program size limit

[stevieboy]

Hi Guys,

Not sure if anyone can help with this one but it's wirth a try.

I use a two axis turret mill for a lot of the stuff I make. For the most part it's good enough to make simple things by using the machines control but when I need to cut a complex profile I use some Cad-Cam software.

The trouble is the programs produced by this software are too big. The machine has a program size limit of 500 lines and I can't drip feed. The machine program is on a floppy disc in the back of the computer on the machine. Model is XYZ.

Any ideas?

[Rekd]

Depending on how much bigger the file is you could either try to trim it down by removing un-needed code and moves and/or by using subs, or you could break the program into smaller pieces and send them/run them one piece at a time.

[stevieboy]

Yeah I know what you mean, I do that already. For something that I'm liable to make again I create the toolpaths as single passes and depth cuts and then edit the program once it's in the machine by adding repeats using the sub routine function. It just gets a bit time consuming.

I had to replace the power supply in the machine's computer some time ago and whilst I had it appart I noticed that the memory can be doubled because there were 8 memory card slots on the motherboard but only 4 cards in there.

There must be some kind of limit in the control program that only allows 500 lines. I asked XYZ and they said, "buy a new machine of us". I then emailed the software manufacturers and they said, "It would be more expensive to modify the software than it would be to buy a new machine".

Somebody somewhere must be able to crack it open and do something with it. Or am I just wishfull thinking.