Hello :

I am currently trying to get our CNC machine at school up and running.

I am pretty sure it is this one here...

E- MILL 3 axis with ANILAM 3000 http://www.acergroup.com/em-an3a.htm

I a have mastercam x and have purchased teh Mike Matterra Cd which by tghe way is very good so far.. worth the $$

So now I have been reasonably sucessfull in getting my 3d part from Solidworks and creating tool paths. and producing some .nc how good it is i dont know

The gentleman at the place that sold us the CNC machine sent me a generic post and told me to use it on my machine??

it was just a bunch of text... what do I do with this?? I was thinking about printing it out and running around the CNC machine doing various chants and making different noises but I then thought I should post here first,....

Please help time is running out and I am trying to do all this on my own.. kinda sucks but that is teh way it kinda works out our school...

think of all teh people you will be helping.. :)


Thanks in advance

MrG

Contact Mastercam about a post for your controller if one is not listed in the default posts that came with it.

Can you post a cut of the "bunch of text," maybe you just need to drop in in the post directory and then have Mastercam select it to use for code generation. If thats the post the last user was using I would think its the one you need now as well.

What are you using to generate the nc code as of now the default post in mastercam? Perhaps also you may want to start out with some simple 2/2.5 axis code to get things tested before jumping into 3D.

I see in another post the maker of the training CD you have for MC is offering to send someone a post for the Anilam 3300 for MC X perhaps you should try to contact him for help.

Good luck,

Bowman

Did you mean cut a part of that text and post in in this message if so here is teh first page or so...

In my mastercam x under mill type I just chose the default ....

the cd came witha post but I think it is very generic in order fo me to post some .nc codes whilst doijng the tutorials


But I think I may conatc Mike Matterra and sey what his opinion is.. thanks agin for your help.





# Post Name : MPAN5300
# Product : MILL
# Machine Name : Anilam
# Control Name : Anilam 1400 - 5300
# Description : GENERIC ANILAM 1400/5300 SERIES MILL POST
# Associated Post : NONE
# Mill/Turn : NO
# 4-axis/Axis subs. : YES (Not Configured)
# 5-axis : NO
# Subprograms : YES
# Executable : MP 9.0
#
# WARNING: THIS POST IS GENERIC AND IS INTENDED FOR MODIFICATION TO
# THE MACHINE TOOL REQUIREMENTS AND PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
#
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Revision log:
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Programmers Note:
# XXX 09/11/00 - Setup for Anilam 1400 - 5300 - Dealer Post
# - Below is a list of questions to configure post for
various options
# - Setup subprograms for mirror, translate, rotate,
depth cuts (nested also)
# Drilling (Reads notes below for creating subprograms
for drilling). Make
# sure under transform it is set to COORINATES and not
toolplane!!!
# - 4 axis information is in the post but not setup for
a Anilam.
# - Drill cycles are setup with the text file modified
with custom wording.
# (mpan5300.txt)
# - G77-G78 canned pockets cycles can be generated using
drilling and the custom drill
# page.
# CNC 01/09/01 - Initial post setup, jce
# CNC 01/09/02 - Initial post update for V9.0, rjm
#
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Features:
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 1. Subprograms Drilling, mirror, translate, rotate, depth cutts,
nested subs.
# 2. 3D arcs in top plane.
# 3. G77-G78 canned pockets.
# 4. Drilling G81, G82, G83, G84, G85, G86, G87, G89 cycles.
# 5. Work offsets G53 O1 - G53 O99
#
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Following Misc. Integers are used:
#
# mi1 - Work coordinate system
# 0 = Off
# 1 or greater = G53 O1, O2, etc........
#
# mi2 - Absolute or Incremental positioning at top level
# 0 = absolute
# 1 = incremental
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# You can create a subprogram from repeated drill hole locations.
# Each drill cycle in the selected operations is performed on the same
drill holes.
#
#1. Create a drill toolpath.
#
#2. From the Main Menu, choose Toolpaths, Drill, Sbpgm ops.
#
#3. Select a drill toolpath from the list, set the subprogram
parameters, and choose OK.
#
#4. Select a tool for the toolpath.
#
#5. Enter the drill parameters and choose OK. You return to the
Operations
# Manager where the new drill toolpath is displayed.
#
# Note: You can also create a drill toolpath from the Operations
Manager by choosing
# Toolpaths, Drill from the right-click menu.
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
#Canned text:
# Entering cantext on a contour point from within Mastercam allows
the
# following functions to enable/disable.
# Cantext value:
# 1 = Stop = output the "M00" stop code
# 2 = Ostop = output the "M01" optional stop code
# 3 = Bld on = turn on block delete codes in NC lines
# 4 = bLd off = turn off block delete codes in NC lines
#
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Debugging and Factory Set Program Switches
#
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

