[MBG]

I have bene out of machining for a while now. I need to review the controls before I start my new employment.

MDI
JOG - I know what this one is

What is MDI

What are the other ones?

[toastydeath]

You're in deep trouble if you forgot what MDI does and start a new job soon.

[MBG]

You're in deep trouble if you forgot what MDI does and start a new job soon.

well I am not programming. I am operating/setup. Mostly I told the employeer I have been out for a while.


I know how to set zeros in job and run the program in auto. I never really used MDI that often..

[Maia]

I'm not sure exactly what the letters stand for, but I know what the control does. In MDI mode you can type a program, usually short, into the control and run it.

[ger21]

I think it stands for Manual Data Input. It lets you type and run individual lines of code

[Diggs]

left to right on a fanuc (at least the one Im on now)
Edit
Auto
MDI
Handwheel (MPG manual pulse generator handwheel)
Jog
Rapid
Home

Hope I didn't forget any.

Don't forget your single block button and M01(option stop) buttons...they have been one of the everyday buttons wherever I have worked..it will all come back to you in a couple days.
It's like riding a bike or having sex

[Jarwalcot]

http://www.cncci.com/resources/artic...C%20basics.htm

[sinha_nsit]

If your job involves running the programs supplied by others, you will never need to use MDI mode. MDI mode is used for executing small programs, for which ready-made programs are not available. For example, you may need to do just a single pass facing operation on a job. For this, you only have to bring the tool to appropriate Z level and then give linear interpolation (G01) command in, say, x-direction up to required distance. This is hardly a 4-5 line program which you can easily type on the machine in MDI mode and then run it. I am not sure, but I think, a program written in the MDI mode cannot be saved for future use. Let somebody give more information on it.

I have one more confusion. Can we write a program in EDIT mode and then run it in MDI mode?

[toastydeath]

I have one more confusion. Can we write a program in EDIT mode and then run it in MDI mode?

No, that would be somewhat ridiculous.

A combination of single block, block delete, M01 and M00 will get you through a program a lot more flexibly than any sort of MDI can.

MDI is best for things that are not actually important to a part. As soon as you venture into "Okay, this cut is important in some way to the finish product," start a new program. Cut it up with plentiful N lines to quickly jump to the part of the program you want to run, and make liberal use of M00, M01, and M30. Works much better than MDI.

[Paulo E.]

Wow this is trully sad.... Not to come down on on the guy but damn man having been on the industry and you say you forgot what MDI does ???
Im sorry but I dont buy it. Anyways it does stand for "Manual Data Input" and as some guys outline it is used for short code for example when you want to turn on the spindle or when you want to bring the machine to the zero position of the part. Either way if you are going to be doing set ups I strongly recomend that you familiarize yourself with the codes.

One more thing. Yes you can write a full fledge program in MDI and while that would be insane, there are controls like Haas that actually save the program on MDI till you delete it.

Good Luck. :withstupi

[harpman28]

Just to add on to the last post, the haas control allows you to add an Onnn (nnn being a program number), to any program written in MDI. This then saves it as a regular program in you program list. I mostly use the mdi for turning the spindle on, and moving to specific locations as well. In addtion, when running through even my own programs for the first time I always slow the rapids way down, watch my "distance to go" read out and usually single block and/or optional stop. Good luck and always keep your hand near the feed hold!

Davin

Haste makes waste.

[davisboys]

MDI enables the user to do a lot of useful actions which may be more time consuming and less accurate than a manual move. Tool changing, moving to a specific location, and it may be faster to send an axis home with a G28 G91 command especially during setup and proveout.

[llilrex]

I have been machining in NC for many years, I write the programs and on occasion use them on the machines, however I have never used the MDI on any of the machines (might be because the first machines I used didn’t have the function), it is more convenient for me to do everything in code and update when it needs to be updated. so I can understand why he may have forgotten it, I forget things all the time that I don’t use, and on the occasion that I might need a special function or something like that I have to look it up. If I try to remember everything my head will explode... and that would suck!

Anyway Keep the wheels turning, and the crashes minimum!

Cheers!

[ProductionPal]

Outside of very fluent programmers who have complete understanding/control of their machine...MDI(Manual Data Input) should be left to service techs/maintenance personnel who perform basic programming fuctions with it while troubleshooting a machine...

[Paulo E.]

I’m sorry to say that I disagree with that opinion.

I think MDI is an integral part of a machine and should be learn how to use accordingly. When you have to put a machine on location or turn on the spindle to a certain rpm or even create a quick program to make a simple cut MDI is much faster than creating a full program.

By the way... Yes I am a programmer but ever since I've been working in a machine shop I was taught how to use MDI and you have don’t have to be a programmer nor a rocket scientist. You do need a basic knowledge of G code and their function. I do agree it might no be for everyone since sometime we don’t have the sharpest tool in the shed working right in front of the machine......(nuts) But anyone that does set-ups should know how to use MDI.

Just my 2 cents. :withstupi

[toastydeath]

I’m sorry to say that I disagree with that opinion.

I think MDI is an integral part of a machine and should be learn how to use accordingly. When you have to put a machine on location or turn on the spindle to a certain rpm or even create a quick program to make a simple cut MDI is much faster than creating a full program.

By the way... Yes I am a programmer but ever since I've been working in a machine shop I was taught how to use MDI and you have don’t have to be a programmer nor a rocket scientist. You do need a basic knowledge of G code and their function. I do agree it might no be for everyone since sometime we don’t have the sharpest tool in the shed working right in front of the machine......(nuts) But anyone that does set-ups should know how to use MDI.

Just my 2 cents. :withstupi

Signed.

MDI is a critical tool for working effectively and efficiently. Some things should be in a program (any real machining moves), but other crap just doesn't make sense to put there. Warming a spindle up, toolchanging during setup, changing to a new work coordinate system, spinning the B axis around on horizontals, and other things I can't think of at the minute.