You are not logged in.
Pages: 1
Could someone give me the skinny on probing? The boss was inquiring about it and I don't remember much from class.
Thanks
Joey
Learn something new everyday.
Offline
This is written from a Fanuc control perspective.
Probing works with the "Probe" macro in the control. This allows you to simulate G31.x moves. the probe stops when material/fixture is contacted or the end of the move. A tool with a probe definition must be used.
The probe is a simple on off switch. All the work is done in macros. At first we wrote short versions of the actual probe macros used at the machine. The probe would mimic the moves of the machine in Vericut.
Eventually we went further to get accuracy in measurement and time calculation.
If you want %100 realism showing updates to fixture and tool comps, you will need to spend some time with customer support configuring the control.
To make it measure, write to variables and act like a probe on the machine, the control has to be configured for variable support. Vericut can process Macro B commands, but you have to define the Macro B variable interaction for axis, workoffsets, length comps, G10 use etc in the control definition. When we did this our control file size went from 32K to 210K. We now use the same macros in Vericut for probing as used on the machine. We even get the same error messages as the machinist gets when someone forgets to turn on the probe etc.
I asked CGTech for some additional definition macros to better support the variable interaction with simpler, shorter definitions. I don't know what the status is.
Most Vericut simulations use near perfect fixtures and models, probe routines don't find any problems to adjust, unless you put errors in the setup for the probe to find.
Offline
Joey,
Vhubbard gave you a very accurate answer, I might add the obvious: You have to purchase a probing license for the probe to stop moving when it makes contact, and to record the actual hit positions and process them.
I don't have a probing license, but I can still visually verify that the probe is hitting where I want it to. Without the license Vericut reports a warning or error whenever the probe hits anything.
You can also describe your probe as a ball-mill, if you do this, it will remove material, but this can also help you verify your probing.
CGTech will give you a 30 day trial license to see if you can justify the cost.
Al
Austin NC APT administrator.
Custom configure GPost for Pro/E,
and other ANC applications.
Offline
Thanks gentlemen
I'll pass on the info to the boss.
Joey
Learn something new everyday.
Offline
Pages: 1