[CAN MACHINE]

Simple question. I'm trying to help out our TM-1 operator. He wants to be able to program a operation using the Intuitive Programing System and cut and paste that into another program. I need a simple step by step how to. The manual is not very clear and we have tried copying to the clip board and pasting with no luck. I think we are missing something simple.

Thanks,
Geoff

[Geof]

Select the block you want to copy by pressing F2 at the top of the block, scrolling down and pressing F2 at the bottom; this highlights the block.

Now press F1 to bring up the editor and scroll sideways until you find the drop down menu that show "Copy to Clipboard". Scroll down to select this and press Write; now you block is copied to the clipboard.

Now open the program you want to paste it into and scroll down to where you want it to insert. Then press F1, find the Clipboard menu, scroll down to "Paste from Clipboard" and press Write.


I just realised the IPS writes programs in MDI (I think) so you have to convert this to a program. Type in a program name; Onnnnn where nnnnn is a number that has not been used yet. Then press Alter and that will make your MDI program go into memory under that name.

[CAN MACHINE]

Geof, Thanks for the reply. I still can't get it to work. When a copy to the clipboard at the bottom in red it says "guarded code" is that the problem? What does that mean? Then when I paste nothing appears.

Thanks,

Geoff

[Geof]

"Guarded code" suggests you have included the program name; Onnnnn in your selected block, you are not allowed to copy the Onnnnn into the clipboard.

Start one line below Onnnnn and press F1 then scroll and press F2.

[CAN MACHINE]

I finally have time to get back to this. I don't get the guarded code anymore and it creates another program called (clipboard) on the program list but it won't write it into the other program. Arrrgg

[Geof]

So far so good; when you copy to the clipboard the first time the machine creates the clipboard program.

Now to paste:

Open the program you want to paste it into.

Move the cursor down to the line you want it to paste at; normally what I do is enter three 'end of block' characters at this point then I put the cursor on the middle one. This way the piece I paste in finishes up between two end of block characters so I can see it easily and check everything is complete.

With the cursor at the desired position press F1 to open the editor.

Scroll across until the menu with 'past from clipboard' is open, then down until this is highlighted then push write.

Push undo to deselect the piece you just inserted.

[laminar-flow]

I'm jumping in here with a similar question. I recently purchased one of the last HPCL's and since this is my first exposure to CNC, I'm doing a lot of reading and found this post.

The Haas IPS system is helping me learn code, and here is what I do. I go into the IPS, write a simple program, hit start then quickly stop to get it into MDI. But there is no way to easily get it copied and pasted into an existing program. Is it correct that for more than one IPS step, one has to record to gather them together, play it to get it into MDI, then make a program so it can be copied, then go to that program to copy it and then the other program to paste it in?

That seem like a lot of steps. Is there no easier way?

I know most would say learn code, and I plan to, but in the mean time I'm using the IPS. Which is, quite intuitive and menu driven.

Also, what is a typical method most machinist use to build a program? Write it in code directly? CAM? IPS?

Thanks!

[Geof]

If it is in MDI you can turn it into a program in memory by moving the cursor to the top, just press the HOME key, typing in a program name Onnnnn and pressing ALTER. This saves the program under the name you typed and clears the MDI screen. Then press LIST PROG and find your program in the list and presse SELECT then EDIT to bring it up on the screen.

Once you are used to using the Edit function and have learnt the Copy/Paste keystrokes it is really quite easy and quick.

What is the typical method most machinists use to create programs?

Everything: CAM, directly on the machine, on a Haas Simulator, using Notepad on a computer and then transferring via floppy or usb drive; whatever works and is convenient.

[laminar-flow]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, I understand how to do all of that, but it seems long and drawn out when building a program using the MDI. Lots of temporary programs made just to copy and paste into the main one being created.

It just seemed like copying out of MDI and into an existing program would be quicker.

My CAD program, Alibre, has a bundled CAM package but it has no lathe, just mill. I guess I'm going to look around for a simple lathe CAM package soon. Although I've heard some just manually input code for a lathe.

What is this Haas Simulator you mentioned?

[Geof]

The Haas Simulator is just a freestanding machine console. It has all the control functions and you can write programs, run them in Graphics and see axis positions displayed. You can even run the program as it would run on a machine and the Simulator software 'moves' the axes and starts and stops the spindle just as if it was hooked onto a real machine. I find a Simulator very useful for writing and editing programs because it can show when you have gone past an axis limit or if your tool compensation moves are not valid. For thre lathe it is handy because it can help debug the canned cycles like G72, G71 that are a bit tricky when you a cutting complex profiles.

[laminar-flow]

OK, I've heard of those but I was more thinking of a computer "emulator".

I do have some profiles I'll be doing one day. Any simple CAM lathe packages you can think of?

[Geof]

I don't use CAM.

[DEAN]

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