Need Help!- guide me through macros?

[Mikey69]

I have been using BObcad for most programming. We are slow right now so I would like to to try macro programming.

Anyone mind 'holding my hand' for a bit to get me going?

[stevo1]

Mike,
Welcome to the group.

Where would you like to start. You could do a search on the cnczone on macros there is a lot of good threads that describe in detail the ideas and functions behind the macros. Ask all the questions you need.

Stevo

[g-codeguy]

Welcome Mike. Macros are tons of fun to work with. Steve is a lot better at it than I, but my lack of expertise might even be better for you!!! I wouldn't be trying anything too complex for you to understand.

Things are slow for us. What would you like to try? I will be glad to help if it is for a lathe. Otherwise Steve or someone else is going to be of more help than I. I could only give you general information about mills, not specific program examples.

[Mikey69]

Thanks for the offers. My problems aren't so much figuring out how do do a functioning macro (i hope) as they are figuring the old fanuc 10m (1988) control and how to save write protected macros for future use.

I would like to incorporate macros into my programming instead of cad alone.


How do I access the write protected macros that might even be in the old control?

[stevo1]

If you have macros in the control they will be in the 8000 and 9000 range program numbers. I don’t have my book right now but I am pretty sure that for accessing the 8000 programs it is parameter 11.0 and for the 9000 programs it is parameter 2201.0 but am not 100% sure. I will look tomorrow.

I have never used existing programmer’s macros or the MTB macros. I usually dump them and write my own. Most of the time the macros are over complicated and loaded with more data than needed.

You can still do a ton of stuff with the 10series controls even though it’s a 1988 don’t underestimate it. I have written extremely in depth macros on this control with great success.

My bad I just reread your post. Well to create a macro you can do so just as you would a normal program either in BG-Edit or loading the program via RS232. The only difference is you have to have the programs unprotected with the parameters I gave you above before you can create that program number. Then once the program is complete then lock those programs. There are also parameters that enable the viewing of these macros on the CRT or hide them when they are running. I prefer to be able to see them. Again I don’t have my book but I think for this in the 9000’s it’s 2201.1 and the 8000’s it’s 11.1.

Stevo

[Mikey69]

Stevo, do you have a few macros that I could cut and paste?

I'm looking for ones that I could do simple stuff like round and rectangular pockets, slots (also slots for cbored and csnk cap screws) and other basics.

Another problem I'm having is I have a long history of being a maunal machinist who took some night courses and wound up a CNC guy on an Anilam 1400m control.

I understand "here's a whack of g codes, go nuts", but 'computery' stuff like parameters are a whole new adventure. I should have paid more attention to computers back in the '80's but I was too preoccupied with smoking funny stuff and chasing girls.

Is there a way I can set up length and hieght offsets in the program as a parameter rather than manually punch it into the offset list?

[stevo1]

Mike....sure I do. First off these will be pretty specific to the Fanuc controls. I don’t have many “basic” macros really. Well they are basic but involved. When I write macros I don’t leave anything for chance, so what I am going to post is not slapped together.

So what are you looking for in your macro? I have all the macros you want but the question is do you want them to do 1 hole or shape or do you want them to do many around a BC equally spaced or spaced as shown? If so do you want them as X,Y locations or do you have rotary axis? I have all of them set up for each application.

Stevo

[Mikey69]

Stevo, I PMed you, could you give me a shout?