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http://www.pocketnc.com/resources/
http://www.pocketnc.com/pocketnc-resources
1. Software Tutorial
12. Additional Pocket NC Support from our Google Groups Forum / support@pocketnc.com
Additional Fusion 360 to write Gcode, you can find resources to help :
1. http://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/
2. http://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GUID-18445C60-F9AD-4217-8066-CA48FA11E514
Xming*
*For those using Windows 10, some users have found they needed to upgrade to the newest of
version of Xming which can be purchased here. We recommend first attempting to use the free
version. This page in the forums describes what this issue looks like when attempting to
connect.
Run Xming, you shoud see a small "X" icon appear in your system tray(see image
Run PuTTY and navigate the left-side menu to Connection>SSH>X11. Click on Enable
X11 forwarding.
In the left menu click on Session, from there you should see a text entry box titled
Host Name (or IP address) just below it enter pocketnc@192.168.7.2 on port 22. Set
Below in the Saved Sessions box, settings can be stored for later reuse by typing in a
Enter the password pocketnc. Note that asterisks will not appear as you type the
password.
Once logged in, you will have direct linux terminal access to the BBBs operating
system just as you would on a computer running linux.
Now that we have tested that the SSH connection works, we can test that Xming is
After several seconds you should see LinuxCNCs AXIS window appear, PocketNC
Home the machine by clicking on Home All. Note that the BeagleBone can be
powered by the USB without the rest of the machine being powered, so if it seems
like you are connected to the machine but none of the motors are working, double
check that the machine is turned on and if you are using a switched outlet that it is
switched on. For the next steps to get going machining, see the Uploading and
Deleting Files tutorial and theAXIS Overview tutorial. This is a great time to get
Finally, when its time to close up shop for the day you can power down the Pocket
NC machine by closing the AXIS window, and from the console window enter sudo
halt & exit this will we initiate the shutdown process and close the SSH connection
upgraded, we suggest you wait until later releases to avoid these issues. If you have upgraded, use this
XQuartz 2.7.7
BeagleBone HoRDNDIS
BeagleBone FTDI
*Note: In newer versions of OSX you may have to override settings to allow the install of the
Open X Quartz. See the icon below. If it isn't shown in the applications window, look for it
in the "Utilities" folder which is nested under the "Applications." See the screenshots below.
This will also open X Term which you will use to connect to the machine.
The password for the machine is "pocketnc". Note that when you type the password, you will not see
characters appear.
Now that we have tested that the SSH connection works, we can test that Xming is
Test out your machine by turning E-stop off, Machine Power on, and clicking on
Home All. For the next steps to get going machining, see the Uploading and
Pocket NC machine by closing the AXIS window, and from the console window
enter sudo halt & exit this will we initiate the shutdown process and close the
FILE MANAGEMENT
Once you have created your Gcode toolpath in Fusion 360 or other CAM software, you will need to
transfer it to the machine in order to be able to run it. Note that Gcode files must be 2.5MB or less to
transfer. This is also the maximum file size that the processor can handle when it comes time to check the
USB MEMORY
You can also transfer files using a USB memory stick directly connected to the machine. This is especially
useful if you are using the machine stand -alone with an HDMI screen. The USB port is the lowest port on
command and navigating to /media/USB_DISK as shown in the photos below. Once you are in the
folder, you will want to view all files to make the Gcode files visible.
BEAGLEBONE DRIVE
Using the drive on the BeagleBone while you are connected via USB to the machine is the most simple
way to store files. To do this, drop your nc file directly into the "BeagleBone Getting Started" drive.
Once you are logged into your machine, click File - Open, and then navigate to /media/beaglebone as
/media/BEAGLEBONE) this command will end up creating a list of what the machine sees in that
directory.
If you see files in that list that you tried to remove and couldn't get them off of the machine you can then
use this command to remove them. (rm /media/BEAGLEBONE/filename.ngc) This will then delete that
file. If you are seeing them on your primary computer you may try shutting off the machine and
unplugging the USB cable from the machine for a minute and then reboot the machine. This should then
get the primary computer to look at the files again and then you should see that the files have actually
been removed.
AXIS Overview
Tutorial
TableofContents
AXIS OVERVIEW
RUNNING A GCODE FILE
BUTTONS IN THE AXIS INTERFACE
MDI INTERFACE
PREVIEW MODE VS DRO MODE
AXISOVERVIEW
AXIS is the LinuxCNC GUI used to control the Pocket NC. This tutorial will go over the basic use of AXIS
RUNNINGAGCODEFILE
Once you have launched AXIS using the instructions in the Software Setup Tutorial, the first step is to
turn the machine on. You will do this using the orange "Toggle Machine Power" button shown below.
When the machine is turned on, you will hear the motors engage but nothing will move yet.
The next step is to home all 5 axes using the "Home All" button shown below. After pressing the button,
the axes will move into their home positions. This will take around 40 seconds to complete.
At this point in time, you will want to set your tool length offsets. If you don't know how to do that, check
Once your offsets are set, load your Gcode file using File>Open as shown below. The mouse will turn to a
watch icon for a few seconds as the Gcode loads. Then press the play button to begin executing the
current file.
At this point in time, your Gcode may pause if it has run into an "M1" command which tells the machine
to pause and wait for the user to load the next tool. If you already have the correct tool loaded, you can
click that button to resume the execution. Otherwise, load the correct tool and proceed. This will also be
the process for other tool changes throughout a Gcode file. You can also use this button to pause the
machine at any point during your program. It will pause all 5 axes, but leave the spindle running. The
yellow button on the machine has the same functionality. If you are running a program for the first time
or unsure of your toolpath, we recommend keeping a finger ready to press the pause button as that will
help to avoid plunging into the material or crashing the machine if you notice something is not right.
BUTTONSINTHEAXISINTERFACE
Another feature that should also be pointed out is the "Toggle Optional Pause" button shown below.
When it is engaged, this tells the machine to stop and wait for manual tool changes as explained above.
For the Pocket NC, this button is active by default, and should remain engaged, otherwise the machine
will not wait for the manual tool change and will continue machining with the current tool.
The Toggle Skip Lines with "/" will skip all the lines in your Gcode that begin with "/". This can be useful
for leaving comments in your file for later reference or to remove lines of Gcode that you don't want to be
used.
The Execute Next Line button will execute the next line of Gcode and then wait for user input before
continuing. This can be helpful if you have a stretch of Gcode that you aren't sure about and need to proof
out, but you probably won't want to run your whole part this way.
MDIINTERFACE
AXIS includes a program called mdi which allows text-mode entry of MDI commands to a running
LinuxCNC session.
When a blank line is entered, the machines current position is shown. When a command is entered, it is
its connection to your machine (especially when using an HDMI screen. If this is happening, switch to
Table of Contents
HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
X AXIS HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
Y AXIS HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
Z AXIS HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
A AXIS HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
B AXIS HOME POSITION AND TRAVEL
position is the position from where the machine starts each program and returns to at the end of the
program. The machine also returns to the home position when a tool change is necessary. The home
TableofContents
TOOL LENGTH OFFSETS - NEW SPINDLE
TOOL OFFSET SETUP PROCEDURE
TOOL HOLDER CHANGE
TOOL CHANGE
SET TOOL LENGTH METHOD 1(PREFERRED METHOD)
SET TOOL LENGTH METHOD 2(IF METHOD 1 DID NOT WORK)
TOOLLENGTHOFFSETS-NEWSPINDLE
The single flute end mill shipped with your machine, has been set up and programed into the tool
table as tool 10. (Part Number 528508 - Carbide, Plastic Cutting End Mill - Square Upcut Single Flute).
for each machine and is included on a paper with each machine. If you have misplaced yours, please
TOOLOFFSETSETUPPROCEDURE
1. Home machine
2. Clear any offsets using The Zero Coordinate system button located under the Machine dropdown
menu. The Z values seen in the DRO readout should read 0.00000.
