Unless otherwise specified, Excel is going to give you linear type values. You're probably going to need to build some trig into your Excel formula to get the right number. I've got an excel spreadsheet that calculates #19700 parameter value changes for me based on feature error, angle and position. It only gets me close. The probing MACRO stuff gets me the rest of the way. I'm sure Excel can do it all, and do it correcvtly, I just don't know how to. :shrug: JM2CFWIW

Sorry, forgot to add the code sample to the previous one; I get G43.8, L2, IJK data. My bad. Need more Swarf_Flow_Curve-03.txt IMHO, any tool path that puts surface normal data in the NCI should get a comp checkbox. That way if you want it and your machine/post supports it, you have control over it. If it doesn't support it, leave it off. My core point; if the data is there, give us access to turning it on/off. Let us decide what our equipment/post supports/doesn't support.

I'll have to create something. I don;t have anything handy. Sorry.

Do you have a Head/Head machine, Table/Head, or Table/Table machine? 5-Axis drilling isn't technically 5-Axis. It is simultaneous 5-Axis or 4+1 positioning and then drilling along the Z-Axis Vector unless you're using a Right Angle Head. But It should be fine. All depends on your machine's option package though. I deal with Table/Table machines and typically my collision checking and post software (CAMplete) does positioning , drilling, canned cycles, etc... using G68.2 I'll have to see what kinds of parts I have and test out what I can get based on the cycle. Hang tight.

I believe the FTP site is no longer active.

Free fiss...

That is 3D Cutter Compensation and I personally would not expect to see that in a threadmill toopath. Usually you see/use that in a 4+1/5-Axis toolpath in certain situations like Flowline 5-Axis, Swarf 5-Axis and Curve 5-Axis. But since you asked; G131F1 (5-AXIS SWARF SIDE ROUGH +.005 ON WALL) S19966M03 M132 G00G90G54B-1.016C-5.894 G54.4 P1 G68.2 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 I84.106 J-1.016 K-90.0 G53.1 X0.039Y0.1389 G69 G43.4Z0.8589H#517 X0.0379Y0.1358Z0.8602 X0.0511Y0.1344Z0.1103 X0.0537Y0.1341Z-0.0396 G01G41.2X0.0549Y0.134Z-0.1076D#517F90.0 X0.0319Y0.1232Z-0.1228 ........ X0.0476Y0.1333Z-0.1088 G40 G00X0.0356Y0.1512Z0.859 G130 G00G90G49 G49G53Z0.0 G54.4 P0

I'd do the 1TB Evo, but pretty solid rig. How many "years to come" you talking?

Perhaps geometry is so that you can individually change start/end characteristics of a chain?

Actually, I did have a few minutes, and I did it as a jab because of the rash of 10+ year old posts getting new life. So, if we're gonna dig something up, we should REALLY dig something up. OT is a good idea. :p

The first public Forum layout discussion... pretty cool.

Lookie.. I think I found my very first posting. This is fun.

There's some really good info in the two latest 5-Axis topics; 5-Axis Cutter Comp and Mastercam 2022 this could be promising. Check it out.

Google doing the DEEEEEEEP Web Crawl on pre-2010 topics. We need to dig up the very 1st technical posting and answer it as though it were asked today.

There are some distinct differences in G10 (with regard to writing to parameters) in the different generations of controls. 0i-C and 0i-D are more like 16i/18i generation controls, and the 0i-F is more like 30i/31i Series controls. 16i/18i sample; G90G10L50(WRITING TO PARAMETERS) N20R4(I/O CHANNEL TO CARD) G11(FINISH WRITING TO PARAMETERS) 30i/30i Sample G90G10L52(WRITING TO PARAMETERS) N20R4(CHANGE TO FLASH CARD) G11(FINISH WRITING TO PARAMETERS) It's just a number but it's a very important number.

