Postprocessor for Roland MDX40

[color 65]

Hello to all!
I downloaded a demo version of Madcam and found a postprocessor for Roland MDX40, but without support for rotary axis. I tryed to modify it for rotary, but it seems that something is wrong. Here is the file in attachment. Is anybody help me with this?

[JOM]

Hello color 65,
Please try this post processor.

//MadCAM_POST_2003-12-10
*VERSION*
1.0_031210
*FILE_NAME*
Roland MDX 40 4-axis
*FILE_EXTENSION*
ROL
*FILE_DEST*
c:\postfiles\
*FILTER*
0.02
*OUTPUT_WIDTH*
3
*OUTPUT_DECIMALS*
0
*SCALE_1*
1000
*SCALE_2*
1000
*SCALE_3*
1000
*SCALE_4*
1000
*AXIS_1_CHAR*
X
*AXIS_2_CHAR*
Y
*AXIS_3_CHAR*
Z
*AXIS_4_CHAR*
A
*CUTTER_REFERENCE*
TIP
*TOOLPATH_OUTPUT*
TRANSFORM
*RAPID*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_APPROACH*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_RETRACT*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*APPROACH*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*FIRST_CUT*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*CUT*
!ZE"xyz""a";
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_CHANGE*
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_STOP*
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_START*
^IN;
!RC"speed"
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_END*
!MC0;
*END_SECTION*
*LINE_START_NUMBER*
0

I hope this will help,

Joakim

[color 65]

Hello, Joakim , thanks for the post. I tryed with this posprocessor, but isn't work. Roland MDX40 don't support simultaneously 4 axis. When is switched to rotary work, the Y axis is "transformed" to A axis, the spindle moves about X,Z and Y is set to zero position.

[JOM]

Hello color 65,

It should work this way and Y will be zero if the selected rotary axis is parallel to the x-axis.
This video will show a similar example:

If you have the rotary axis parallel to the a-axis, you can remove the y-axis output from the post processor. (see below)

//MadCAM_POST_2003-12-10
*VERSION*
1.0_031210
*FILE_NAME*
Roland MDX 40 4-axis
*FILE_EXTENSION*
ROL
*FILE_DEST*
c:\postfiles\
*FILTER*
0.02
*OUTPUT_WIDTH*
3
*OUTPUT_DECIMALS*
0
*SCALE_1*
1000
*SCALE_2*
1000
*SCALE_3*
1000
*SCALE_4*
1000
*AXIS_1_CHAR*
X
*AXIS_2_CHAR*
Y
*AXIS_3_CHAR*
Z
*AXIS_4_CHAR*
A
*CUTTER_REFERENCE*
TIP
*TOOLPATH_OUTPUT*
TRANSFORM
*RAPID*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_APPROACH*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_RETRACT*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*APPROACH*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*FIRST_CUT*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*CUT*
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_CHANGE*
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_STOP*
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_START*
^IN;
!RC"speed"
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_END*
!MC0;
*END_SECTION*
*LINE_START_NUMBER*
0

Joakim

[color 65]

Hello, Joakim ,
I'm at home now and I won't be able to test the new file until monday.
If this will work with rotary, how should be configured the postprocessor for indexed job. For example, 0deg., 90deg., 180deg., -90deg. In this case the spindle should move about X, Y, Z and in the same time the Rollands' rotary unit should "know" the A position.
Thanks for the support!
Regards, color65

[JOM]

Hello color 65,

Maybe the “First Move” section in madCAM will help.
This section will take action on the first move before the first approach.
If the A-axis rotation is included in this section only, the part will rotate before each new toolpath group and then continue as 3-axis.

//MadCAM_POST_2003-12-10
*VERSION*
1.0_031210
*FILE_NAME*
Roland MDX 40 Indexed 4-axis
*FILE_EXTENSION*
ROL
*FILE_DEST*
c:\postfiles\
*FILTER*
0.02
*OUTPUT_WIDTH*
3
*OUTPUT_DECIMALS*
0
*SCALE_1*
1000
*SCALE_2*
1000
*SCALE_3*
1000
*SCALE_4*
1000
*AXIS_1_CHAR*
X
*AXIS_2_CHAR*
Y
*AXIS_3_CHAR*
Z
*AXIS_4_CHAR*
A
*CUTTER_REFERENCE*
TIP
*TOOLPATH_OUTPUT*
TRANSFORM
*FIRST_MOVE*
!VZ50;
!ZEY0;
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_APPROACH*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_RETRACT*
!VZ50;
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*APPROACH*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*FIRST_CUT*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*CUT*
!ZE"xyz";
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_CHANGE*
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_STOP*
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_START*
^IN;
!RC"speed"
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_END*
!MC0;
*END_SECTION*
*LINE_START_NUMBER*
0

Joakim

[color 65]

Hello, Joakim
I tested these postprocessors.Here is a shot of my Rhino project - this is a small detail (5.5mm diameter,10mm long), one pass planar finishing with 1.52mm flat end mill.With this toolpath we must have A rotation from 0 to 360 degree. I tested with another CAM wich work fine with my Roland with the same settings and posted here the two output files to compare. Please see the attachement.
Regards, color 65
[IMG][/IMG]

[JOM]

Hello color 65,

The Roland controller seems to need each axis to be scaled by a factor of 100 and then converted to integer values, but the A-axis seems to use a real value… Why is it like this? Is it possible to also use real values for X,Y and Z or is it possible to also scale the A-axis?

It is possible to scale each axis in madCAM, but the number of decimals is set once for all output. For having the same output as in your example, we need to make it possible to set the number of decimals for each axis in the post processor. I will do my best for having it included in the next service release of madCAM

Below is a post processor that should work for both indexed and continuous 4-axis, but the A-axis output will be as whole numbers from 0 to 360 degrees.

//MadCAM_POST_2003-12-10
*VERSION*
1.0_031210
*FILE_NAME*
Roland MDX 40 4-axis
*FILE_EXTENSION*
ROL
*FILE_DEST*
c:\postfiles\
*FILTER*
0.02
*OUTPUT_WIDTH*
0
*OUTPUT_DECIMALS*
0
*SCALE_1*
100
*SCALE_2*
100
*SCALE_3*
100
*SCALE_4*
1
*AXIS_1_CHAR*
X
*AXIS_2_CHAR*
Y
*AXIS_3_CHAR*
Z
*AXIS_4_CHAR*
A
*CUTTER_REFERENCE*
TIP
*TOOLPATH_OUTPUT*
TRANSFORM
*FIRST_MOVE*
!VZ50;
!ZE"y";
!ZE"x""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_APPROACH*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*RAPID_RETRACT*
!VZ50;
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*APPROACH*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*FIRST_CUT*
!VZ"feed";
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*CUT*
!ZE"x""y""z""a";
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_CHANGE*
*END_SECTION*
*TOOL_STOP*
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_START*
^IN;
!RC"speed"
*END_SECTION*
*PROGRAM_END*
!MC0;
*END_SECTION*
*LINE_START_NUMBER*
0

Regards,
Joakim

[color 65]

Hello, Joakim,
Madcam looks great CAM and it should be wonderful if the next release have full compatible with Roland mashines. Many ouners of Roland MDX/JWX will be happy!
Thanks for the posts,
Best regards, color 65