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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > CamWorks > CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    51

    CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Ok, more newb questions. I appreciate all the help you guys are providing.


    I want the spindle to lift up 50mm when I hit start. At the moment I set the workpiece zero and hit start and then it moves dragging the bit across the workpiece.

    I added this z50 to the "init tool change" section, however it lifts the Z to the limit rather than just 50mm - in G-code to lift the z 50mm I just write z50, but how do I write it in the UPG?

    :T:<N><TOOL_COMMENT><EOL>
    :T:<N><T><M:06><EOL>
    :T:<N><G:00><Z50><EOL>
    :T:<N><S!><M!:SPINDLE_DIR><EOL>

    Next question, because I've added it here, I think it'll do it at every tool change, so where should I actually be adding it, I want it to lift at the beginning, just before the spindle starts.

    Here is my default "start of tape", should I have it in here?

    :T:O<"%4LT": program_number><EOL>
    :T:<N><G:17><G!:ENGMET><G!:40><G!:80><EOL>

    Next question, I've added this M:05 to the end of tape to turn the spindle off - at the moment when the workpiece is finished, the spindle lifts, moves to the machine zero and then the spindle turns off, I want the spindle to turn off before it returns to zero (safety first)

    :T:<N><G:00><G:91><G:28> Z0<EOL>
    :T:<N><M:05><G:28> X0 Y0<EOL>
    :T:<N><M:30><EOL>

    So why isn't this working? Or do I need to add it somewhere else? All the G-Code still looks cryptic to me.

    Is there anything else I need to add that I haven't thought of yet that is just good machining practice or things that are advisable? I'm modifying a generic fanuc to run on Mach3.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Posts
    569

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    how are you deciding what to put in the post and what to use camworks for?

    you should be using the NC planes in camworks for stock clearance instead of putting it in the post, unless you have a very good reason to do so

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    51

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by acannell View Post
    how are you deciding what to put in the post and what to use camworks for?

    you should be using the NC planes in camworks for stock clearance instead of putting it in the post, unless you have a very good reason to do so
    Before switching to CamWorks I was using Aspire and the Post provided by Aspire worked well, unfortunately CamWorks doesn't provide one for Mach3, so I'm simply trying to get the CamWorks post to do what the Aspire one did.

    For example, CamWorks lifts the tool in between movements, but it doesn't lift the tool at the commencement of the program, I would like it to. This I do not see as being a CamWorks option, it's a post processor program issue? Unless I missunderstand? Before CamWorks I've only used Aspire and it had its own post which worked flawlessly, so I've never had to edit this stuff (I'm obviously still very new to CNC)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    42

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Here is a video about editing camworks posts:


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    51

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by ktmktmman View Post
    Here is a video about editing camworks posts:
    I have watched this and his part 2 which has got me as far as I am, but it doesn't cover the bits I need to know.

    He does cover adding code at the end of part 1, which I've been playing with, but you need to understand code to add code! I don't understand the code!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    19

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Forgive me, but the first question seems rather strange to me. Why would you want to hit cycle start at the beginning of your program with the tool contacting the workpiece? Seems to me that most folks would want to begin a program with the tool at a safe position (if not at home in Z). Not sure what your second question is. If you truly want to be safe, why don't you send the Z home at the start of the program, as you're doing at the end? We don't do that here, as operators know that the best practice is to have the tool clear of the work prior to hitting cycle start. As far as the third, try separating the two lines. Make it:

    :T:<N><M:05>
    :T:<N><G:00><G:91><G:28> Z0<EOL>
    :T:<N><G:28> X0 Y0<EOL>
    :T:<N><M:30><EOL>

    I think that's what you want. Also, you may want to add a <G:90> prior to the end of the program so you don't remain in incremental mode.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    51

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by cncurmudgeon View Post
    Why would you want to hit cycle start at the beginning of your program with the tool contacting the workpiece?
    I don't! That is what I'm trying to rectify

    As for the end of tape you wrote, I'll try it, see if it fixes my problem.

    Thanks


    Quote Originally Posted by cncurmudgeon View Post
    why don't you send the Z home at the start of the program, as you're doing at the end?
    Whenever I turn on the machine, it will not allow me to move or do anything unless it has homed, so it is always at the machbine zero at the start, so theres no need for that to be incorporated into the code.

    Then I'll move the machine over to my workpiece and zero all the axis on contact, where I will then usually hit start.

    The post in Aspire which I was using before Camworks instantly raises the spindle from the zero before it starts the spindle, even though I've not been using cnc that long I've just become used to this so it was a shock when the Camworks post did not.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    19

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Do you have to do this every day even if the same job is running? In other words, it does not remember work offsets? Or is everything you run one-off stuff? You could put it in the post if you like, but seems to me it would be just as easy to hit Z home return (or whatever it's called on this machine) and then hit cycle start. This is just me, but if I wanted the program to lift the tool off of the part, for safety's sake, I would go all the way up in Z to prevent any crashes on first move. Only moving up 50mm could cause a crash, depending upon your setup.
    Adding a Z home move at the beginning would be easy. If that's what you want, let me know.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    51

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by cncurmudgeon View Post
    Do you have to do this every day even if the same job is running? In other words, it does not remember work offsets? Or is everything you run one-off stuff? You could put it in the post if you like, but seems to me it would be just as easy to hit Z home return (or whatever it's called on this machine) and then hit cycle start. This is just me, but if I wanted the program to lift the tool off of the part, for safety's sake, I would go all the way up in Z to prevent any crashes on first move. Only moving up 50mm could cause a crash, depending upon your setup.
    Adding a Z home move at the beginning would be easy. If that's what you want, let me know.
    So far to date, everything has been one of, I'm never cutting the same piece twice in a row, however now moving to CNC operation I'm attempting to automate things a lot more for repeatability, but I'm new to this type of machinery, so there's that learning curve all you guys know so well.

    As far as the post I attempted to use yesterday, I couldn't get it to work so I had to roll back to the older one that works, but trips out my reset limits at the start and finish.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    3

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Slightly Off Topic... I am a veteran Solidworks user, but new to their Free Cam add-in, powered by camworks. I have spent Hours going around and around with bugs with the Universal post generator. DAMMIT!!! with about the 2nd change I make to a source file, it throws up a "Runtime Error 521. Can't open Clipboard" and crashes. Anyone else have this trouble?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    19

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    If you are trying to edit a .src file in UPG, don't. Edit in a text editor (recommend ECedit) and just compile in UPG.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    5

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    I am trying to use UPG to create a postprocessor, but on Windows 10 64bit the installer crashes, and on Windows 7 (virtual machine) the compiler isn't able to find the source files that I create within UPG. Anyone else encountered these problems?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    5

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by nrgetic View Post
    I am trying to use UPG to create a postprocessor, but on Windows 10 64bit the installer crashes, and on Windows 7 (virtual machine) the compiler isn't able to find the source files that I create within UPG. Anyone else encountered these problems?
    To answer my own question.: It turns out that UPG depends on a MS 2008 redistributable package to work. The dependency was unlisted, the SolidWorks team didn't know about it, so it was kind of hard to figure out.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    24

    Re: CamWorks Universal Post Generator questions/troubleshooting

    Hello. I am trying to compile a post processor using a baht file. But I get an error
    Attachment 474314

    Can you tell me which date format to use in the baht file in the Expiration Date parameter?
    The file was created according to the instructions.

    Attachment 474316
    It is for all who work on BIESSE machine ROVER with CNi controllers RT480/RT481!
    http://www.rt480.3dn.ru

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