SolidCam & Haas: FANUC vs HAAS 3m

[ETMarine]

I just acquired my first real CNC machine, a Haas VF1 and the SolidCAM software to help program it.

I have been using the FANUC processor and have the machine configured for Fanuc control, but I am wondering if there is an advantage to switching the machine over to haas control and using a different built in post processor, say the "gmilling_Haas_3x"?

So far the limiting factors are more myself and the learning curve vs the machine, but I don't want to waste time learning and relearning if there is a clear reason to go one direction or the other.

[broby]

Can't say anything about running the HAAS machine as a HAAS machine as I don't have one to play with... But as for using the HAAS post processor in SolidCAM and thinking that you need to relearn anything is incorrect.
You only need to change posts to get any output from SolidCAM formatted to suit the target machine. How you use SolidCAM is still the same, it is only the selection of the post at the start of the programming process that is different. Select the HAAS post and carry on as per normal.

[jess fuqua]

Call support and have them make your haas post look like this sample program of mine. number lines are optional. I use them if I need to start and stop in a very large 3d program.
I cut all the crap out of my post.

%
O02602
(FINISH 2602)
N1 G90 G17 G40 G80 G00
N100 (spot drill)
N102 M06 T34
N104 G00 G54 G90 X1.5 Y-1.5 S3000 M03
N106 G43 H34 Z2. M08
N108 Z0.25
N110 G98 G81 Z-0.02 R0.1 F6.
N112 Y1.5
N114 X-1.5
N116 Y-1.5
N118 G80
N120 M09
N122 M05
N124 G00 G28 G91 Z0
N126 M01
N2
N128 (.406 Drill)
N130 M06 T15
N132 G00 G54 G90 X1.5 Y-1.5 S753 M03
N134 G43 H15 Z2. M08
N136 Z0.25
N138 G98 G83 Z-0.5141 R0.1 Q0.1 F3.0106
N140 Y1.5
N142 X-1.5
N144 Y-1.5
N146 G80
N148 M09
N150 M05
N152 G00 G28 G91 Z0
N154 M01
N3
N156 (1/2 em standard)
N158 M06 T17
N160 G00 G54 G90 X2.2475 Y-1.9161 S1146 M03
N162 G43 H17 Z2. M08
N164 Z0.25
N166 Z0.1
N168 G01 Z-0.15 F2.292
N170 X1.9161 Y-2.2475 F6.875
N172 G00 Z0.25
N174 X2.2475 Y-1.9161
N176 Z-0.05
N178 G01 Z-0.3 F2.292
N180 X1.9161 Y-2.2475 F6.875
N182 G00 Z0.25
N184 X2.2475 Y-1.9161
N186 Z-0.2
N188 G01 Z-0.39 F2.292
N190 X1.9161 Y-2.2475 F6.875
N192 S1146
N194 G00 Z0.25
N196 Y2.2475
N198 Z0.1
N200 G01 Z-0.15 F2.292
N202 X2.2475 Y1.9161 F6.875
N204 G00 Z0.25
N206 X1.9161 Y2.2475
N208 Z-0.05
N210 G01 Z-0.3 F2.292
N212 X2.2475 Y1.9161 F6.875
N214 G00 Z0.25
N216 X1.9161 Y2.2475
N218 Z-0.2
N220 G01 Z-0.39 F2.292
N222 X2.2475 Y1.9161 F6.875
N224 S1146
N226 G00 Z0.25
N228 X-2.2475
N230 Z0.1
N232 G01 Z-0.15 F2.292
N234 X-1.9161 Y2.2475 F6.875
N236 G00 Z0.25
N238 X-2.2475 Y1.9161
N240 Z-0.05
N242 G01 Z-0.3 F2.292
N244 X-1.9161 Y2.2475 F6.875
N246 G00 Z0.25
N248 X-2.2475 Y1.9161
N250 Z-0.2
N252 G01 Z-0.39 F2.292
N254 X-1.9161 Y2.2475 F6.875
N256 S1146
N258 G00 Z0.25
N260 Y-2.2475
N262 Z0.1
N264 G01 Z-0.15 F2.292
N266 X-2.2475 Y-1.9161 F6.875
N268 G00 Z0.25
N270 X-1.9161 Y-2.2475
N272 Z-0.05
N274 G01 Z-0.3 F2.292
N276 X-2.2475 Y-1.9161 F6.875
N278 G00 Z0.25
N280 X-1.9161 Y-2.2475
N282 Z-0.2
N284 G01 Z-0.39 F2.292
N286 X-2.2475 Y-1.9161 F6.875
N288 G00 Z0.25
N290 M09
N292 M05
N294 G00 G28 G91 Z0
N296 G00 G28 G91 Y0
N298 G90
N300 M30
%

[ETMarine]

So I spoke to support this morning; they were friendly & helpful; I think I got a call about 10minutes after I sent an email.

In the end, I switched the machine from fanuc style control to haas (it has three options) and switched my default processor to the built in "gMilling_Haas_3x."

I modified it to limit the significant digits to 3 for mm and changed the machine profile to increase the spindle speed max and specify the coolant type.

Using the fanuc I was having to edit the gcode to do a find and replace to change things like feeds from "F100" to "F100." which was getting annoying.

This took care of that and I cut a part today just plugging in the pen drive, setting the offsets, and letting it go to town.

[broby]

Isn't it a great feeling when things just work?
Glad to read that you have got it all working the way you want.

[mattpatt]

I have one Fadal with Fanuc control and one Haas VF2.

I started with the Fanuc and used the generic Fanuc gpp file, but over time changed it quite a bit.

Then I got a Haas, and initially used the Fanuc gpp file with a couple of very simple mods and got things moving within an hour or so.

Now the Fanuc and Haas posts are quite different, basically because I have each gpp file sort of tuned to take advantage of the different capabilities of the two machines.

You'll find that in no time you'll be into the gpp and mac files, messing around so that you can get your posts to do exactly what you want.

There's lots of guys on this forum who have much deeper knowledge than me, but as long as you just mess around with a COPY of a known working file then you can play all day and night.