3. Move A table to 90 degrees using the command g90 g0 A90 within the MDI command window.
5. Jog Z in the negative direction until the base of the tool is close enough to the B axis table that the 1-2-3
6. In increments of 0.01 or less, jog the Z axis positive until the 1-2-3 block slides between the tool and
the table
7. Repeat this step with smaller increments until the tool position is measured past 3 decimal places
8. Use the current Z position on the Machine interface to calculate the tool offset using the equation
below:
-(1-2-3 block height) + (B-table distance above) + (Z value readout) = (Tool Offset)
9. Input the calculated Tool Offset within the Tool Offset table found under => File => Edit Tool Table ...
TOOLHOLDERCHANGE
1. Turn off spindle and loosen the (3) spindle screws using the 3mm wrench.
2. Tap spindle holder with the back end of the 3mm wrench and take out the tool holder.
3. Reverse process for installing a new tool holder, being sure to tighten the (3) spindle screws evenly.
TOOLCHANGE
1. Use the Pocket NC spindle wrench and the 3mm driver (Both found in the tool kit).
2. Turn off spindle and place the 3mm driver into one of the 3 spindle screws.
3. Using the Pocket NC spindle wrench loosen the collet nut while holding the spindle in place using the
3mm wrench.
4. Change out or move tool and then reverse the process to tighten the tool holder.
SETTOOLLENGTHMETHOD1(PREFERREDMETHOD)
1. This is done in AXIS by clicking File>Edit tool table as shown in the image below. If the window pops
2. The Mac my be having issues with the SSH connection. Two situations likely have occurred at this
point.
2a. You have had your Machine interface open for more than about 10 minutes and you need to
restart the machine by powering it down and then restarting it to get this edit tool table option to
work this way. You can also try option 2b directly below or go to the second method found below
2b. You may have opened the tool table properly and due to where it is on the Linux screen you
need to open it by going down to the Dock and right click on the Xming Icon and select Show All
Windows This will likely bring up the tool table and you can select it from there. If this does not
work go to the second method found below after the Windows explanation.
3. With a PC you are likely having an issue where the Tool Table is off the screen and you need to bring
the window up onto the screen. This can be done by hovering over the Xming icon until the two window
comes up. Then right click on the tool table window and select Maximize.
4. To set the tool table to reflect our earlier example, we will change the value of Z to -3.027 and the tool
diameter to 0.125". It is important to remember that this value is the diameter of the tool, not the
diameter of the shank. After updating the values for your tools, press "Save File" and then "ReRead".
Once you are done with your updates, quit to the main AXIS window. Once in the main AXIS window,
After you have reloaded the tool table, you can check that the offset took by typing G43 H1 and pressing enter
(that is if you changed tool 1, type H2 if you changed tool 2). Once you have entered G43 H#, you will see TLO
Z changes to the number you input in the tool offset page. Most tools will fall between -2" and -3".
If you are consistently using the same tooling throughout your programs, you can bypass having to change
the tool offsets by making sure you use the same tool numbers when generating toolpaths in you CAM
software.
SETTOOLLENGTHMETHOD2(IFMETHOD1DIDNOTWORK)
1. If you have a Mac Open up a secondary Terminal window by right clicking on terminal and selecting
New Window. If you have a PC right click on Putty and select your desired boot option to open a
second window.
2. In the second terminal window, sign into your Pocket NC. Then type in the command scite
below.
File Save.
7. Once the Tool table file has been edited go back to the Machine interface window. Two windows can be
Important - Without doing this step you will not be able to use the new tool offset values in
FEEDSANDSPEEDS
The Pocket NC mill removes material using a tool with a series of small rotating cutting edges. A
tool with 2 cutting edges will make two cuts for each revolution. The material that is removed is
referred to as a chip. The thickness of a chip that the Pocket NC is capable of producing will vary
depending on what material is being removed. The thickness of a chip(also called the chip load)
is adjusted using two variables, feed and speed. Feed refers to the linear rate in inches/minute
or millimeters/minute that the cutting tool moves through a material. Speed refers to the
rotational speed in RPM (revolutions per minute) of the cutting tool. To increase chip load,
The ideal chip load for some materials is 0.001. This means, with a spindle speed of 10,000
RPM and a linear progression of 0.002 per revolution (2 cutting edges X 0.001) gives a feed of
20 inches per minute. It is important to keep in mind that the calculated chip load is only a
guideline or starting point, the user should adjust the speed and feed to what sounds good and
feels good. Feed and speed can be adjusted on the fly using the Pocket NC user interface.
Machining also has two more variables, side load and depth of cut. These two variables will
change the width and length of the chip being removed from the material. Dimension A in the
image below represents the amount of material removed with the cutting tool in the X/Y
direction or side load. Dimension B in the image below represents the amount of material
removed with the cutting tool in the Z direction, also known as the depth of cut.
Above, the image on the left shows a tool path with a side load of 0.08 and the image on the
right shows a toolpath with a side load of 0.04. If the material being removed was soft like wax
or wood, the tool path on the left would be much more appropriate as the machine will be able to
handle that amount of side load. If the tool path from the image on the right was used with the
same material, the user would have spent twice as much time and worked the spindle half as
hard.
To adjust side load and depth of cut in Fusion 360 see the images below.
Feed and speed and be adjusted from the Tool tab for each tool path. Below, spindle speed is
marked with a blue arrow and feed is marked with a red arrow.
With that said, we have posted a general guideline for the 4 variables below in a number of
materials. Note that side load and depth of cut will be expressed as a percentage of tool
diameter and feed will be represented as feed/tooth. For example, the end mill pictured above
Use this as a starting point for your feed and speed and make adjustments as you go.
Fusion 360 Part Setup
Tutorial
TableofContents
MODEL SETUP
CAM SETUP
TOOL PATHS
MODELSETUP
The purpose of this tutorial is to demonstrate start to finish, importing a machineable part to generating
toolpaths in the Fusion 360 CAM environment to cutting the part on your Pocket NC.
When setting up any part on the Pocket NC mill, it is recommended that users include the Pocket NC B Axis
table and vise models (or other work holding) in the CAM environment. This will help users visualize
To use the B axis table and vise model, download them here. Also be sure to download the 6 sided cube used in
this tutorial here. Because Fusion 360 is cloud based software, users will need to upload both models to Fusion.
location. With the files uploaded, open the Pocket NC table and vise model by right clicking the file and
selecting open.
Next import the Pocket NC Test CUBE into the current setup by selecting Insert into Current
Design
After all the models are in Fusion 360, users will set the orientation of the part relative to the vise or
table so it matches that of the setup on the Pocket NC mill. A transparent square located atop the
Test CUBE represents the size of the material the Test CUBE will be machined from.
To move the an object within Fusion 360, right click the part in the design tree and select move.
