My design department does a lot of programming for what appears to be a Mazak VTC-20C. We do not use the Mazatrol conversational mode, but stick strictly to EIA/ISO. The programs we generate are typically milling programs that are coded in a very specific orientation. Recently, we've had the need to rotate these programs 90 degrees. The personnel in the shop assure me this cannot be done on the Mazak and that I need to produce the code in the orientation in which it will be cut.

Isn't there a simple code that will rotate a program in the Mazak Control? I'm not a machinist, but I know it's possible on many other machines. While rooting around in the Mazak Manual I found a G68 code "Programmed Coordinates Rotation". Does this have anything to do with what I'm looking for?

Yes, you are correct. G68 is what you're looking for. Which version control do you have? G68 is an option (as it is with most controls of many makes). You can check if you have it by pressing " Diagnostics > Version > Option " on the control. If you see 'Rotation' (option #5 I think...) highlighted, then you have it installed. If you're unsure, just try the command on the machine. If you have it, it will work, ... if not, you'll probably get a "Mis-set G-code" alarm or something to that effect.

Dont forget if you use G68 you have to tell it an r value for the rotation and weather or not its a + or - direction :)

Thanks for the information. I went ahead and used the menu selections you mentioned above to confirm that our Mazak did indeed have the Rotation Feature. After searching around the manual for a more in-depth explanation of the G68, I came across the "R" value mentioned above. After suggesting it to the machinist, he tried it out and it worked just fine.

Once again, thanks for the confirmation. Now I'm wondering what else I can do with the machine that I've been told it can't do...