surface machining + xilog

[Shawnm]

Need help in speeding up surface machining. I use alpha cam 3d 5 axis. If I try to machine a surface with contours similar to small waves I can only seem to get the machine to move at 1 speed no matter what I tell it.

I think it has to do more with the controller parameters then the software but I am not sure. Any help would be great.

Also does any one know if you can drip feed into xilog plus?

I have a program with about 2+ million lines of code and xilog will not execpt it.

Shawn

[Shawnm]

figured it out, If anyone needs to know there is a config file in xilog plus that controls the program memory size. just up the allowed memory and your set to go. dont know what the limit is but will find out some time

[thomasnz]

Originally Posted by Shawnm figured it out, If anyone needs to know there is a config file in xilog plus that controls the program memory size. just up the allowed memory and your set to go. dont know what the limit is but will find out some time

Dude i really really hope you still use this forum and will be checking it shortly because i would love to know what the name of that config file is and how to go about increasing the memory size. It is the baine of my life, i use alphacam 3d 3-axis on a SCM Record 125 3-axis Router along with Xilog feeding a Kvara controller (please tell me you are using a Kvara) and we do heaps and heaps of surfacing for timber moldings, and currently i have to split programs up into chunks of 63000 lines of Xilog Code otherwise i get memory errors.

You may have found this out since you posted the above comment, but i don't think it will be such a great idea to adjust the parameters in the controller to allow the machien to run at the feed speeds you programmed since the controller is slowing the machine down to achieve the detail of the surfaces you have programmed. if you did change the parameters you might find you loose the accuracy of you r finished part. However, i have experienced that when machining some splines (or splines converted into geometries) with a large number of control points, that it does make the machien code larger therefore making the machine move to a greater number of points along a line, which with Acc and Decc will make the machine run really slow, or slower than anticipated. So maybe when you draw the surface you are machining, use less control points, or lines in the mesh. Hope thats useful, and i am hanging out for a response to your Xilog config file comment.

[Shawnm]

It sounds like it could be 2 things. Does your Xilog only except the same number of lines ever time or does the number of lines change when you get the memory error?

If they remain the same then remove the line numbers, Our other controller only excepts 30,132 something lines of code then we get an out of memory error.

If that does not work I will try to find the cinfig file I fould last year.

[thomasnz]

I'm pretty sure it is the same number of lines everytime. somewhere in the region of 63,000. however, i am keen to try removing the line numbers, but i don't know how to do this either. if you could still find that config file either way it would be greatly appreciated. SCM insist that the Kvara controller will accept 999,999 lines of code, however, to our knowledge no body in this country has been able to do it, they always seem to be lmited like we are.

i look forward to you reply.

cheers

[Shawnm]

When you out put your g-code inside of alpha-edit. Goto Format up top and Line numbers. There is an option to remove line numbers. You can try this and in the mean time I will find the config file.

[Shawnm]

Here is the location of the ini file. Hopefully it's in the say place for you. If not just search for the file xilog3

C:\Program Files\Scm Group\Xilog Plus\Bin (file name =xilog3)

you want to up the line under [MEM]

[thomasnz]

Thanks for the information. I found the file and changed it to 999 instead of 64. It is working sweet ass. thanks heaps for your help its much appreciated. please don't hesistate to contact me if you have any questions i may be able to help you next time!!


cheers and bye thomas