Gcode Comments displayed

[vmax549]

Another feature I am working on is to extract ALL the comments in the loaded Gcode program and write them to file. Some of our programs are heavily commented and you would only see them IF you scrolled down through the Gcode file and picked them out. Some of the comments are IMPORTANT for the operator to know about.

This feature could show all comments in order of execution. I would work like the Tool display function works. Load the Gcode program then press ctrl_F9. It would gather all the comments and write them to a file in the Gcode folder (Comments.txt). From there view with Gedit and do with as you please. I would print it out and review for any IMPORTANT comments in teh program.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

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[vmax549]

OK I did a short survey about what guys wanted to see when they start a new program run.

Tools used List with all descriptions from the tool table to compare to the CAM side

Where tool changes occur in the program (line number)

Comments and notes in the Gcode with line numbers

AND they wanted it in 1 file to view or print out.

SO here it is. You load the Gcode program then press Ctrl_F10 and it creates a ProgramNotes.txt file. It show the tools and descriptions from the tool table, It shows the Tool change location in the Gcode (Line Number) It also show all Comments in the Gcode program AND the line number they are on.

IF you guys can think of anything else it needs please let me know.

(;-) TP

[kstrauss]

As I previously mentioned, displaying the extents of X/Y/Z travel for each tool would be valuable.

Since most Gcode today is generated in a CAM package the comments are unlikely to be particularly informative. With that it mind it might be good to have the comment display optional.

Just a few quick thoughts!

[vmax549]

HI Ken I have looked for the extents for each tool in LinuxCNC and PP and it does not seem to exist. BUT I will dig deeper. That info would be extremely easy for the CAM side to provide as a comment at tool change. . The CAM side sees everything as a unit all at the same time. The gcode side has to look 1 line at a time for that info.

Here the Gcode files can be decades old and heavily commented over the years. Each time it is modified you MUST add comments to explain what you did to fix something. Also if there is a difficult section comments are added to help explain problems you may encounter. Some Gcode programs I don't know where the cam file is or WHO did it (;-) So the only recourse is to MOD the file and add comments.

(;-) TP


(;-) TP

[kstrauss]

For your particular environment the comments are probably very useful; I was thinking of the comments in most recently produced Gcode. In those the only comments are likely those in the CAM program's preamble and thus completely useless for the purposes that you envision for your environment.

There are two aspects to the extents. The CAM knows the extents assuming that the tool table in the CAM has the same values as the real tool table. What the CAM cannot know is the extents in machine coordinates. That information would be extremely useful to prevent collisions with vices/fixtures/table. All it takes is an error in setup (setting Z-zero to the bottom of the stock instead of the top) or a tool table entry with the wrong tool length to have really bad results!

[vmax549]

HI Ken , sounds like you are looking for one of the Holy Grails of CNC machining. Collision avoidance (;-)

(;-) TP

[kstrauss]

Unless it works in reverse I suspect that the promise of eternal life is a little late for me but not destroying vice jaws due to setup stupidity would be nice! Sadly Monty used the wrong Python for PP compatibility.

[mountaindew]

For your particular environment the comments are probably very useful; I was thinking of the comments in most recently produced Gcode. In those the only comments are likely those in the CAM program's preamble and thus completely useless for the purposes that you envision for your environment.

There are two aspects to the extents. The CAM knows the extents assuming that the tool table in the CAM has the same values as the real tool table. What the CAM cannot know is the extents in machine coordinates. That information would be extremely useful to prevent collisions with vices/fixtures/table. All it takes is an error in setup (setting Z-zero to the bottom of the stock instead of the top) or a tool table entry with the wrong tool length to have really bad results!

Sprutcam has complete collision control with fixtures, tool holders, it even knows the exact limits of the machine. Tool overhang must be correctly set. Tool holder must be correctly defined, fixtures, 4th axis, vises models also need to be defined and included in the projects. The machine definition controls the limits and you must place all fixtures inside the limits. Then you have to define lead in and out or approaches of tools to not exceed those limits. This is also very useful on things like the router where you can machine over the end of the machine. There is only a couple inches of travel before you hit limits switches but if you setup models in cam correctly it will generate g code that runs very close to limit switches. I have posted pictures of all this for years here. They are not just fun models they control every aspect of the machine and the code generated. Same for mill limits with fixtures plates that use every single inch of table space to mill parts. The cam user just needs to use the technology. I know many people just setup programs with tools and parts floating in space. If thats all you do the cam has no problem with it but also no collision control or limits of machine are evaluated when code and simulations are run.

[mountaindew]

HI Ken , sounds like you are looking for one of the Holy Grails of CNC machining. Collision avoidance (;-)

(;-) TP

This is simple stuff in my world and used every day. I dont break tools or crash into fixtures or holder. I can run tools up to fixtures with just a sheet of paper clearance. No crashes no drama, just results. Not hard but it takes time and cam skill to use all the added features. I can post endless examples and videos of complete cam and machine control for 1 part or dozens at a time or 1 side of part or dozens of sides of complex parts. What fusion does not do this? Of course both cam setup and mill setup needs to be exactly the same and your good to run tools at pucker factor clearances ?

