Gentlemen,
I have been thinking again today.
Does EMC have G44, G45, G46, G47 and G48? I just looked at a page
explaining these for Fanuc controls. The page explains them different
than I remember. My memory says the:
G43 is tool length compensation positive in the Z axis
G44 is tool length compensation negative in the Z axis
G45 is tool length compensation positive along the X or Y axis
G46 is tool length compensation negative along the X or Y axis
G47 is tool length compensation positive along the other of the X or Y axes
G48 is tool length compensation negative along the other of the X or Y axes
G49 is tool length compensation cancel for all tool length compensation codes
This allows the drill cycles to be usable after a plane shift
using G18 or G19. I remember using this only one time ever for
drilling. Not a very useful tool in my experience.
But, if the G43 tool length compensation is usable at ALL angles
and the drill cycles function at all angles this is another matter. I
know of NO machine tool with this capability. I know of NO machine
controller with this capability. There certainly are controllers with
the horsepower to do so and maybe there are some that have that
implemented but I know of none. The capability of using the drill
cycles at all angles in a program AND MDI would be a KILLER function.
A slightly positive addition to the G43 usable at all angles is
that would eliminate the need for the G44 through G48 codes.
Another huge positive the G43 tool length compensation at all
angles gives is true 5 axis tool tip programming. The capability to
store the pivot length of the machine and use the tool table for the
tool lengths allows progress toward using a CL (Cutter Location) file
to directly control the machine. CL file are output out of a myriad
of CAM systems.
The CL file has POST words such as COOLANT ON. If EMC would read
those statements then a CL file would control the machine. If a CL
file can control a machine then the CAM system output can be sent
directly to the machine bypassing the CL file and the CAM system would
then directly control the machine.
A CL file contains the I, J and K components of the tool axis
vector. This would allow EMC to directly use those numbers rather than
calculating them from the A, B and C values in the G code program.
At this time the ability to control the machine directly with a
CAM system seems scary. But, with the capability comes education and
then usefulness. This would be a long way toward enabling the
seemingly stuck STEP-NC. Sending the output of a CAM system to the
controller instead of an intermediate file would be another KILLER
function.
I see immediate usefulness with the current capability. I will be
replacing the Fanuc 15MB control on my 5 axis bridge ASAP.
If anyone wants to see an example of what I am talking about you
only need to update EMC and run the 5axis machine sim. Notice how the
numbers on the screen are the same numbers regardless of the tool
length. Also notice the X, Y and Z numbers would be the same numbers
if the program was run in 3 axis mode. Chris Radek has enabled 5 axis
tool length compensation and included the pivot length in the
kinematics. VERY VERY COOL
Comments?
Suggestions?
Criticisms?
Chris - thank you very much
Stuart
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