All 4 gripper setscrews on the vise will need to be moved. Start by moving the gripper setscrews on the long
side of the vise by selecting both components in the design tree and selecting move. The hole spacing for the
grippers is 5mm, so the they will have to move a total of 20mm to match the picture below.
Next, locate the Test CUBE so the transparent square overlaps the gripper setscrews on the right by about 0.01.
Note, when material is placed in the vise between the grippers, some of the stock material will be crushed. By
overlapping material with the grippers, users will get a better representation of what is actually happening on
the machine.
The grippers on the left will also need to be moved. They are mounted to the movable jaw of the vise, this
means they can move in any increment. To move the left grippers, first select all components in this assembly
by opening the joints dropdown within the design tree, right click Movable Jawand left click Select
Components. Move the components so that the set screws on the left have a similar overlap with the stock
The Assembly is almost complete, the last step to locating the Test CUBE, is setting the height from the vise.
The Test CUBE will be made from a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 stock material, this means the top of the Test CUBE must
be 1.5 from the vise or less. The bottom of the Test CUBE must also be above the grippers to avoid collisions
when machining. To move the Cube in Z select the part within the design and select move. As you can see in
the picture, the top of the cube is 1.285 from the top of the vise.
CAMSETUP
To begin making toolpaths for the Test Cube users must first migrate from the MODEL or SCULPT
environment to the CAM environment. To do this select the Change Workspace drop down tab at
The Setup is a tool for Fusion 360 to understand excess material, objects to avoid and the
machine's initial position. The first part of a setup is selecting the work origin and orienting the
Work Coordinate System (WCS). To set up the WCS within the Fusion CAM environment, select
the WCS dropdown and Select Z axis/plane & Y axis next to orientation.
Two pieces of geometry will need to be selected to complete the Orientation field, one for the Z Axis
and one for the Y Axis. To do this, select the box next to the Z Axis labeled Nothing, then select
geometry (a straight line) on the vise perpendicular to the moveable axis of the jaw and parallel to the
work table. Repeat the operation for the Y Axis, selecting a feature perpendicular to the work table.
When finished users should have a WCS that looks similar to the image below. If you need to change
the directions of the axes, use the check boxes to flip them.
The orientation of the B axis is flat or (perpendicular) to the spindle of the Pocket NC when homed.
This needs to be reflected by the WCS. On the Pocket NC, the Y Axis moves the table up and down
this must be reflected in the setup for the output code to work with the machine.
Next, you will select the origin of the machine within the model. The origin of the machine is
represented by a point in space .885 off the surface of the table at the center of rotation. This point
varies slightly from machine to machine and can be changed from the downloaded model to match a
specific machine. Before it can be selected any geometry covering the origin must be temporarily
hidden. To hide the cube, select the cube model within the device tree, then select the lightbulb to the
Nothing to the right of WCS Origin. Now select the machine origin.
Make your CUBE visible again and if it wasn't already selected, select it as your model.
width Depth and Height. Because the top of the cube was set 1.285 from the top of the vise the
stock offset will need to be about .285 offset from (-Y). When finished with the setup, select ok to
TOOLPATHS
The Pocket NC uses a set of instructions known as a tool path written in a language called Gcode, to
direct the cutting bit and other parts of the machine. This set of instructions is used in the world of
machining to remove material rather than add it like 3D printing. This tutorial will help users create
three types of tool paths; facing, roughing and finishing, to turn a 1.5 cube into a 1 cube with a few
extra features. Roughing toolpaths are used to remove the bulk of excess material from a part, while
finishing toolpaths only remove as much as a human hair, sometimes less. Facing tool paths can be
used at the beginning or end of a program, sometimes even both, a facing toolpath removes material
be; rough top, rough 4 sides, finish top and finish 4 sides. Before users can generate toolpaths they
will need to download the Pocket NC Tool library. To install the new tool library, select MANAGE
Next, under Libraries select Local then Library. Now use the Import tab to select the Pocket
the picture below to get the correct feeds and speeds for making the cube in pine.
In the geometry tab, set up the tool orientation so that the coordinate system matches that of the
image below. Next select the top outline of the 1.5 inch cube for the stock contour. This geometry will
The Heights tab is where users will select the depths for machining. For the first operation, select
the cube top as the bottom height. This will be the maximum depth the tool will cut at. Top
Height should be the cubes material top, this will not need adjusting if the stock is setup properly.
The Passes tab controls how much material is removed at any given time. Three values need to be
adjusted to get a proper cut; "Optimal Load", "Maximum Roughing Stepdown" and "Stock to Leave".
Adjust them to the settings below or fine tune them as you see fit.
The last tab, "Linking" is mostly for fine tuning of a tool path. For example, "No Engagement Feedrate" can be
altered from 20 in/min to 40 in/min to save time when the tool is in a retract and not cutting. A "Ramping
Angle" of 2 deg is good for Aluminum because the cube is made from pine, A ramping angle of 10-15 deg may be
more appropriate.
~.1" (be sure to check tool paths for visual collisions before running). From the side, select all three surfaces
Set the Bottom height on the side to the lowest desired machinable height.
The toolpath should look like the image below. Before Posting a tool path, users should check for collisions
with the Pocket NC vise using the Simulate feature within the ACTIONS dropdown.
In the image below, the toolpath intersects the gripper jaws inside the pink box. This will most likely break a
limit how far off the edge the tool will travel. The next image show the results of this change.
In the picture bellow, the tool does not travel off the material more than half its diameter resulting in a toolpath
that does not hit the grippers. It is always good practice to keep excess room in a area of low clearance for a
first run.
To create Gcode from the adaptive toolpath, select the "ACTIONS" dropdown then select "Post Process".
Select the pocket nc.cps post from the Post Processor list, then select ok. Fusion will prompt for a file location
and name. Save the file to a flash drive with any name. Be sure to end the file with ".ngc" this is the file
We ship each machine with two pieces of pine so that users can follow this tutorial from start to finish to make a first part (
https://youtu.be/7YAIbQoNW48 ).
The first video shows how to get your geometry setup in Fusion 360. Before you get started, you can download the model of
the Pocket NC table and vise :
https://myhub.autodesk360.com/ue29ca485/g/shares/SH7f1edQT22b515c761e4481d4088fa5f1b7?viewState=NoIgbgDAdAjCA0IDeA
dEAXAngBwKZoC40BhAQQFk140BDAZzt3ULQgCYYaaAOGtgWhgBjYfwAsAMwkBmfjVzSAnOIAmnGgHYAbGICsUmlTQB7AEYArX
EPQBJFYTYBfEAF0gA ) .
https://myhub.autodesk360.com/ue29e2a8e/g/shares/SH7f1edQT22b515c761e64bad2a4877dfbf0?viewState=NoIgbgDA
dAjCA0IDeAdEAXAngBwKZoC40ARXAZwEsBzAOzXjQEMyzd1C0ATAMwGNcAzBBgwAtNwBMuCaIAs0gEajGADl5KYf
CQE4IvGJwW4IaAL4gAukA
In the second video, ( https://youtu.be/Dklll7Ud2vs ), we go over how to create the toolpaths in Fusion 360. For this part
you will want to download the tooling library that's available on our Post Processor Page.