OH and I was also told by a person here that these cam setups and methods would not fly in a job shop

[kstrauss]

mountaindew, that sounds wonderful but must be a lot of work to create models of all holder/vices/fixtures/etc. Also, not every CAM software is so sophisticated. But more relevant to my earlier comment: setting Z-zero at the wrong place negates all of the great tools in your CAM. Displaying the machine coordinates of the extents for every tools mostly solves that problem.

[mountaindew]

mountaindew, that sounds wonderful but must be a lot of work to create models of all holder/vices/fixtures/etc. Also, not every CAM software is so sophisticated. But more relevant to my earlier comment: setting Z-zero at the wrong place negates all of the great tools in your CAM. Displaying the machine coordinates of the extents for every tools mostly solves that problem.

Its not that hard and becomes just part of the process just like running the code and making the parts.
I have stated often I can do much of this in just a few clicks these days by using preset templates and these cam setups can take just minutes to do!
it is a built up process. over time you develop fixture models. tool holder models, whatever you want to include in your setups. the more detailed and accurate the better it all works and the less tools you crash.
tormach has a complete set of tools holder models for their tools or you can draw your own. same with vises, and other fixtures and clamps you use. Your limits are set by the user not the software in this case and its not holy grail it is real.

on my instagram page i posted a few that demonstrate these concepts in great detail. Sprutcam even changed their program to make this easy for others to do after seeing what I have been doing for years!

just one example. make this video full screen or one of the others I posted. look carefully at what is going on! it does work very well! And wysiwyg what you see is what you get!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLSByIo..._web_copy_link


I also include pictures of each cam setup with offset locations and how parts are orientated. as long as i setup everything at mill like picture it all works.
it does not eliminate user errors and will not stop a tool from crashing if the user fat fingers a tool height or places a work offset in wrong place.
Im guessing some controls and software combos can do this just not tormach and sprutcam combo.. they are modest tools at modest cost.
ones that take user error out I would guess are very expensive and are also very expensive to fix if they are crashed! the reason for all the error checking!

[shred]

What fusion does not do this?

Fusion does have this kind of thing, although IMO its still a bit of a work in progress. There are complete models of many Tormach machines for free download there.

[mountaindew]

Fusion does have this kind of thing, although IMO its still a bit of a work in progress. There are complete models of many Tormach machines for free download there.

I figured it did. I was just fishing
Is it easy to do all this or learn how to use all these added features NO. Its a function of experience over time and building on your experience over time!
your not going to do this having one weeks experience with the cam software repeated over and over for years and years.
your only going to do this by digging in and learning and learning more and building models and templates and predefined operations for things you do most and learning more and more.
my software there is no real tutorials or no videos to explain much of anything past the basic stuff. So I was on my own to learn this! Fusion has thousands! and hundreds of people making more every day. I have no such luck
Anyway over time and many years this starts to pay off big time. or it did for me anyway.

[deadlykitten]

hello i have been using coments some time, but after a while i figured out that those ones that know what to do don't need coments, and those that are at the begining, even if they read coments, is still useless ....

is like labels, or recipies, or instructions ...

is more important to make the operator aware of a situation when it ( may potentialy ) arrives, rather than explicitly telling him what to do on a boring routine, and from that perspective, a few years ago, most of my coments changed to M0 ( do something ), or M0 ( you know what to do ) , haha and it worked, and also, in time, it developed, like nowadays, those message are really awesome, and sometimes they are used to chat between operatos from different shifts, and so on

i personally like to use latin or spanish, even if i don't know those languages, but trust me, the effect is really nice ...

i started that initiative and feedback, after years, become very good, and now, reading/writing coments is a fun chalange / kindly

ps : as for those comments that really matter, actually the common aproach is faulty, becuase most cam software spits comments inside the program file, while vital information should not be containend inside program file, and also, it may not be only text ... auxialary information, and it's simplicity and ease of use by operators, is more important than the program ... this is easy to say, but it requieres work to achieve templates and trasability, etc

at some point, is easy to scan the file and extract whatever data from it, but most importnat is to have that ability at the controller with as less heystrokes as possible, and, even more important, is to automatize that

just be creative, think outsisde the box / kindly

HI Ken , sounds like you are looking for one of the Holy Grails of CNC machining. Collision avoidance

that's on my 2do list ... hope to find time to finish it

mountaindew, that sounds wonderful but must be a lot of work to create models of all holder/vices/fixtures/etc

at first, there is time invested in preperatory work, but it should help future setups, as some definitions are pretty common between setups

but trick is that there are alternative to cam software, or to general 3d aproaches, like maybe someone that does simple / repetitive jobs really does wish for something simpler, yet effective, to do what he wishes in it's own way, and nothing more, no fancy long useless learning curves, etc