VERICUT Users' Forum

rklutts

Member

From: Cupertino, CA

Registered: 2004-11-11

Posts: 10

Cycle times

Where can I set the tool change time to get a more accurate cycle time?

Thanks

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Ron Klutts
Model Maker
Apple Computer, Inc.

Volkov

Member

From: St. Petersburg, Russia

Registered: 2004-12-15

Posts: 25

Website

Re: Cycle times

Add two macros on tool change command (e.g. M6):

DwellTime (with override value of tool change time in seconds)
and DwellSeconds

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Regards.
Igor
www.bee-pitron.com

vhubbard

Beta User

From: Dallas, TX

Registered: 2004-11-11

Posts: 222

Website

Re: Cycle times

Also used for time adjustments for the following.
Spindle on/off time
coolant on
rotary axis clamp/unclamp times
pallet shuttle
M0 if you can get anyone to agree on a default value.

mtakacs

Member

From: San Diego

Registered: 2006-03-15

Posts: 9

Website

Re: Cycle times

Is the time in the log file in minutes or seconds?

My run time seems pretty far off, but I don't have a lot of the dwells in there that are listed above. 

Are people finding the time in Vericut accurate?

With the DwellTime macro, is there an actual dwell in the simulation or is it just added to the calculation at the end, I would hate to slow down the simulation!

Thanks,

Mark-

vhubbard

Beta User

From: Dallas, TX

Registered: 2004-11-11

Posts: 222

Website

Re: Cycle times

The time is in minutes.  The Dwell macros do not appear to effect processing time.

How accurate is Vericut?  it depends.
You must have the RAPID rates set correctly in the machine definition.  Also the Accel/Decel values for the axis.

Then if you want Accel/Decel calculated enable the following: Project, Processing options, G-Code, Settings, "Apply Acceleration to Cycle Time". But.......

Machines have an Accel/Decel setting for Feed mode and Rapid.  Some may have many Accel/Decel settings for Feed mode based on Rough, semi finish, finish and high speed modes if supplied. 

Vericut has one Accel/Decel setting per axis.  We do a "best fit" between Feed and Rapid Accel/Decel settings.  We compare 10-20 programs run times at the machine and then adjust Vericut accel/decel until we get a best fit.   You must set the correct times in the control for tool changes, clamping, pallet shuttle times etc.  We may get +-30% overall.  If you tune the Accel/Decel to one kind of program, you can get closer, maybe +-10%.  Tuning for programs that have mostly long feed moves vs mostly short feed moves. Ratio of Feed moves vs. Rapid and Cycle moves.  Also High speed mode vs non high speed mode programs. 

To get closer than +-30% in most cases, enhancements are needed to enable adjusting Accel/Decel based on Feed, Rapid and other control conditions.