VERICUT Users' Forum

Smythe

Member

From: Clinton,Ohio

Registered: 2005-12-15

Posts: 42

Website

Tooling attachments in 6.0

I have several large format horizontal mills which have tooling attachments. Right angle head, arbor milling head, etc.
  This was handled with 5.4 via a subroutine to attach the head to the spindle and move the active tool component to the proper location on the said attachment. Advanced control statements orientated the heads to the proper rotary location.
  With 6.0, the subroutine loads the head, but now the active tool component stays with the spindle, which is incorrect.
       I understand that I can now put an stl of the attachment in the tool manager, but does not solve the problem. I have several hundred tool files that I reuse for new jobs. We also have spent money for a TDM-Vericut interface, which is now rendered useless.
     I would be anxious to hear of a solution that does not require revisiting each and every tool list or cost any more money.

                                              Thanks.

SergeV

Senior Member

From: Irvine, CA

Registered: 2004-10-08

Posts: 507

Website

Re: Tooling attachments in 6.0

Have you discuss this matter with CGTech Tech Support? They can probably review your files and see if there is a work around that allows you to be up and running with the minimum amount of change.

A lot of efforts are spent to make sure the 5.4 files are upward compatible. Yours should not be an exception.

Good luck

Serge

Smythe

Member

From: Clinton,Ohio

Registered: 2005-12-15

Posts: 42

Website

Re: Tooling attachments in 6.0

Gerry Prete got it. You have to change any reference to variables in a subroutine from "R" to "#"

SergeV

Senior Member

From: Irvine, CA

Registered: 2004-10-08

Posts: 507

Website

Re: Tooling attachments in 6.0

I am glad we could get you going.

Here are some explanation for everyone:

in 5.4, we implemented the ability to call a control macro in a subroutine, this is very useful for head changers, tool changers and other machine auxiliary systems that have motions or logic that is not present in the NC program.

format:
CGTECH_MACRO <macro name> <override text> <override value>

example: CGTECH_MACRO DwellTime " " 5
will dwell 5 seconds
The override text was marked as empty " "

The override value can also reference a predefined variable.

In the control, the override value for a macro always uses # to mark a variable regardless of the control format (example R21 for Siemens will be #21 in the control override value).

To have the subroutines independent from the control format, we changed the override format to be consistant with the control format.