There are certain situations when the cutter location data produced by a CAM system includes statements that are not recognized by the post-processor. These custom CL commands (or post-processor instructions) are either inserted “manually” by the programmer, or generated by a customized template (such as a PPTable, in the case of CATIA). In order to [...]

How to extract the day of the week in a post-processor If for whichever reason, the current day of the week (Monday through Sunday) is required to be known or printed as a comment in the NC program, here is a little utility that can extract this information from the system and make it available [...]

CAM-POST's Quest module is able to easily export and import dialog settings, allowing for custom dialog boxes to be shared between different post-processors. To export a dialog box from the "source" post-processor, follow these steps: To import the dialog box in your new post-processor, follow these steps: Benefit to User Easily create custom dialog boxes [...]

It is common for many manufacturers to acquire multiple similar machine tools from the same CNC machine vendor. Essentially, if multiple machines have the same kinematics and are equipped with the same control model, NC programs become 100% interchangeable, which increases considerably the shop floor’s programming flexibility. There is, however, one detail which significantly differentiates [...]

CAM-POST’s unique “Diffs” feature allows users to quickly view and analyze the differences between two selected post-processors. You can either compare two different versions of the same post-processor or two completely different post-processors altogether. To compare two posts, load the first post-processor in memory (i.e. open the post) and select the option Tools -> [...]

Each tool change necessitates an undesirable break in the automatic cycle of operation. In some machines, this break can be long. With machines equipped with a high quality automatic tool changer, the preselection of the current tool can be useful to reduce the time of these periodic interruptions. When the current tool is loaded into [...]

It is a common practice in many shop floors to use variables instead of hard-coded numbers for CNC program data such as feed rates, drilling cycle parameters or even tool numbers. This method allows operators to make quick changes to the program by simply altering the values of a few parameters. The example below illustrates [...]

Some controllers require an initialization of the graphics area by setting up the overall dimensions of the “blank” or the total travel envelope. For example, on a Heidenhain iTNC 530 control programmed in ISO format, the two lines below will define a 100 x 80 x 30 mm blank, with the origin located in the [...]

Mastercam programmers have various options (clearance, retract, feed plane) for defining approach and exit moves, however all these options can only generate motions along the tool axis. On a machine with a C rotary table, 5-axes contouring operations such as the one illustrated below pose a significant problem when the machine is programmed in RTCP [...]

When the same post-processor is executed independently by different users on a LAN, the post can be configured to display the user name along with the other startup information included at the beginning of the NC program. To do so, the following lines can be inserted in the Machine Startup Macro of the post: $$ [...]