I think the reason they don't give much detail on these variables is that there are really only two possible settings; either VMC or HMC. The Machine Base Matrix only controls the relationship of your machine Spindle, relative to your WCS "TOP" setup. (Let's assume for this discussion that we have moved the part to the SYSTEM TOP WCS, and we aren't working out in space somewhere with a local WCS. It just makes the visualization easier.)

 

The rotary settings are setup independently from the Machine Base Matrix, so don't worry about those yet.

 

Here are the typical settings for both a VMC and an HMC setup in the Gen Fan 5X Mill Post. Note that you would only have ONE matrix defined inside your post, and would switch the settings if you wanted to go from VMC to HMC, or vise-versa:

#Machine base matrix (Base matrix to map positions into)
#COMMON SETUP FOR A HMC-STYLE 5X Machine. (Spindle is aligned to the FRONT TOOLPLANE VIEW FOR ROTARY ZERO)
matb1$       : 1
matb2$       : 0
matb3$       : 0
matb4$       : 0
matb5$       : 0
matb6$       : 1
matb7$       : 0
matb8$       : -1
matb9$       : 0

#Machine base matrix (Base matrix to map positions into)
#COMMON SETUP FOR A VMC-STYLE 5X Machine. (Spindle is aligned to the TOP TOOLPLANE VIEW FOR ROTARY ZERO)
matb1$       : 1
matb2$       : 0
matb3$       : 0
matb4$       : 0
matb5$       : 1
matb6$       : 0
matb7$       : 0
matb8$       : 0
matb9$       : 1

When you look at the Matrix values, the first three variables define the orientation of the X Axis. Notice that for all three axes, the setting for each variable is either 1 or 0. The matrix is designed to have you use orthogonal axis definitions. (Each axis must be 90 degrees to the other two axes being defined.)

 

So the X axis would be:

matb1$       : 1
matb2$       : 0
matb3$       : 0

Notice that it is the same for both the VMC and HMC matrix settings. Only the Y and Z axes swap.

 

For a VMC, the Y axis is aligned with the positive Y axis of the SYSTEM TOP VIEW. Same for the Z axis.

 

Y for VMC:

matb4$       : 0
matb5$       : 1
matb6$       : 0

Z for a VMC:

matb7$       : 0
matb8$       : 0
matb9$       : 1

Note that the vector in each case points from the origin, towards the Positive axis direction

 

So for the HMC Z axis, we are saying that Positive Z points from the origin towards -Y. In other words, the Z axis of the SYSTEM FRONT View is aligned with the Z axis of the Machine Base Matrix.

 

Z for a HMC:

matb7$       : 0
matb8$       : -1
matb9$       : 0

Greg was right that HMC 5X definitions aren't as common as VMC's, but I've always used '-1' for matb8$. Otherwise, if we use '1' instead, it would make the SYSTEM BACK View the Positive Z axis direction.

 

So unless you've got a machine where +Z motion is towards the origin, a setting of '-1' for 'matb8$' is recommended.

 

Once you've got the Machine Base Matrix setup, you then need to make sure you are programming using the Front Plane as the base for your Rotary Zero.

 

To configure the Rotaries, you need to set the vector values for the Primary and Secondary axes. In your case, the Primary is the Rotary table (M-code activated), and the secondary would be the B axis table.

 

Normally when I'm setting up a 5X post, the axis with the most rotary travel is given the "primary" status.

 

Check out the PowerPoint for tips on setting the vector directions for the rotary. You will either be rotating about X, Y, or Z. The biggest hint I can give you is that you use two vectors that are perpendicular to the axis you are describing.

 

So to rotate about "X", you would not see 'vecx' in either 'rotaxis1$', or 'rotdir1$'. It would be a combination of 'vecy' and 'vecz'. (+ or -, i.e., -vecy, -vecz, or vecy, vecz).

 

The rotary vector directions are also described in terms of the SYSTEM TOP WCS view, and are not related to the Machine Base Matrix settings!!! That is really important to understand.

 

So for a primary "A" address that is a rotary, facing the spindle, it would rotate about the SYSTEM TOP WCS Y Axis. That means typically you would have:

 

rotaxis1$ : vecz

rotdir1$: vecx

 

(If the rotation direction is backwards, change the sign of the 'rotdir' variable. So 'vecx' becomes '-vecx')

 

Then the "B" axis rotates about the SYSTEM TOP WCX Z Axis, so it would be something like:

 

rotaxis2$ : vecy

rotdir2$ : vecx

 

Note that it might very well be '-vecy' for the 'rotaxis2' setting.

 

When you are doing 3+2 work, and switching from Tool Plane to Tool Plane, there are always two different rotary solutions to every position. Because of this, the post was built with 'bias' settings (mi4$ and mi5$) that allow you to pass some different settings to the rotary addresses, and have the post attempt to use those settings instead. (make sure 'bias_null' is turned on!!!)

 

If that fails, often you can use 'mi10$' to temporarily restrict the secondary axis travel range, which can help force a specific combination of rotary position values.

I have rotary 3+2, but the primary "A" address that is a rotary, facing the spindle, it would rotate about the SYSTEM TOP WCS X Axis.

What should I change in the post please share to me?

Thank you.