For having a more readable NC file, it is helpful to have spaces between your registers. With spaces, you can quickly identify between movement commands and machine commands such as G-codes and M-codes. Here’s how to add space inside your NC file: Start by opening your post-processor in Quest; selecting PP.png1079×444 25.8 KB In [...]
Over the coming months we'll be looking at how our range of CNC manufacturing software helps our users get more out of their CNC machines. To do so, we'll be visiting clients in a variety of industries, beginning this week with the mold makers at Groupe GLP Hi-Tech. We'll be speaking with Robert Leblanc, Chief Technical Officer [...]
Do you know how to switch the feed rate mode from PERMIN to PERREV for Rigid Tapping? Rigid tapping cycles perform the following sequence of actions: the tool plunges at cutting feed, reverses the spindle, retracts at cutting feed and reverses the spindle again. If the CAM programmer uses proper best practices, whenever a [...]
Dedicated post-processors are delivered in an ICAM-proprietary file format, which is a binary file with a “.dp” extension. This file may contain one or more post-processors, Virtual Machine models and Control Emulators. For ease of use, ICAM recommends using the Import facility, available in the GENER launch panel, to read and import the contents [...]
Modern machines use a function that changes the amount of acceleration / deceleration during synchronous tapping based on the current spindle speed and the programmed feedrate. The M-code required to activate this function can be generated by the post-processor using two simple user-defined macros on the major word CYCLE. The example below shows the [...]
On a lathe where X-axis values can be output either in diameter or radius mode, the following commands can make the switch possible. MODE/DIAMET: selects diameter output for the X-axis, if supported on the machine MODE/RADIUS: selects radius output for the X-axis, if supported on the machine The macro variable $XDIAM tracks the radius vs. [...]
The new interface is used to “extract” the necessary data from the Mastercam for Solidworks prior to launching the simulation process (either GENER for running a graphic post-processor, or CErun for G-code simulation). To setup CAM-POST to run within Mastercam for Solidworks, you must do the following: 1) Make sure Mastercam for Solidworks is installed [...]
A series of 99 $FINFO user-defined variables, from $INFO.V1 through $INFO.V99, are available for various purposes required by the developer. These variables are set to $NULL at the start of $FINFO look-ahead and can be assigned to any value (including a sequence), by macro processing while the $FNFO look-ahead is active. Once look-ahead is completed, [...]
CAM-POST provides a series of extractor interfaces seamlessly integrated within the following popular CAM systems: CATIA, NX-CAM, Creo-NC, Mastercam and TopSolid. These interfaces are used to “extract” the necessary data from the CAM system prior to launching the simulation process (either GENER for running a graphic post-processor, or CErun for G-code simulation). The new extractors [...]
The CAM-POST Questionnaire provides settings that can split rapid positioning moves based on the direction of one particular axis (typically the Z-axis). For example, XYZ positioning moves where the Z-axis is plunging are split in two motions: XY followed by Z, whereas positioning moves where Z is retracting are output as Z first, followed by [...]
