thanks!!

[mmckell]

thanks to the site owner for adding this forum
hope we can get some good Q & A's about these machines here

I run an EZPATH S - anyone else with one of these dinosaurs?


thanks guys
Mac

[bret4]

We have two of the first EZPath lathes where I work. I have been running one of the EZPathe SD lathes for many years now. Maybe I can answer some questions if anyone has any. Programing is almost the same on these machines.

[g35fanatik]

i just recently picked up an ez-path II SD... was wondering if you had anything to help me learn the control on this. maybe a sample program or something.

[bret4]

First thing to do is set your tools up in the tool library. The machine needs to know what shape the tool is before you can use it in a program.

The next thing to do is set the offsets for the tool you are using. Go into tool offsets and touch off the face of the part you are working on and set Z zero. Then take a light cut by hand on the diameter of the part measure it and enter that number in the X offset for that tool.

Programing is easy enough when you get the hang of it. You go into MDI to program a part. Here is a break down how a program should look.

First enter a tool change so the program knows what tool you are using.

Then if your machine has programmable spindle speed enter spindle speed you want to use. If is an older machine that speeds are selected with the gear box levers on the front then you do not need to enter the spindle speed.

The next thing to do is define a path for the machine to cut. Every path needs a path number. I use path 1 for most programs you can have more than one path in a program and number them as you like. These get called up with Roughing and Profiling. You refer to the number that you gave the path in the roughing and Profiling to cut the path you want to cut. I find that I never use more than one path in a program. It is just as easy to write more than one program and save any confusion making a big program may cause. This also goes for tool changes. I write a new program and work with one tool in a program at a time. It would be too easy to crash with a bunch of tool changes in one program. If you are really careful it can be done but get side tracked and forget to do a manual tool change and you will crash.

The first line in the path is always a rapid move to where you are going to start cutting. I know that sounds scary to rapid right up to the part but the machine takes care of this in roughing and profiling. The entire path is the program with the exact shape of the part when it is finished. Roughing and Profiling are used to do the actual cutting.

Say you are going to turn a 2" dia. shaft down to 1" dia. by 1" long.

You would rapid up to the face of the part. I set the face of the part as Z zero in offsets. So you rapid to Z0 and X 1.0 The next move would be a line move. Line X1.0 Z-1.0 The next move would be out to the 2 inch diameter. It would be another line move. Line X2.0 Z-1.0 and that is all the moves for the program. You end the path by hitting path and select end path.

Now you need to cut the path.

Go into roughing and enter the path number. I used 1 as I always do. You need to select if you are turning, facing or boring. Then you can enter a value to stay away for the clean up pass in Profiling. You also need to enter how much you will be taking per cut. Enter say .050 in cut step. There are other settings that you will learn but this is a start.

After you finish the Roughing then I like to enter a Rapid move in a safe place so the Profiling will start in the right place.

In this case I would Rapid to Z.1 and X2.0
This gets the cutter just in front of the part and in a safe place.

Next enter a Profile cut to clean up the part with a light cut. The format is just about the same as the Roughing only there is no step over and you need to enter what side of the part the tool in on. Profiling takes the cut in one pass.

When done I like to enter another Rapid to a safe place like I did after the Roughing cut.

I always check my path with the graphics feature. If it looks wrong then it is wrong. Go in and fix the program. When done writing the program you need to save it. I hit save and view so I can check it on the graphics.

I know there are a lot of other features that I didn't mention. This is a quick start. Nothing beats the programing manual. If you don't have one I would get one. You can use the help feature on most of the moves like Lines to get more info on how they work.
Hope it helps.

Bret

[g35fanatik]

Bret,

Thanks for the help. I will see what I can come up with next week when I get back into work. If I run into anything I let you know, and maybe see what I need to do differently.

Thanks,
Art

[617]

Hey guys, im trying to run my program exported from mastercam on a 1993 Rome-BPT EZ-Path, but I am getting a syntax error. Any ideas, does anyone have a setup-user manual.

Chris

[Gncc50]

I have an EZpath S and a PowerPath 15, both are great machines.

[bret4]

Originally Posted by 617 Hey guys, im trying to run my program exported from mastercam on a 1993 Rome-BPT EZ-Path, but I am getting a syntax error. Any ideas, does anyone have a setup-user manual. Chris

I would have to guess that your post processor is putting some code that the ez path doesn't understand. You may have to edit your post processor or have mastercam write you one that works with the ez path. Never used mastercam with the ez path but that is my guess.