[fokusco]

I need to program a contour that steps down in the Z axis .1" after each contour pass... I'm basically contouring a plus (+) sign... What is the best way to do this... The pocket mill canned cycle (using G150... is this wrong or right) wants to take the long way around by clearing out the center wich does not need done and if I program and island in the middle the cutter will still cut out what I need by making long unnessesary passes in either the X or Y axis, wichever I specify... All i want is for it to travel on the outside of my + and step down until I reach a depth of 1"! I know this should not be difficult but, still being new to this, there are stilll alot of things I dont know how to do.. Sorry to pester you guys on the forum with stupid Q's again but you guys are the only help I have since no one else knows anything about my machine where I work.... THANKS!

[JDenyer232]

I need to program a contour that steps down in the Z axis .1" after each contour pass... I'm basically contouring a plus (+) sign... What is the best way to do this... The pocket mill canned cycle (using G150... is this wrong or right) wants to take the long way around by clearing out the center wich does not need done and if I program and island in the middle the cutter will still cut out what I need by making long unnessesary passes in either the X or Y axis, wichever I specify... All i want is for it to travel on the outside of my + and step down until I reach a depth of 1"! I know this should not be difficult but, still being new to this, there are stilll alot of things I dont know how to do.. Sorry to pester you guys on the forum with stupid Q's again but you guys are the only help I have since no one else knows anything about my machine where I work.... THANKS!

The easiest way to program this would be to use a cad/cam system. Lacking that you can always hand code it out, basically it all sounds like straight line machining ie G01. Once you hand code out the contour for one complete level make that your sub program, and call it however many times you need to until you reach the depth that you want in your main program. It is easiest if you write the main program in incremental mode ie G91, that way you call it out say 10 times at .100 each pass to end up 1" deep. Make sure you cancel G91 at the end of the program with a G90, that way the next program you run won't be run in incremental mode. Both G90 and G91 are modal. I recomend you get a book called programming techniques and tips by Peter Smid. It will become your bible for figuring out some pretty clever ways of doing things. Hope this helps.

[ktm666]

why don't you post the dimensions or a drawing and you'll get more help. maybe someone with cam can even program it real quick. if you post it here tonight, i can maybe get it done early tomorrow morning.

[fokusco]

JDenyer: Thanks alot! for some reason writing a subroutine had completly slipped my mind.. :/ haha That was all I needed to do in the end... quick and easy!

ktm: Thanks for the very considerate offer but I figured it out with the help from JD... Next time I have trouble I may take you up on your offer of posting prints and letting you prog it quick I am trying to get my employer to send me to MasterCAM class so I can get this stuff stuff done quickly... We have the software here but no one to use it!

[JDenyer232]

[QUOTE=fokusco;526356]JDenyer: Thanks alot! for some reason writing a subroutine had completly slipped my mind.. :/ haha That was all I needed to do in the end... quick and easy!
[/eQUOTE]

No problem glad to help, I still recommend getting that book by Peter Smid, he has some pretty clever ways of programming and setting up. Now, I must go and make some chips