I go to a TAFE in Australia and we use an old LC-10 of 1982 vintage.
I wrote a program and it worked correctly then I wrote another and I inadvertently added an % at the end of the code - it seemed to give the controller all sorts of difficulty - END of Program error 2 was displayed.

We start our programs with $A.MIN% but have no end of file marker.
Would the extra % drive the controller crazy ?

Our machine used to have a tape unit but now uses a computer to transfer
code to the controller.

What is strange our post processor for the LC-10 outputs $A.MIN% at the beginning and an % at the end.

Are there universal characters for transmission or do manufactures have their own way of doing things ?

The control unit seems to be a bit obscure it that dropped half my program
once when I typed a z instead of Z.

Regards

Karlis

Melbourne Australia

Any views / input would be appreciated !!!!

You'll find, as your experience grows, that CNC controls are very picky about the format and order of code thats input into them. Controls built by different manufacturers seem to have different disciplines although they all try to adhere to a "ball park" industry standard of g-code. You must be VERY CAREFUL about every aspect of the code. A control doesn't have spell-check and will error out at the slightest deviance from its own format. Exact placement of decimal points (the values) and use of addresses (the letters) are critical.
Now when you want to upload the code to the control, there are special characters required at the beginning and end of the code that are simply communication codes and have nothing to do with the motion of the machine when the code is executed in the machine (cycle start). But these simple codes are very specific and necessary to successfully transfer your program into the machine (RS232).

Okuma uses M2 as the end code.

Only add a % on line after the M2 when editing offline. The machine strips that off while downloading but it waits for it to know download was completed. When editing at the machine do not use one at the end, only an M2.

The way to Name your files (so they don't get named A.MIN) is like so:

$GOOD-TEST.MIN%

This should be the first line of an offline program.

$ indicates a name, then the % indicates the next line is the first line of the program.

Remember you do not use % when editing at the control - only offline. Also use caps lock as some versions do not recognise lowercase at all.

Your 1982 Okuma should have an OSP 3000 control. If it does then you can use the following format.
%
N1G13G0X80000Z200000T10101M8
N2G50S2000
N3G96M43S650M3
N4G0X89500Z7500
N5G1Z2500F120
N6G0X89600Z5000
N7G1G75Z6000L-600F100
N8X34000F160
N9G0X80000Z200000M0
N10G96M43S650M3M8
N11G0X89500Z7500
N12G1Z2500F120
N13G0X89600Z4650
N14G75G1Z5500L-600F100
N141G1X70000F160
N15X34000F100
N16G0X80000Z200000S350
N17X38000Z6000T50505
N18G83
N19G82
N20D500
N21G1Z100F40
N22G80
N23G0X40000Z6000
N24G1Z5520F50
N25G76G1X38730L-350
N26G1Z5100
N27G0X38500Z6000
N28X80000Z200000M5M9
N29M2
%

Don't use(comments) Don't put any names in the first block, just the block number to start the program.

I find that ISO coding works more consistently then EIA coding. Set parameter #19 to 1 for ISO input and output.

Use the % on it's own line at the start and finish only when you are programing at the computer. This is recognised at the control as the start and finish of input. Use only CAPS.

Regards,

Rodman

Gentlemen thank you for your input .


Regards

Karlis