Tapping

[MPE racing]

Can anybody tell me how to set up the tapping properly.
I've been using it for a couple of years now and always go into the program and "fix up" the tapping.
I've tried all sorts of things to make it output the tapping correctly and can't seem to get it.
The software is great and we love it, but would like to resolve this tapping concern.
Thanks in advance

Greig

[Merlin]

Greig,

The tapping cycle is fully configurable. Can you supply a line of code the way it is doing it now and then a line of code the way you want to see it?

[MPE racing]

Thanks Don. It seems OK except we keep getting EF in the feed rate....So we have to go in and manually change the feed rate. I've tried everything to make it output the correct feedrate but can't.
Can you advise me further on this please....It will be something simple I'm sure.

by the way...what's new in the latest version?...Everything works great for what we're doing although I had a couple of small isses with 3D stuff.

Greig

[Merlin]

Greig,

Look at the post...In the Canned Cycles section, pulldown the cycle list and select the tapping cycle. There is a macro line for the tapping cycle. You will probably see part of the macro with something like this..."E";NC_FEED$

The semi colon in BASIC joins the 2 strings together. NC_FEED$ is already a formatted word with an "F" as its prefix...You can simply delete the "E";

Then save your post and regenerate the macro file.

There will be an exciting new product announcement coming this month...stay tuned!

[MPE racing]

we tried that. unfortunately all it did was remove the E from the line.
It doesn't multiply the speed by the pitch to give us the correct feed....
Can you tell me how to set up a tap, what pitch to use for that tap and what to do to the macro line to get it multiply the speed by the pitch to get the correct feed.
Thanks in advance

[Merlin]

Greig,

There are 2 post varialbes that you can use instead of the NC_FEED$ command. They are NC_TAP_PITCHI$ and NC_TAP_PITCHD$...the first one will give you per minute feedrate and the second will give you per rev feedrate. I think you are looking for the NC_TAP_PITCHI$. You might need to put a "F"; in front of it because I am not sure of the formated word has a prefix...try it and see.

[MPE racing]

I think I tried that but I'll try it again now....thanks

[MPE racing]

No what happens is it just outputs whatever you put into the pitch
For example, I put pitch of 12, and it outputted EF12....I'm not worried about the "E", I can get rid of that....but it isn't multipliying the speed with the pitch.
"G81", NC_START_X$, NC_START_Y$, NC_RPLANE$, NC_END_Z$, NC_TAP_PITCHI$
this is what the canned cycle is at the moment....hmmm....there's no "E" to delete and yet it is still putting the "E" in front of the F.

O1111;
G17 G40 G49 G50 G64 G80 G94 G98;
G91 G28 Z0.;
G90;
G91 G28 X0.;
G90;
T4 M06 ( 3/8 tap );
G00 G90 G54 X0. Y0.;
S500 M03;
G43 H4 Z50. M08;
X0. Y0. Z50.;
G84 X33.228 Y56.631 R2.5 Z-20. EF12;
G80;
G00 Z50.;
G91 G28 Z0. Y0.;
G90;
M30;

This is the output from that

any clues?

[MPE racing]

And thanks for the help here Don.....That's why Excalibur is so good. You've always been very helpful and I appreciate it.....

[Merlin]

The line you sent me is for a DRILL cycle not the TAP cycle...

"G81", NC_START_X$, NC_START_Y$, NC_RPLANE$, NC_END_Z$, NC_TAP_PITCHI$

I think I now see the problem...

Different machine tools interpret the G Code in different ways. This is why we have posts. The NC_TAP_PITCHI$ is really for machines that use this with an E prefix to designate pitch. Then the machine calculates the feedrate internally. NC_TAP_PITCHD$ if for machines that use an F prefix which designates pitch in the form of threads per inch but the machine still calculates the correct feedrate based on the previously programmed spindle speed.

I your case, it sounds like your machine will not calculate the feedrate automatically so what you will have to do is use the NC_FEED$ in your "G84" tapping cycles and when you select the tool (obviously a tap) you should make sure the tool's spindle speed and feedrate match the tap pitch. Many users create their TAPs and store them in the tool library with the appropriate Speed and Feed already defaulted.

Sorry this took so long to get around to the correct answer for your problem.