V31 Post Processor question

[Calum]

I'm planning on doing some 4 axis routing with V31 and noticed that the NC code had "B0" without a move command near the beginning on the code but no rotary axis moves where I expected them, so I dived into my Mach3 PP and noticed there is a lot of use of p_rot and s_rot variables in the move blocks but these never seem to output any information. I checked the Post Variable and API doc and it does include the p_rot and s_rot variable but I couldn't get this to work so I changed all occurrences to force_prot and force_srot and now see the rotary axis commands in all moves, haven't tried this on the machine yet.

I would like to know if anyone else has come across this issue?

Calum

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[aldepoalo]

These are variables for 5 axis machines. If you are looking to copy a post for a 4 axis mill I would start with the BC 4X post. This one is setup for a rotary table that is parallel with the X axis.

Primary Rotation = p rot

Secondary Rotation = s rot

[Calum]

Thanks AL. I have been using BC 4X post as a reference for years but it also uses p_ and s_rot for its moves in blocks 50-57! BC 4X does use
output_primary_rotary_index
output_secondary_rotary_index
in block 2 and 3 which I have not tried but the force_prot and srot seem to be working on my machine just needs more testing.

I would have thought the G code would include something from the p_rot and s_rot respective of the number of axis unless there is a compiler switch or something in BC for what is posted to the PP!

Cheers
Calum

[Calum]

After a couple of days investigating this I have found that the original p_rot and s_rot do output move info when feed_mode is used on each feed block, this was missing in the Mach PP so I dumped it and started customizing the BC 4x PP. This seems to be working fine but the indexing/rotational angle for the 4th axis freezes at the end of a long rotary feature and I can't get indexing to move the axis unless there is a tool change but I can live with this for now.

Calum

[BurrMan]

This seems to be working fine but the indexing/rotational angle for the 4th axis freezes at the end of a long rotary feature and I can't get indexing to move the axis unless there is a tool change but I can live with this for now.

Calum

For longer rotary jobs, i hit the limit that is set on the machine definition for the bc 4 axis machine. I always jack this up a bit.

If you go into the machine definition and select the axis, it is usually set to something like 10,000.

See if that is your freeze point....

[Calum]

Thanks BureMan, I did discover this myself and have set my machine limit to something like 1,000,000 so that's not my issue now. At the end of this job the machine is at something like 113,000 degrees but when I want to set an index to 90 deg it sends 116,000 not 90. In my PP I have tried a G28 at the end of each operation with and without a tool change and this returns all axis to home but the BC still has the high degrees for the 4th axis! The only way I have been able to change this is with a tool change then I can get on with indexing.

More to learn yet I think.

Cheers
Calum

[BurrMan]

Thanks BureMan, I did discover this myself and have set my machine limit to something like 1,000,000 so that's not my issue now. At the end of this job the machine is at something like 113,000 degrees but when I want to set an index to 90 deg it sends 116,000 not 90. In my PP I have tried a G28 at the end of each operation with and without a tool change and this returns all axis to home but the BC still has the high degrees for the 4th axis! The only way I have been able to change this is with a tool change then I can get on with indexing.

More to learn yet I think.

Cheers
Calum

There is a setting to output 0-360 only.. rinse lather and repeat...

Are you aware of this?

[Calum]

Sorry about the typo in your handle in my last reply Burr.

Yes I did try that a year or two ago but can't remember why it didn't work for me, I'll give it another go now I know a bit more.

[Calum]

After some more investigation it seems I can get indexing working after a 4 axis rotary feature if I select Zig Zag in the 4 Axis Rotary Patterns but only with Style=Around. This won't work if Style=Along or Zig only or Spiral! Is this a bug in BC v31? Haven't tried in any other version.

All works fine if I do a tool change before the first indexing feature after the 4 Axis Rotary.

[BurrMan]

If you want, zip and attach your post pricessor and a bbcd file that can create what you are looking at and i will look at it with you.

[BurrMan]

Are you adding an "index system" after the rotary feature ir just trying to change it within a feature?

The bbcd file will help.

[Calum]

Hi Burr, no I'm not adding an "index system", I did try that but it didn't seem to do much although I don't know how this works.

I have zipped my PP and bbcd files and would appreciate any insight you have if you have the time.

Cheers
Calum

[BurrMan]

Hey Calum,
Took a quick look at your file. It seems to be stuck with that "Ball" feature, which is set to "Post Yes\No" on NO.

If you include that feature in the posting, then it works and outputs correctly here.

I don't have your particular defined machine, so I didn't get into posting with your post processor or anything, as my setup exhibited the same behavior.

So before I dig too deep on something that doesn't matter, can you confirm that if you set the ball feature to post out with the others, that it then posts the 0 through 300 indexes ok?

If that works fine on your end, I think this could be reported as a bug and you'll just have to work around it for now by either including it, or saving a separate copy of this file and deleting that feature, for now.

Let me know if this didn't fix the issue for you as it did mine, and I can dig a little deeper into what's happening here.

Burr

[Calum]

Hi Burr,

Well an't that something, yes it works when I post the ball feature. I stopped that when I was running tests on the router as I didn't want to wait that long.

When I deleted the ball feature from a copy for the job the original fault is there still! Now I need to look into how the 2x4 axis feature are configured this should give me a clue as to what is wrong.

Thanks for your help, is always good to get a second opinion.

Calum

[Calum]

Hi Burr,

OK it was the tool change, if I swap the ball mill in the ball feature to the same tool as used in the rough feature I get the original problem, the indexing doesn't work. Guess I need to have a tool change to make it work correctly, could be a but in BC see what you think.

Cheers
Calum

[BurrMan]

Hi Burr,

OK it was the tool change, if I swap the ball mill in the ball feature to the same tool as used in the rough feature I get the original problem, the indexing doesn't work. Guess I need to have a tool change to make it work correctly, could be a but in BC see what you think.

Cheers
Calum

That definitely seems like a fault.

I am going to be sure i can re-create it from my side on a new file. (Want to be sure it's not something thats corrupt in just a single file)

It seems we want to get the rotary's "signed continuous" output to stop. It is running into those next features without a tool change. Having that toolchange seems to stop it.... i also would expect that a new, non rotary feature would reset that, so you arent alone.

If we get any input from BC here would be nice. Otherwise i can get it tested out and reported.

Let me know if you need any help getting around it in the meantime...

[Calum]

Ok let us know how you get on and thanks again.

I can make this work by having a tool change from a tool from the rough tool list to the same tool in the finish tool list so I’m all good here.

Calum


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