The final part shows ( https://youtu.be/UHfcfuDEYGs ) how to actually machine it on your Pocket NC. Note that at the end,
you have a roughed-out version of the impeller because you are still using a relatively large tool. If you want to run the
finishing toolpaths, feel free to use a smaller tool and play around with the toolpaths in Fusion 360! Thanks for watching!
not look like a traditional vise the function is the same. Dowel pins and/or set screws are used
in place of jaws and are completely interchangeable. M4 set screws work like gripper jaws for
roughing material and will work for a hardness of aluminum and anything softer. Dowel pins
can be used for light finishing work. The pins can be adjusted in increments of 5 mm. The
Mounting the vise to the PocketNC mill is simple and precise. In combination with two
dowel pins, the vise is mounted with a M4x10 fastener. The user can choose 1 of 4 positions in
90 degree increments.
The vise sits on the table with the moving jaw towards the center. Before placing the vise be sure
both the table and vise are clean and clear of chips. Tighten the M4x10 fastener using a 3mm
hex wrench only to the point that the wrench starts to flex. Tightening past this point will
screws and dowel pins. You will notice that the fasteners and setscrews are metric and the dowel
pins are english. We have two reasons for the mix and match. The most common part that will
get lost is the dowel pins, they tend to roll off desks and slip out of hands but because they
are english units, a replacement or even longer versions can be purchased at a local ACE
Hardware. The second reason for this mix, M4 fasteners have a minor diameter that is so close
to that a M4 internal thread can be machined to also accommodate a dowel pin. This
helps the user easily switch between roughing parts and finishing parts.
Here you can see the PocketNC vise mounted on the B axis table within Fusion 360.
The origin of the machine (G54 X0 Y0 Z0 A0) is represented as a pink dot centered on the table
.885 above the surface. Material can be placed within Fusion 360 using the this table and vise
setup to accurately represent the setup on the machine. You can find the Fusion file for the vise
Here is a representation of the Autodesk A logo being set up for machining. A lighter area
represents the stock material that will need to be removed. The part should be adjusted in XY
and Z to represent the desired end result. In the photo, centerline of the B axis is parallel with
the centerline of the spindle, this is A 90 degrees. The movement of the rotational axis may be
different than the user may imagine, users should take the time needed to understand how the
1
Test Ring
Wax ring test part
Rev A 1/15/17
http://www.pocketnc.com
Change Log 3
About 3
Notes 3
Getting Started 4
2 CAM SETUP 24
Quick Reference 81
2
Test Ring
Wax ring test part
Rev A 1/15/17
http://www.pocketnc.com
Change Log
About
The purpose of this tutorial is to familiarize Pocket NC users with the process of
machining intricate wax parts such as a wax ring. This tutorial will cover importing mesh
files into the Fusion 360 modeling environment, reducing the mesh count of the mesh
files, converting mesh files to solid geometry, importing solid models into the Fusion 360
CAM environment, programing toolpaths, and outputting machine code(G-code).
Notes
This document is for reference only! Readers and operators take on all liability in
the use of this document.
This document assumes the user knows basic functions of the machine. These
functions include setting up the Pocket NC vise, transferring files to and from the
machine, loading/running programs, setting up tooling and measuring tool length offsets.
All files mentioned in this document can be found within the zip folder containing this
document.
The CNC program included with this document, Wax Ring.ngc, is to be used at the risk
of the operator or machine owner. Pocket NC does not take responsibility for any
damage or injury caused by the use of this or any other shared program.
For proper function of the Wax Ring.ngc program, users will need required tooling set
up with offsets under the correct tool numbers. See tooling section. Users can also use
this tutorial to write programs that incorporates different tooling.
Note that each machine has a slightly different center of rotation and as a result the
Fusion part must have its center of rotation changed before using the program. The
documentation shipped with each machine includes the offset. If the machine was
shipped prior to 2017 see the B-axis offset Tutorial for how to check the offset on your
machine. Pocket NC changed the alignment process at this point in time which makes
checking your value important.
3
Test Ring
Wax ring test part
Rev A 1/15/17
http://www.pocketnc.com
1 Getting Started
The following section will start at the beginning, importing .stl files. To start with posting
tool paths, look at Section 2 of this document.
Machining a part from an .stl file requires several steps. First, the file must be converted
to a format usable by Fusion 360 CAM. Once the file has been converted users can
create a machining setup within the CAM environment that matches that of the real
world. Once the setup has been created, tool paths can be created within Fusion 360 to
simulate the removal of material. Finally, users can export the file to be used with the
Pocket NC mill.
Fusion 360 requires solid files rather than mesh files for its CAM environment. In many
cases, mesh files that have been converted to a solid, must also be reduced in mesh
count, as a large number of surfaces will cause slower function of the CAM environment.
The reduction of mesh surfaces may be of concern as surfaces in a mesh format, quickly
become rough. Users should note that a smoothing function exists within the CAM
environment to round sharp edges at the intersection of faces. This function can be
seen in Section 2 of this document.
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Start by downloading the Sample Ring.stl file from the Pocket NC website.
Create a new design, then import the file Sample Ring.stl. To do this, select File,
then New Design. Once the new design has been opened, right click in the model area
and select Insert, then Insert Mesh. Finally, migrate to the Sample Ring.stl file
location, select the sample ring file and click Open .
.stl files exist in two formats, English and Metric format. If the geometry is imported
using the wrong format, the sizing will be much larger or smaller than expected. Import
the Sample Ring using Metric units. Using the Inspect icon, users can measure the
distance between prongs and check for a correct import.
Before the Sample Ring can be used by Fusion 360 in the CAM environment, the file
must be converted from a mesh format to a solid format. To convert the file users must
first migrate to the Mesh workspace. To do this, open the settings icon located at the
bottom right corner of the Fusion 360 screen, then select Do not capture Design
History. Select Continue when prompted.
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Next, migrate to the Mesh work space using the change Workspaces tab. Located to
the upper left corner of the Fusion 360 screen.
Once in the Mesh environment, reduce the Sample Ring mesh surfaces count by 75%.
To do this, select Modify, then Reduce. Select MeshBody1 from the browser as the
Mesh Face/Body to be reduced. Last, select a density of 0.25 then select ok. Once
complete, the .stl Sample ring will be reduced to a mesh with fewer surfaces. This mesh
will retain its original dimensions but the facets composing it will be 4 time larger.
At this point, all work has been completed within the Mesh environment. Migrate back to
the Model environment.
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Once in the Model environment, users will need to convert the reduced .stl mesh
into boundary surfaces for use in the CAM environment. To do this, select MeshBody1
within the design tree, right click and select Mesh to BRep.
Fusion may produce a warning like the one below saying that the mesh count is high
and that proceeding may lead to slow performance. Select ok to ignore the warning a
proceed with the conversion. The Fusion conversion software has a limit of about 10,000
faces for converting a mesh to a BRep. In this case it is ok to proceed, but the
performance may be impacted to some degree.
The converted sample ring should look like the image below. At this time, save the
converted part, and turn back on the design history. It is now a solid and ready to be set
up and fixtured for programming toolpaths.
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To turn on design history right click on the Browser root and select Capture Design
History.
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This section will focus on locating the sample ring within Fusion 360 CAM environment
for use with the Pocket NC mill. Users should note that the setup used in this tutorial
might not be the setup recommended by the jewelry industry. It is only an example,
users are free to explore different setups and fixturing.
The first step in the setup is creating the geometry that defines the stock material.
Secondly the supports that will be left connected to the work by the machining
operations will be defined. Finally, reference geometry used to help define the machining
steps will be created.
