[Pete_B]

I am using the student version for evaluation. We are considering upgrading our waterjet machines with new controls. However, there is one crucial feature that I am having trouble with. We need to be able to move forward or back up along a contour to any point in the program and resume cutting from that point. Right now all I can do is back up along the current line of code using ESCKEY. Is Camsoft even capable of this? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Karl_T]

Of course, a mid program restart is a standard feature.

Camsoft is actually a machine control computer language. You're just seeing one default program. What a machine can do is limited onlyby the imagination and ability of the programmer.


If I understand you, you want a "backup" key where the machine retraces its path in reverse. You'd then stop and resume the original program, a standard feature.

I see the concept of how this could be done: Have each G and M code write its reverse instruction to a file as its executed. Example, the machine is at 0,0 and G1 X,Y is ran; write G1 0,0 to the file. Do this each time an instruction is read. I do see some develish little details that would require a top notch programmer.

In short, to answer your question, yes this can be done.

Karl

[Pete_B]

Thanks for the help Karl. Even though I am a newbie to Camsoft I will plug away until I get it. Now I have a project to work on.

[camsoft]

CamSoft has 4 methods to either Back up, Reverse direction, Inspect and Resume, Continue on or Abort.

(1) There is a REVERSE command which cuts the path in the reverse direction.

(2) The INSPECT macros allow you to stop, jog away, inspect, change tools etc and automatically come back to the point in the program and also the same location of the part to resume cutting.

(3) The ESC key that prompts th euser to either Abort, Backup or Continue on

(4) The most powerful method is MIDPROGRAM restart

Karl is right about MidProgram Restart feature but there's no need to write out your G code program backwards.

Visual Mid-Program Re-Start. When cutting sometimes you have to stop and travel in reverse (back up) on the path or other times you have to start in the middle of a program after coming back from weekend or night shift. We believe have the most advanced back up feature in the world. It's graphically. Even a novice can point to the touch screen with his finger tip or else use a mouse to tell it where to start cutting.

There are many more benefits to using CamSoft's "Visually Mid-program Restart Feature" using a mouse or touch screen, Graphically. This feature reads through the G code program to pick up offsets, tools, fixture positions, speeds, feeds, kerf, tool size and more all the way up to the position you pointed to then prompts you to press cycle start when you are ready. This is the easiest and smartest program resume feature we have ever seen. If you have a touch screen it will find the mathematical intersection of your finger tip to the part geometry in 3D. You can even click midway through a cut on a 3D line or arc. It does not require a back up re-cutting an already cut area twice. It is faster to re-start on portions of the part that are too far away to back up through. It can also be re-started days later. No G code to look up, no searching for coordinates in a file and no need to start at the beginning of a N block or G code line. You can start mid-way through a move. Perhaps re-start only a 1/4" before the last cut ended. It doesn't matter if the line was 100 meters long or you start at 8 o'clock around a full circle. It's visual using 3D graphics. A novice operator can do it.


There are some rules associated with these features so please look up these commands in the manual. They get into advance topics with many options to explain here.



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[Karl_T]

...
(1) There is a REVERSE command which cuts the path in the reverse direction.

...

Karl is right about MidProgram Restart feature but there's no need to write out your G code program backwards.
...

I've only been using Camsoft twelve years now and I'm still learning. This is one command i've never used.

I continue to be amazed at the power of the Camsoft machine control language.

karl

[Vector42]

This is an associated question;

After an interruption such as an alarm or ES, when I hit the Start/Pause button the program starts over from the beginning. How do I get Camsoft to start where it left off ? or at least at the beginning of the last block ? Do I have to write code and put it in a particular place ?

[Karl_T]

This is an associated question;

After an interruption such as an alarm or ES, when I hit the Start/Pause button the program starts over from the beginning. How do I get Camsoft to start where it left off ? or at least at the beginning of the last block ? Do I have to write code and put it in a particular place ?

This is all in how your .cbk was written. You can have it do anything you want. I set my machine up so most all stops just issue the FEEDHOLD command. Then a CYCLESTART just resumes motion.

My ESTOP is set up to drop everything. Almost never hit the Estop. If I do, the program would have to be restarted with the midprogram restart feature. just look at the gcode line number and start it there.

Karl