fastmode : yes #Enable Quick Post Processing, (set to no for
debug)
bug1 : 2 #0=No display, 1=Generic list box, 2=Editor
bug2 : 30 #Append postline labels, non-zero is column
position?
bug3 : 0 #Append whatline no. to each NC line?
bug4 : 1 #Append NCI line no. to each NC line?
whatno : yes #Do not perform whatline branches? (leave as yes)

arcoutput : 0 #0 = IJK, 1 = R no sign, 2 = R signed neg. over 180
arctype : 2 #Arc center 1=abs, 2=St-Ctr, 3=Ctr-St, 4=unsigned
inc.
do_full_arc : 0 #Allow full circle output? 0=no, 1=yes
helix_arc : 0 #Support helix arc output, 0=no, 1=all planes, 2=XY
plane only

tapping : 0 #Tapping G84 Cycle (0) F = inch per minute
(RPM/TPI=IPM)
#(1) F = Thread pitch / machine must have direct
spindle speed programming.
#Check manual for full explanation of the G84 tap
cycle.

coolant_out : yes #Output coolant on and off codes?
gear_out : no #Output high/low gear range as a comment and M0
stop?

min_speed : 50 #Minimum spindle speed
low_gear : 1000 #Maximuim rpm for low gear
high_gear : 1000 #Minimum rpm for high gear
max_speed : 10000 #Maximum spindle speed

each machine has it's own programming language. The post file is what tells mastercam or other CAM software exactly how to work with your machine's programming language.

When you go to generate your code in mastercam, you should be able to select a post file to use.

each machine has it's own programming language. The post file is what tells mastercam or other CAM software exactly how to work with your machine's programming language.

When you go to generate your code in mastercam, you should be able to select a post file to use.


ok that makes sense as different mills do things a little/lot different..

so do you know what I do with this text file or post that was given to me .. do I upload it or something? if so do you know how?

Thanks for your help :)

Your dealer supplied you with a post processor for an Anilam machine. In Mastercam, you create the toolpaths on the geometry, but in order to generate code that you cen use on your machine, the info needs to be past through a post processor. Save the file that the dealer sent to you in this location: C:\mcamx\mill\Posts. Then in Mastercam you need to set up a machine definition that uses that post (MPAN530). After you have created all of your toolpaths, you need to hit the post button in the operations manager. That will post the code you can save to your machines controller.

If nobody over there knows how to do that, then you guys need to get your reseller in there to help you get things set up.

COOL!!

Ok I managed to save the file , i placed it in the posts folder in Master cam...

Next I think i will try and set up that machine definition ... wish me luck.. ..

any hints .. we are using that E mill ..!!

:)

thanks for all the help so far .. slowly but surely I am getting closer to starting up the machine and experiencing my first "ping" or a nich machine crash ...i hope not...

Any way we are mostly going to be making protoype parts out of Renshape.. and Human factor models out of the 10 lb foam..

but before we get there i have to figure all of this stuff out and spread the knowledge to the other less determined students..

For the machine def, just open up the default mill, change the post (which is under the control definition) to the Anilam post you just saved previously. The machine Def just tells MC the Axis and spindle configs for the machine. Worry about learning that later. Or you can just change the post in your ops manager for this file. It is in the same basic area that setting up the stock is in, but on the first tab (not sure of the name). This would be your easiest route right now.