Start by creating the sketch used to define the stock material. The ring will be machined
from a cylindrical piece of machinable wax. The diameter of the stock will be 1.5 inches
and the height is 1 inch. In the modeling environment, create a new sketch. Select the xz
plane, sketch a center-midpoint circle concentric with the ring. Dimension the diameter of
the circle to be equal to the diameter of the stock from which the ring is being machined,
here 1.5 inches.
Next, select the circle just created and extrude it both directions. Extrude one side 0.3
inches and the other side 0.7 inches. Change the opacity of the body created by the
extrude to30% so that the ring is still visible inside of it. The goal of this step is to locate
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the ring within a block of stock. Because the vise has to grip the base of the
material, the ring is located closer to the top of the stock than the bottom.
The ring has to be supported while it is being machined so that is maintains its position
in space and can be reliably located. In order to avoid cutting away all of the support
structure, geometry that will be avoided by the machining process is created.
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These supports will have to be removed after the machining is complete in order to
separate the workpiece from the waste material. It is desireable to make these supports
as small as possible, for ease of removal, while still holding the work rigidly to resist the
machining forces so the piece doesnt break while it is being machined.
Create an offset plane 0.4 inches below the plane on which the stock circle was
sketched.
Sketch three center-diameter circles on that new offset plane by selecting points around
the perimeter of the ring that are spaced fairly evenly as shown below. Do not place any
supports close to the front of the ring. These will be supports left in place during the
machining and would interfere with the machining of the prongs if they were placed in
the front.
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Extrude the circles up to the bottom of the ring to form the supports. Make sure that the
operation chosen is New Body.
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After all of the supports are extruded, the sample ring looks likes this.
The final pieces of geometry that need to be added are the references needed for the
machining operations. In order for the tool to reach all of the geometry on the ring the
machining will be done from four basic positions, the top, two sides and the front.
The general machining sequence for any part is to first remove the bulk of the material,
then rough out the shape of the part, finally the part is cleaned up with finishing passes.
By getting rid of as much bulk as possible at the start, the amount of cutting time with
small cutters is reduced. However, care must be taken to leave enough material to
support the tool forces of the subsequent steps.
The ring will be machined by removing the excess material from around the perimeter
and the middle of the ring. The ring will then be undercut and trimmed to its basic shape
on the sides. The front of the ring will then be roughed to shape. The cleanup will be
completed by repeating them same positions and doing the final material removal from
the top, sides, and front.
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In order to avoid wasting time by machining a larger area than needed, as well as to
help avoid collisions, some reference sketches will be created.
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Create a sketch on that new reference plane of a 0.3 inch x 0.3 inch square
centered about the middle of the gem setting.
The setup of the ring is now complete. The part now needs to be fixtured in the way in
which it will be held when it is cut on the Pocket NC mill. The sample ring will be held in
the Pocket NC vise. Users will need to import the Pocket NC backing plate and vise
and upload the parts to Fusion 360.
Open the Pocket NC backing plate and vise and check if the B table offset is correct for
the machine being used. This is the distance from the origin to the B table in the model.
The default value is 0.885. This may be measured using the Inspect tool.
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The B-Table Offset, is the point in space about which both the A and B tables rotate.
This point in the model must match the point in reality in order for the part to be oriented
correctly relative to the machine when the rotary axes are moved.
If the location of the offset needs to be changed, start by right-clicking on the origin and
selecting Move.
When the dialog box opens, change the selection filter to Bodies. Select the origin as
the body to be moved. Calculate the distance that the origin needs to be moved. In this
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case the default origin is 0.885 and the machine B Table Offset is 0.8685. This
means that the origin needs to be moved .885 - .8685 = 0.0165 closer to the table.
Enter the amount by which the B-table offset in the model needs to be adjusted in order
to match the machines offset. Click ok to apply the change. It is good practice to verify
the new location has updated properly before saving the file. Note that the offset will only
need to be adjusted in Z direction. It should never be moved in the X or Y axes. Make
sure to save the file before proceeding.
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Next the ring model will be inserted into the vise and B table assembly. Open the Data
Panel then right click on the ring file that was created earlier and select Insert into
Current Design.
The part will not usually import in the desired position. The first step in the setup is to
used the the move commands locate the part in approximately the desired location and
orientation.
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Next the adjustable jaw on the vise(the one with the screw used to tighten the jaws) is
opened. Right click on any piece of the adjustable jaw. All of the adjustable jaw pieces
are constrained to move together so only one needs to be selected. Click move, and
then change the drop down in the options dropdown from body to component. The
arrow pointing in the desired direction of motion may be clicked and dragged or a
direction may be selected and the magnitude of the movement may be entered. The jaw
is moved 20mm to the left to open it wide enough to hold the stock.
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The workpiece is then moved about 20 mm to the left as well so that the grippers on the
fixed jaw can be more easily accessed.
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The grippers on the fixed jaw(the one with two rows of 9 holes drilled in it) are moved
20mm to the left. The holes are 5mm apart so the grippers are moved 4 holes to the left.
Since the grippers must fit in the holes the adjustment of the fixed jaw is in 5mm
increments.
Next, the stock is moved back to the right so that it just barely overlaps the grippers on
the fixed jaw. This overlap is to account for the crushing/biting into of the stock material
that occurs when the vise is closed. The overlap should be about 0.01in. This overlap
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will give the user a better representation of what will happen to the material when
the vise is closed than setting the grippers and stock tangent.
Finally, the moveable jaw is adjusted back to the right so that the grippers on the
moveable jaw overlap the stock in the same way at the grippers on the fixed jaw.
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2 CAM SETUP
To begin making toolpaths for the Test Cube users must first migrate from the MODEL
or SCULPT environment to the CAM environment. To do this select the Change
Workspace drop down tab at the top of the screen, then select CAM.
Before any toolpaths can be created a setup has to be created that defines the location
of the origin, the stock, the fixtures, and the coordinate system. These features must be
chosen in a way that makes it possible to make the physical setup on the machine match
the one used to write the toolpaths in the model. To create a Setup select the setup
dropdown and New Setup.
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The new setup brings up a dialog box where settings can be changed and model
elements can be used to define the origin and coordinate system. The dialog box has
three tabs, only the two on the left need to be addressed before writing the toolpaths for
the part. First the operation type, coordinate system, and model items need to be
identified. Then the stock needs to be defined.
Since the ring is being milled, the operation type is milling. Next the work origin is
selected and the Work Coordinate System (WCS) is orientated. To begin the setup of
the WCS select the WCS dropdown and choose the Select Z axis/plane & X axis option
for the orientation.
The two pieces of geometry needed to define this orientation are the Z axis or plane and
the Y axis. To define these first select the box next to the Z Axis labeled Nothing, then
select a straight line on the vise perpendicular to the axis of motion of the moveable jaw
and parallel to the work table (B table). Repeat this selection process for the Y Axis, this
time selecting a line perpendicular to the work table (B table). When finished, the WCS
orientation should look similar to the one shown below. If needed the direction of the
axes may be changed by using the checkboxes to flip them.
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This orientation corresponds to the way the axes are aligned when the machine is the its
home position. The B table is flat or parallel to the spindle of the Pocket NC mill in the
home position. The Y axis moves the table up and down. The Z axis is parallel to the
spindle and the X axis is perpendicular to both Y and Z and moves the A and B tables
forward and back. The home position of the machine is shown below for reference. The
spindle is to the top of the image.