Me either. I always prove out my probing cycles at the machine. Once proven, I put them in Manual Entries, and all is good and right in the world. It's only a hack if you're trying to cheat the system. Things like this are precisely why Manual Entry was created, therefore, NOT a hack,

You caaaaaaaaaaaan however it does require some extra work on the front end to stop the look ahead to make certain the calculations happen. Some machines have a buffer stop M-Code set/created from the factory. Others do not. In the machines that do not, one has to be created and assigned. Not a big deal if somebody knows how to do that, REALLY problematic if they don't. The average 3/4-Axis user probably thinks many of us are just being a PITA for harping on the issue(s) above. That's fine, this isn't their world... today. However, if things continue as the industry anticipates it will, this will soon be their world so paying attention and learning would be in their best interest. I say that because the number of 5-Axis machines getting delivered increases every single year. In my 16 years at the company I am at, we've only had 2 years where that didn't hold up. 2009 and 2010. Situations/conditions like this are why Applications Engineers exist.

That is the other way; by direct variable. That is 100% good to go as well. It all depends on what the end game is. If you need to do some math to an individual axis, variable nunmber/name( #5221=xxxxx/[#_WZG54[1]]=xxxxx) is the more straight forward way to go IMHO. G90G10L2P1X[#_ABSMT[1]]Y[#_ABSMT[2]]Z[#_ABSMT[3]]A[#_ABSMT[4]]C[#_ABSMT[5]] G11 G90G10L2P1X#5021Y#5022Z#5023A#5024C#5025 G11 Your variable example (current machine position X, Y, and X) name is [#_ABSMT[1]] [#_ABSMT[2]] [#_ABSMT[3]] #5221=#5021 #5222=#5022 #5223=#5023 #5224=#5024 #5225=#5025 Many ways to skin the cat. By direct variable number writing, no need to G11. When using G10, shoudl use g11. hth

Correct IMHO. Re: Ball/Bull... I'll preface this statement by saying I would never do this, however, I recently lost a battle with a customer regarding + Tool Lengths (they elected to run negative tool length offsets on their 5-Axis machine so it can be like all their other machines in the shop - no judgement other than they are really missing out but, they have to work with their 4 walls and I do not), so, there are ALL kinds of practices out there. Some sound, others... not so much. I guess the bottom line is I'm just going to need to work though the tool offset table R/D G/W and CR G/W then Swarf_Flow_Curve-01.txt Swarf_Flow_Curve-02.txt Swarf_Flow_Curve-06.txt *-01 is New School Swarf - Side Autodetect *-02 is Old School Swarf Wear *-06 is Old School Computer Seems like there is no shutting G43.8 off from the toolpath itself. Good thing I can from within CAMplete.

I think leaving anything between 20 and 30% Diameter is probably sufficient. I think I read 3/4 not 1/4. Sorry.

Why upgrade software. EVER? You should just use Notepad to write your programs. I mean it works. It's bug free...

You want to make sure you leave enough to "cut" or for the tool to actually bite into. Don't and you risk some VERY unfavorable cutting conditions that you may only be able to grind, EDM, or ceramic tool your way out of.

Using G10 you can write to parameters, the offset tables you mentioned also you can write to the WSEC Offset Table and the RTDFO Offset Table. 3D Tool Comp CR Columns.. Those are all the ones I use on a fairly regular basis. WSEC (G54.4 P1 - P7) G10L23P1X0.0Y0.0Z0.0A0.0B0.0C0.0I0.0J0.0 G11 RTDFO (G54.2 P1 - P8) G10L23P3X0.0Y0.0Z0.0B0.0 G11 Writing to the F/G I/O Channel Parameter G90G10L52(WRITING TO PARAMETERS) N20R4(CHANGE TO FLASH CARD) G11(FINISH WRITING TO PARAMETERS) (0 and 1 = RS232) (4 = CARD) (5 = DATASERVER) 3D Tool Comp Corner Rad Geometry and Wear G10G90L110P1R0.000 (G) G10G90L111P1R0.000 (W) G11 Always remember to use G11 after you're done. Odd things can happen if you have probes and lasers and you don't close it out. HTH

Yeah, you can't machine that feature that way. If you want to Swarf it you need to make the floor your wall and the wall your floor.

My request is quite simple; Give us comp selections just like the old school Flow 5-Ax, Curve 5-Ax, and swarf. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, then set/flag the condition in the NCI. That's it.