When setting up the machine, set the feed and rapid overrides very low (10%). This will slow everything down so you can catch a crash. Run the program with these overrides set and withou any material on the table. Use Single Block also so that the machine only moves by one block of code every time you hit Cycle Start. Set the display on the controller so you can see Distnce to Go. This tells you how far the machine has left to travel in all 3 Axis for the current block. If it shows Z5.0 and you are only 1 inch above the table, you will crash. Hope this helps. You can get more help on setting up the machine in the General Machining forum. Good Luck!

Thanks a million !!!

All of you I hope to get some tests run on Monday/tuesday ...


have a great weekend

MrG - Is your school or class in Industrial Design or Ergronomics/Anthropermetrics? Just curious, it seems like the others posters have helped guide you to what I was speaking of as best I could not being a MC user, most of these apps work the same and you have to have the right post setup correctly for your controller to read, mind you it can still potentially read code that may not do what you think it will if all the parameters are not right.

That being said I HIGHLY recommend taking Tim S's suggestion and start slow running it block by block, line by line till you go through all the command codes you will be calling for and are sure you get the desired output. Many people have found out the hard way that just because the CAM app showed a nice tool path didn't mean the same when run in reality and crash the machine. Keep us posted :)

Bowman

I am an Industrial Design Major,

I will certainly take it slow at the beginning and run each line until we get familiar..

I also might sudgest as a rule for us to keep the speeds down to slow pace , and make sure someone is ontop of the part 10000% when its in use.. mainly because there is no CNC class or machine shop teacher there to tell us the pit falls, also that machine is not generating any money ie its just an expense for the school.. if something breaks I am sure they wont rush to fix it.. So along with all the set up and learing I have to come up with strategy for us to keep it running safely and efficiently for everyone to use..

Again I really appreciate all the help and will keep everyone posted..

:)

Somehow I knew it was Industrial Design. I had to take a few of those classes getting my Industrial Eng. degree. My school had a full Eng. Dept so we had our own buildings and equipment but the Design folks were in the Art Dept. I found the safety in that dept to be quite different than that in the Eng. dept as in almost none existant. Not knowing the level of experience the students have with machine equipment in general its hard to tell what your strategy should be. Do you use manual mills already, anyone know how to read g-code to even know where a problem might exist etc? For starters I would suggest the 2 or 3 most qualified, technical people work on the machine helping each other to learn/understand everything. You will need someone that knows whats what to setup the machine and the workpiece safely everytime, if you have a lot of people with no real business knowledge wise trying to program and cut a long 3D program your going to have problems. One incorrect tool length setup or typo and that could be all she wrote.

Seems like your into this project so maybe your the one that needs to step up and take full control from the start to being the operator of the machine. In a school type setting its best to have one or two people to check others code and setup their piece in the machine to cut for them while teaching them what they are doing. This way you avoid having someone clueless trying to run the machine as most of the students will surely be if they have no prior experience with anything. Sounds like one person can cost all of you use of the CNC so might as well have one person responsible heh.

We do have manual mills in our department but they tend to have these interesting swirl marks and various size chunks missing from some of them. :)

I have only taken the very basics in Machine shop and also CNC which the instructor very rightly so mentioned the value of learning Gcode.. now i realize that. Even though i look at alot of the codes and say what the hey.. I still know that I can look up that code and see what it is trying to do..

I do work on a mill at work and have enough knowledge to basic setups . I also can ask the guys at work when they have time to give me some advice.. but with work everyone is busy and the knowledge is separated between different people so I have to gather a little bit of info from as many people as I can and and put it together...

Our instructor shop instructor is a very nice guy he is only part time but he is a Civil engineer, who instructs us on prototyping..

I dont believe he has had alot of experience with CNC .. he has offered to help.. but I understand his position that he is Part time and has a busy work schedule..

Once I get more info I will share him and a few of the other students.. this way we can spread the love of subtractive machining( we have a 3d printing machine but thats no fun) to the masses....

in regards to Industrial designers we tend to be a crazy bunch it is in our nature I gues...

Thanks

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/9686/capture123200615159pmlf4.th.jpg (http://img77.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture123200615159pmlf4.jpg)


This is the message I got it tells me I need to update the post for this version.. how would i go about doing this??