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Next the origin of the machine is changed within the model. The machine origin is
represented by a point in space 0.885in off the surface of the B table. It is the point in
space where the axis of rotation for the A table and the axis of rotation of the B table
intersect. This point varies slightly from machine to machine and the distance must be
changed to match a specific machine. This distance is called the B table offset and can
be found in the documentation provided with each machine.
In order to change the machine origin first choose Selected Point from the Origin drop
down menu. Then select the box labeled Nothing to the right of WCS Origin. Now
select the machine origin.
The Model tab is left with no selection. The model will be defined for each machining
step instead.
Next, check the fixture box. The fixture is the parts of the machining system that are
used to hold the workpiece. When a model item is labeled as a fixture the software used
to create toolpaths automatically avoids running into it by placing restraints on the space
the tool is allowed to cut or cross. This helps prevent breaking tools and damaging the
vise. The B table, vise, grippers and screws are all marked as fixture pieces as shown
below.
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Next the stock size and shape is defined. Click the Mode drop down and select the
From Solid option. Click the box next to Stock Solid labeled Nothing Then click the
cylinder that was modeled earlier as the stock from which the ring is machined.
For this tutorial, nothing needs to be changed under the Post Process Tab. This is
where you could name the program as well as naming the WCS offset if desired.
When finished with the setup, select Ok to save and close the setup.
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The Pocket NC mill is operated by giving it a set of directions, called a toolpath, that is
encoded in a machine control language called G-code. These instructions include
spindle speed, coordinate positions, and speed of movement between those positions.
Since it is difficult to write complex machine codes by hand, the toolpaths are created in
the Computer Aided Machining (CAM) environment of Fusion 360 then converted to
machine code that the Pocket NC mill is designed to execute using a processor. This is
similar to the process of writing and compiling programs in other computer languages.
Programs are written in a sequential series of steps, called operations. Each operation
contains one toolpath. Each toolpath uses a specific tool and accomplishes a different
machining process such as roughing, facing, or drilling. Each operation has a unique set
of conditions including spindle speed, surface speed, and feed rate. These parameters
are changed depending on the machining operation being performed, the tool being
used, the material being cut, and the surface finish that is desired.
When a program is run on the Pocket NC mill, tools may have to be changed or the
work may have to be repositioned in between operations.
The wax ring shown in the following tutorial will use the following parameters:
Material:
Machinable Wax
Diameter 1.5 Height 1
The wax ring test part is designed to be cut from wax using the Pocket NC mill. Without
changing the parameters, harder materials may cause damage to the Pocket NC mill as
feeds and speeds have been selected specific to wax.
Runtime:
~1 hour
Tooling:
The ring will be cut using the shank tools made by Harvey Tool and available from
Pocket NC. The specific tools required are a inch 2 flute end mill and a 1/32 inch ball
nose end mill.
Tool Number 6
inch 2 flute flat 45 deg helix (Harvey Tool # 24208)
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te
Tool number 12
.031 inch 2 flute 2 deg ball nose (Harvey Tool #29831)
http://www.pocketnc.com/tapered-rib-cutters/10-degree-164th-tapered-rib-cutter
Fixture:
The wax should be held in the Pocket NC vise using threaded set screws to grip the
sides of the wax blank.
Before the toolpaths can be generated, the Pocket NC Tool Library needs to be
downloaded. To install the new tool library, select Manage then Tool Library.
Next, under Libraries select Local then Library. Now use the Import tab to select
the Pocket NC Tool Library from your downloads location. Close the window to save
changes and exit the library manager.
The first step in machining the ring is removing the bulk of the excess material. Adaptive
toolpaths are efficient for removing excess material because they keep the cutting tool in
contact with the work as much as possible and minimize the number of amount of time needed
to hog out rough shapes. To create the first toolpath, select 3D then Adaptive Clearing.
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The first operation uses adaptive clearing to remove as much of the material as possible
in an efficient manner. Start by selecting 3D tab in and then click on Adaptive Clearing.
A dialog box will open where the parameters for the toolpath are entered. The first
parameter to be set is the tool. Click on the Select button under the tool tab. This
allows a tool to be chosen from the tool library. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the list
of tools and select tool 6, inch flat 45 deg. end mill, out of the Local Library which is
the Pocket NC tool library.
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Adjust the setting under the tool tab so that they match the ones in the image below. The
spindle speed and feed rates are selected based upon the size and type of cutter being
used as well as the type of material being cut. See this tutorial on the Pocketnc website
for more information about the selecting the right feed and speed for your material and
cutter. These feeds and speeds are for machining wax using the inch flat end mill.
Milling different materials or using a different cutter would require changing these
parameters.
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Click the geometry tab and update it to match the settings shown below. The Stock
Contour check box is selected. This lets the program use the geometry of the round
block, which was defined as stock earlier to define the toolpaths. Because the cylinder
was selected as the stock in the setup, it does not need to be selected again here.
Make sure that the Rest Machining check box is selected. The settings below should
be the default options once it is selected.
Select Tool Orientation. Change the orientation type to Z axis/plane & X axis. Select
Geometry on the vise so that the orientation of the tool matches what is shown. It is
critical that this orientation be correct since the post processor uses the work coordinate
system and the tool orientation to drive the A and B rotary axis movements.
Click Model then select the ring and the three supports as the model surfaces. A simple
way to do this is to click the Model Surfaces button then select the appropriate bodies
from the browser. The selected surfaces highlight in blue once they are chosen.
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Next, select the Heights tab to set the top, bottom, retract and clearance heights.
These heights define the space in which the tool is allowed to operate. The retract plane
defines the height to which the tool is retracted during drilling or pocketing operations.
The clearance plane is the height to which the tool must be retracted before rapid
movements or rotation of the tables is allowed. These planes must be selected
appropriately so that collisions are avoided.
The top plane is used to define the top surface of the material being milled. The bottom
plane is used to define how far below the bottom plane of the part the tool will be allowed
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to cut. The bottom plane of the part is used as a reference for the bottom plane
offset. The bottom plane is defined so that the tool stays above screws on the vise. This
avoids collisions as well as makes sure that enough stock remains for the the vise to grip
securely.
The planes are shown below, top to bottom in the figure: clearance, retract, top, and
bottom planes in orange, green, light blue, and dark blue respectively.
Next, the tool pass settings are defined. These settings control how closely to the model
the geometry will be cut, how deep of cuts to make, and how much material to engage in
each pass. In this example, the optimal load is increased from the default setting, the
maximum stepdown and final stepdown, amount of stock left, and smoothing tolerance
are all reduced from the default values.
When the adaptive toolpath is used, Fusion calculates a toolpath that keeps load on the
cutter constant. This increases efficiency and reduces tool wear. The maximum
stepdown is the depth of each pass. This program will take steps of 0.17 inches and
then finish with a pass 0.02 inches deep.
For a roughing operation the optimal load on the cutter is about 60% of its diameter. This
helps lengthen the tool life by allowing the tip of the cutter to engage the work at an
angle that increases its cutting efficiency and reduces wear.
The amount of stock left controls how much material is left for cleanup operations. It is
not desirable to remove all of the material with an adaptive clearing operation because
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the surface finish will be poor. In general, to get a better surface finish the last
passes must be very light (low amounts of material removal) and the cutting direction
must be controlled more closely (different methods leave different marks on the finished
part). Adaptive clearing is good for removing lots of material efficiently, but it leaves a
poor surface finish that has to be cleaned up.
