Haas Control: Radius dimensions instead of diameter

[Donkey Hotey]

I've been digging through the manuals and the screens for this but come up dry. 1000 years ago when I first learned basic G code, I seem to remember a preparatory function call that set radius vs diameter dimensioning.

Of course, the next question would be: why?

I have Mastercam mill but not lathe. For basic turning, I don't see any value in buying another full-blown CAM system.

To simplify programming though, I could turn a Solidworks revolved solid into an extruded solid, then Mastercam the profile edge and output for a mill. Cut and paste the X,Z moves into a lathe file, make them G71, G72, G73 as appropriate and cut parts. The problem is all the X dimensions will be half of what they need to be.

I can double the values manually but if there is a preparatory function that I can call to take the X values as 'radius' I'd be set.

Why bother? Many of my part profiles are going to be complex radius to radius transistions or splines converted to hundreds of line segments. They won't be programmed often, but they do need to be right.

[Geof]

I don't use any CAD or CAM so I don't know if this is feasible. In Solidworks just do your modelling or drawing or whatever you do with the dimensions that will become X doubled?

[Donkey Hotey]

Yup, analyzing points is one way to do it. I was just wondering if there was a G-code for it. We've got absolute/relative, mirror and other translation codes. I wondered if the Haas might have a radius/diameter code.

I can dump it to Excel, parse it, double the X values and export it if the number of lines gets to be too much.

One application that will be coming from Excel anyway is carb inlet venturis. I do all the cross sectional calculations in Excel (where I can easily do diameter calcs) then paste them into a program.

In the past, I would output a table of coordinates, in 0.025" Z stations. Then I'd take this to my manual lathe and spend 30 minutes making the rough hole. After that, an hour of hand dialing the step dimensions from Excel. Finally, I'd clean out the steps with a rasp file, then file to a finish.

And then somebody asked me to make them one.

So now I have a TL-1

[PBMW]

Not a coded prep statement. I think there is a setting though...Mastercam lathe is I think a grand if you own MC...
That's what I use. Very quick.

[Donkey Hotey]

I dropped maintenance on Mastercam after X came out. I hate Mastercam X the way you hate your SL10--maybe worse

[PBMW]

I don't hate it. I just got a lemon.
I used mastercam for years and when X came out, I bought the upgrade. Kicking and screaming I was. I'd never go back now.

[apronello]

Is there a setting to change for using Radius dimensions instead of diameter???

[PBMW]

It's in parameters....
Called Diameter Prg