Ok i found out how to edit the post.. Though I ran the update.dll from version 9 to MC X... I really dont know how well it will handle right?? Its is still kind of up in the air. Then I managed to save it as a definiton for the default machine type.. i think... so now i will try and post some toolpaths and i will see what happens...fingerscrossed

Ok Guys I managed to get a toolpath into my glorious system....

Thanks mainly due to all the help provided by you guys...and teh training CD.

I checked it on the the Anilam 3000m controller on my CNC machine and it drew out whtar it was going to do...

I still dont know how to callobrate the soft limits with the limits it is shooting out from mater cam....

This could be for a couple of reasons... maybe when I set up my stock.. I cant realy tell which side of teh image is the side i am setting up the piece to be...

any ideas on which is teh correct xyz zero for my part...

BTW i usually set my bottom left of teh top plane to be my 0,0,0 is this ok??

I cant wait to run a part on Tuesday..

Thaks guys

When you setup the part in Mastercam you should have defined your stock size boundaries say 4"x2"x2" x,y,z. Most people will use the bottom left corner as x,y=0 and the top of the stock will be z=0, this can also be changed in the software if you want to locate off another feature or want to mirror the part etc.

This is where you get in to the issue if crashing the machine if your not sure what planes you have defined at what heights. Look at the code and read through the first few moves especially the -Z depths its calling for, if you see the code call for a move in the first few moves of Z to a depth of -2 you know something is wrong and you may very well have the part program 0 being the bottom of your stock and not the top. The move should be slow into -Z depending on your cutting tool, mill power/size and material being cut the first moves in -Z should be fractional. Remember once you tell the cutter to go -Z to (x) distance its going whether the stock 0 is right or not. Also make sure you pay attention to tool lengths and zero out new tools if you have any tool changes in the program. The mill needs to know what tools and what lengths to offset from after you setup your stock.

Hey thanks Mr Bowman...

I believe I do the set up at botttom left of teh part face and teh top of the part being zero...

But I am just confused with teh user interface ... I dont know which one in the stock set up is teh bottom left it is in a wierd orientation with no other things to reference it by??


http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7703/capture1218200674912pmii2.th.jpg (http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture1218200674912pmii2.jpg)

To me it looks as though the origin should be where teh x and y meet... this too me looks liek teh bottom left of teh part..IAM I WRONG??

What happened when I did a tool path was it kept moving to X 6 or so and this was beyond my soft limit and had to stop.....


Also I generated a whole bunch of lines but it was just moving in teh air for a long time until it went to -z numbers....


I am really happy with the progress I am having so far.... It has been a while in weeks but have only really been infront of teh machine for a couple of hours and have managed quite a bit...

I am trying to iron out all the little things so I can more fully understand what I am doing....

will post some more news soon.

Thanks GuYS

Open up your program and hit the 'F9' key. This will place two lines on your screen that intersect at the origin (x0, y0, z0). That point will be where your program zero is at. Like Bowman said, most people set there zero at a corner location. If the corner of your part is not there, that could be why your program seems off. If it's not there, you can move your geo there and just refresh your toolpaths and repost.

As far as the stock goes, in milling it is used stritly for reference. Mastercam mill does not calculate toolpaths based upon the stock you define. The stock is defined by the center point of the material. Say you're stock is 2" square and your zero point is the bottom left. In your stock definition you would show x 1.0 y 1.0 and then the Z thickness. Click the Show Stock button and you will be able to see what you are doing.

You could always email me your file and I could take a look at it if you want.

tim@tulamachine.com

There should be multiple ways in the software to describe the origin. I am not a mastercam user but I know FeatureCAM asks you to define these things when setting up a new part file. It asks what the stock size is and where you would like the origin to be located, it also asks how you would like the stock located in relationship to the origin. From the looks of the screenshot you show the origin is indeed 0,0,0. I am not sure what Tim means when saying mastercam uses the center of the material, I know this is an option but not sure if it is just the default in MC, a MC strategy for generating toolpaths or a personal preference of his for locating stock origins.

Seems like you could use the pick arrow in the screenshot window you show to pick each axis origin and I usually use this technique for re-aligning stock in Featurecam to the correct planes and origins when working on imported IGES files to get the drawing placed properly within the defined stock.