The model of the ring has lots of facets, but a smooth part is desired. Smoothing tells the
toolpath software to ignore sharp edges and corners below a specified radius and allows
the cutter path to not follow the contour of the part exactly. Smoothing is talked about in
more detail in the finishing operations.
Finally, under the linking tab, the angle of the helical ramp is increased to 10 degrees
and the radius of the helical ramp is decreased to be one half of the radius of the cutter
being used. Once the settings are correct, click ok to save and apply the settings.
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Once the settings dialog is closed, Fusion will automatically generate a toolpath based
upon them. The bottom of the tree in the browser should now look like this (setup and
toolpath numbers may be different). The last item in the tree is the new toolpath.
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Right click on the toolpath and select Simulate, when the new dialog box opens
select the Stock check box to show the stock. Use the controls at the bottom of the
window to control playback or to change the playback speed. The Info and Statistics
tabs on the Simulate dialog box can be used to view other information about the
program such as machining time and collision detection.
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The second and third operations use adaptive clearing to remove bulk material from the
sides and below the ring. As with Operation 1, start by selecting 3D tab and then click on
Adaptive Clearing.
Tool number 6 may already be selected. If it is not, hit the Select button and choose it
from the library as described in Operation 1. The settings may have auto populated from
the previous operation. Confirm that they match the ones shown below.
The geometry settings and the orientation of the WCS for this operation are shown
below. The machining boundary is the perimeter of the space in which the tool is allowed
to operate. Change the boundary type to Selection then choose the 1.6 x 0.5 inch
rectangle that was sketched earlier. Set tool containment to Tool Center on Boundary
and additional offset (the amount by which the tool is allowed to violate the perimeter) to
0 inches.
Click on the Rest Machining checkbox and choose From Previous Operations.
Orient the tool coordinate system as shown by selecting appropriate edges of the vise.
Select the ring, and the supports on the back and side that is being machined as the
model bodies.
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Set up the heights as shown. The bottom is coplanar with the midline of the ring. It is
referenced from the world coordinate system origin.
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The tool pass settings are shown below. The optimal load is set to about 25% of the
cutter diameter for this operation. This will cause the toolpaths to be less efficient at
material removal but it will keep the load on the tool low so that the finish is better and
prevent damage to the ring that is being machined. Since there will be cleanup passes
later, 0.02 inches of stock will be left.
The max stepdown is set to the 0.5 inches (the length of the flutes on the cutter)
because it allows the toolpaths to be more efficient. When the stock is repositioned the
Fusion software is not able to calculate correctly where the stock has already been
removed. Since the previous operation removed most of the material from the outside of
the ring there is nothing to machine near the outside of the stock. In order to avoid
wasteful toolpaths that only cut air, the large stepdown is used to skip over most of the
previously machined area as quickly as possible.
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The settings for the linking are shown below. Most of these should be the default
settings. The Ramp type may have to be changed from helical to plunge. The No
Engagement Feed Rate will also need to be updated. These settings control how the
cutter is allowed to move when it is not engaged.
The toolpath is shown below. It clears the material from around the sides and
underneath the ring on one side. The next toolpath will do the same thing on the
opposite side of the ring.
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The simulated toolpath is shown below. Note that this simulation is only of this
toolpath it does not include the previous operations. This will cause the Fusion to create
collision alerts. These collisions are with stock that has already been removed. This can
be confirmed by running the simulation on both operations. This will be done later. Take
note of the collision reports but as long as they are in places where the stock is removed
by the first operation they may be ignored for now.
Operation 3 removes the material from the other side of the ring. It is the same as
Operation 2, just 180 opposite.
The tool settings for the Operation 3 are shown in the image below. The same tool,
number 6, (1\8 inch flat 45 helix) is used.
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The geometry is setup as shown below. The rectangular sketch on the midplane of the
ring is selected as the machining boundary. The Tool Containment is set to Tool
center on boundary. The check box for Rest Machining is selected and the previous
operations are used to calculated the stock left to remove. Set the Tool Orientation so
that it matches what is shown by selecting appropriate edges on the vise as the X and Z
axes. The Model Surfaces are the ring, the support in the middle, and the support on
the side being machined. The model bodies are shown in the second image.
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The heights are set as shown below. The bottom height is constrained to the model
origin, the retract and top heights are constrained to the stock top surface, and the
clearance height references the retract height.
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The toolpath settings are adjusted as shown below. The optimal load is set to about
25% of the cutter diameter for this operation. This will cause the toolpaths to be less
efficient at material removal but it will keep the load on the tool low so that the finish is
better and prevent damage to the ring that is being machined. Since there will be
cleanup passes later, 0.02 inches of stock will be left.
The max stepdown is set to 0.5 inches (the length of the flutes on the cutter) because it
allows the toolpaths to be more efficient. When the stock is repositioned the Fusion
software is not able to calculate correctly where the stock has already been removed.
Since the previous operation removed most of the material from the outside of the ring
there is nothing to machine near the outside of the stock. In order to avoid wasteful
toolpaths that only cut air, the large stepdown is used to skip over most of the
previously machined area as quickly as possible.
The settings for the linking are shown below. Most of these should be the default
settings. The Ramp type may have to be changed from helical to plunge. The No
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Engagement Feed Rate will also need to be updated. These settings control how
the cutter is allowed to move when it is not engaged.
The toolpath is shown below. It clears the material from around the sides and
underneath the ring on one side. This is the same thing Operation 2 did on the other side
of the ring.
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The simulated toolpath is shown below. This is accessed by right clicking on the
toolpath in the browser, and selecting Simulate. Note that this simulation is only of this
toolpath it does not include the previous operations. This will cause the Fusion to create
collision alerts. These collisions are with stock that has already been removed. This can
be confirmed by running the simulation on both operations. This will be done later. Take
note of the collision reports but as long as they are in places where the stock is removed
by the first operation they may be ignored for now.
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Operation 4 clears the bulk of the material away from the gem setting and prongs on the
ring. This is done with an adaptive toolpath that keeps a constant tool load in order to
remove the material efficiently. The tool is changed from the ones used in the previous
operations to Pocket NC tool number 12 (1/32 inch 2 taper). This will allow access to
smaller areas that that need to be milled.
The toolpath geometry is set up as shown. The square that was sketched behind the
gemstone setting is selected as the machining boundary. The Tool Containment is set
as Tool center on boundary. The tool orientation is established as shown by selecting
appropriate edges on the vise as the X and Z axes. The model surface selection is the
ring. Select this by clicking the model surface selection tab and then selecting the
body of the ring out of the browser.
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The heights are set up as shown below. The bottom plane is coincident with the back of
the gem setting and top plane is 0.1 inches inside the stock surface. In most cases the
top plane must lie outside of the stock surface, but since the material has been removed
already it is more efficient to let the tool rapid feed closer to the cutting depth.
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The tool-pass settings are adjusted to the values shown. The optimal load is set to
about 60% of the tool diameter. The maximum and final step downs are smaller than the
ones used in previous operations. The amount of stock left is only 0.005 inches instead
of 0.02 inches as it has been with the previous several operations.
The linking settings are shown below. Most of these values should be the default
settings.
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The toolpath and simulated toolpath are shown below. As with the previous two
operations, some collisions may be predicted. Verify that the collisions are only in areas
where the stock has already been removed by previous operations. If that is the case,
the collisions may be ignored.