Let us know how it goes and if you want post some of the code you ran where the code and had the unexpected excessive move in X, just the first few lines of code should show what happened at that moment so long as they include the first X axis move calls, might be able to tell what was going on in your code to have those air moving lines before going to -Z.

Sorry I am not a MC user to be of more help to you.


Bowman

Bowman

There are multiple ways of setting up the parts origin, but for a beginner such as Mr. G, it would be the easiest to set it up at MC's zero. When I talk about the center of the material, notice the point in the center of Mr.G's screen shot. That is the center of the material I am referring to. There are other ways to define stock (solids, bounding boxes and so on), but without knowing what his part looks like, it is hard to tell you how to define the stock.

So many origins so little time ;) Yes without knowing what shape part he is trying to cut it is hard to help him define his stock and where he might want to locate from on it.

Tim are you saying that in MC on a 2"x2"x.5" piece of stock the center is x1,y1 and Z is whereever you zero it to be? Perhaps I was just misunderstanding you and thinking that MC made the center of the stock the 0 origin for X and Y. Or is this center of the stock just a simple relation to the stocks center with regards to the origin always being 0,0? Wow its been a long day!


:cheers:

Bowman

Hey Guys ...

i haven't been at school fpr a few days since I came down with something.. anyway I am still kind of at the same place I left last time.

I can get a very basic code into teh machine.. and I can operate the draw function within the anilam system which goes over the toolpaths i made..

I still haven't figured out the stock settings ..( haven't even had time to read all the above comments( Which by the way I greatly appreciate)

I still don't know how to get the spindle turned on via the anilam system...

i have to use the manual setting instead of the NC setting ???

I did however manage to get a high pitched whistling whining sound from the CNC when ever I hit the servo buttons. :() I hope [I] didnt make a huge mistake.... I didn't do anything I shouldn't of have....


So now it is the Holiday Break I can spend some time at the School shop and get some more progress ...providing that high pitch noise isn't something bad... fingers crossed.


Have a great Holiday and Thanks again for all your help :)

Hey Guys ...

i haven't been at school fpr a few days since I came down with something.. anyway I am still kind of at the same place I left last time.

I can get a very basic code into teh machine.. and I can operate the draw function within the anilam system which goes over the toolpaths i made..

I still haven't figured out the stock settings ..( haven't even had time to read all the above comments( Which by the way I greatly appreciate)

I still don't know how to get the spindle turned on via the anilam system...

i have to use the manual setting instead of the NC setting ???

I did however manage to get a high pitched whistling whining sound from the CNC when ever I hit the servo buttons. :() I hope [I] didnt make a huge mistake.... I didn't do anything I shouldn't of have....


So now it is the Holiday Break I can spend some time at the School shop and get some more progress ...providing that high pitch noise isn't something bad... fingers crossed.


Have a great Holiday and Thanks again for all your help :)


Well, I'm an amateur but I have been working with MC a bit. To set your part origin you need to load your geometry and then click the WCS button at the bottom right of the window. Then you can select View Manager and go to select origin, click on the arrow and pick your origin on the part geometry. This sets your coordinate system geometry.

THEN you can go into stock setup and select the center of the part as the stock origin(default method, and only way I've used so far). MC does this in what seems a weird way to me, select the center of your stock for X and Y, for Z it may do something weird and you have to play with it. Then of course put in the overall dimensions for your stock. Be sure to check off Display so it shows the stock outline (if you have wireframe chosen under Display). Get your stock positioned like you want then you should be able to add and see toolpaths and you can go to Verify (the block icon on the left) to visualize the machining process.

Is that any help?

Not sure on the noise, but if nothing is even moving and it's making that noise I'd be concerned. First I'd make sure the machine jogs properly (be very careful, it will jog anywhere, even right into the table) then I'd try doing a basic program manually to ensure the machine works properly. Be sure you know what work offset you're using and set that work offset to be zero at the part origin you select in MC. If the machine has a power up, restart, home zero button/function or whatever of that sort then that needs to be done so the machine knows where its absolute coordinates are.

HTH,
John Lewis

(FWIW, I've been using a Haas VF-1 with MC X2)

:rainfro:Fill the oil tank, I bet the noise is a low oil alarm. It will scream at you when the servos are on if the oil is low.
Matt