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The first four operations may now be simulated if desired. Simulating the toolpaths
is a good way to confirm that they are removing the material in the way that is expected
and desired. In order to simulate all four of the tool paths right click on the setup, then
select Simulate. When the simulation opens choose to display stock. There are several
options for toolpath display. In the image below the toolpaths are hidden so that the
workpiece can be seen.
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Operation 5 will be used to clear the stock that was left behind by the adaptive clearing
on the top of the ring. The type of toolpath that will be used is parallel. This will cut using
straight lines that are parallel to the Y axis of the machine and perpendicular to the X
axis. The contour of the part will be followed in the Z axis.
This toolpath is chosen in order to minimize the force being placed onto the prongs of
the setting as well as to create a good surface finish on the top of the part.
The same tool used in the previous operation, 1/32 inch 2 taper (Tool number 12) is
used for this operation. The tool settings are shown in the image below.
The geometry settings are the next thing to be adjusted. The Machining Boundary is
set as a Bounding Box. This allows Fusion to auto-generate a box that bounds the
model geometry being machined. The Tool Containment method is selected as Tool
outside box. The Contact Only check box is selected in order to allow the toolpaths to
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skip over the hole in the center of the ring. The tool orientation is established by
selecting edges of the vise as the X and Z axes. The ring is chosen from the browser as
the model surface to be machined.
The heights are set as shown below. The bottom height is set so that it is just below the
bottom of the ring as shown in the second image below. Due to the limited length of the
tool being used (0.75 overall) the the toolholder will collide with the part if the bottom
plane is more than the tool stickout below the highest point on the part.
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The tool pass settings are shown below. Note that the tolerance is tighter than it has
been for previous operations. The pass direction controls the way which the ring is cut.
The settings shown will start at the tips of the prongs and work back toward the ring. This
is desirable because it means there is more material on the prongs to support the cutting
forces when the tips are being milled. Cutting the opposite direction runs a greater risk of
breaking the the prongs off.
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The stepover is very small in order to produce a good surface finish and the level of
detail desired. If the finished product is rougher than desired this value may be further
reduced at the expense of a larger file size and longer machining time.
The smoothing tolerance is used to allow Fusion to ignore some of the irregularities on
the surface of the ring due to it being a multi-surface body. Because the ring is made up
of about 11,000 triangular facets, its surface is far from smooth. The smoothing tolerance
allows the tool to follow a path with a specified minimum radius instead of having to
follow every contour on the surface.
The linking settings are the final settings to adjust before generating and simulating the
toolpath. All of the settings below should be the defaults.
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The parallel toolpath is shown below. The simulation of just the parallel toolpath is shown
in the second image. The third image is the simulation of the first five toolpaths.
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Operation 6 is a scalloping path that removes the material left on the sides of the ring
which was roughed by the adaptive clearing. The scalloping method creates toolpaths
that are a constant distance apart. This allows the a good surface finish to be created on
on complex curves and in areas that cannot be easily reached by other types of
toolpaths like contour or parallel. Once again, tool number 12 is used. The tool settings
are shown below.
The geometry settings are shown below. The Machining Boundary chosen is
Silhouette. This allows Fusion to calculate the boundary based on the silhouette of the
part. The contact only and machine areas using boundaries buttons are selected.
This will keep the toolpaths that are generated in contact with the part.
Set the tool orientation so that it matches the image below. Select appropriate edges on
the vise as the X and Z axes in order to orientate it. Choose the ring out of the browser
as the model surface to be machined.
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The heights are set as shown. Both the top height and the retract height are set to be
within the stock envelope because the material in that area has been removed so
collisions will not take place.
The tool pass settings are shown below. Note that the tolerance is the same as the one
on previous operation and the tighter than the ones used for the clearing operations.
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The stepover is very small in order to produce a good surface finish and the level of
detail desired. If the finished product is rougher than desired this value may be further
reduced at the expense of a larger file size and longer machining time.
The smoothing tolerance is used to allow Fusion to ignore some of the irregularities on
the surface of the ring due to it being a multi-surface body. Because the ring is made up
of about 11,000 triangular facets, its surface is far from smooth. The smoothing tolerance
allows the tool to follow a path with a specified minimum radius instead of having to
follow every contour on the surface.
The linking settings are the final settings to adjust before generating and simulating the
toolpath. All of the settings below should be the defaults except for changing the
retraction policy to Minimum retraction instead of Full Retraction.
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The toolpath and simulation are shown in the two images below.
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Operation 7 is a mirror of Operation 6to clean up the other side of the ring. Again it uses
a scalloping toolpath to remove the last 0.02 inches of material. The goal is to clean up
the surface and leave a good finish.
The tool settings are shown below. Pocket NC tool number 12 is used for this toolpath.
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The geometry settings are shown in the figure below. The Machining Boundary chosen
is Silhouette. This allows Fusion to calculate the boundary based on the silhouette of
the part. The contact only and machine areas using boundaries buttons are selected.
This will keep the toolpaths that are generated in contact with the part.
Set the tool orientation so that it matches the image below. Select appropriate edges on
the vise as the X and Z axes in order to orientate it. Choose the ring out of the browser
as the model surface to be machined.
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The heights are set as shown below. Both the top height and the retract height are set to
be within the stock envelope because the material in that area has been removed so
collisions will not take place.
The tool pass settings are shown below. Note that the tolerance is the same as the one
on previous two operations and the tighter than the ones used for the clearing
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operations. The stepover is very small in order to produce a good surface finish and
the level of detail desired. If the finished product is rougher than desired this value may
be further reduced at the expense of a larger file size and longer machining time.
The smoothing tolerance is used to allow Fusion to ignore some of the irregularities on
the surface of the ring due to it being a multi-surface body. Because the ring is made up
of about 11,000 triangular facets, its surface is far from smooth. The smoothing tolerance
allows the tool to follow a path with a specified minimum radius instead of having to
follow every contour on the surface.
The linking settings are the final settings to adjust before generating and simulating the
toolpath. All of the settings below should be the defaults except for changing the
retraction policy to Minimum retraction instead of Full Retraction.
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The toolpath and simulation are shown in the two images below.
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The second to last operation is to clean out the stone setting and remove the last bit of material
(about 0.05 inches) from the prongs and setting. The type of toolpath used is radial. All the cuts
will start from a center point and proceed outward. These angular distance between each cut is
constant. Tool #12 will be used for this operation. The tools settings are shown below.
The geometry settings are adjusted next. The centerpoint of the circular hole at the back
of the setting is used as the point from which all the cuts start. The Contact Only button
is selected which allows the toolpaths to skip over the areas that have already been
machined.
Set the tool orientation so that it matches what is shown below by selecting appropriated
edges on the vise as the X and Z reference plane. Select the ring as the body to be
machined.
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Next, the heights are set as shown below. Both the top height and the retract height are
set to be within the stock envelope because the material in that area has been removed
so collisions will not take place.
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The tool pass settings are shown below. Note that the tolerance is the same as the one
on the previous three operations and tighter than the ones used for the clearing
operations. The stepover is very small in order to produce a good surface finish and the
level of detail desired. If the finished product is rougher than desired this value may be
further reduced at the expense of a larger file size and longer machining time.
The smoothing tolerance is used to allow Fusion to ignore some of the irregularities on
the surface of the ring due to it being a multi-surface body. Because the ring is made up
of about 11,000 triangular facets, its surface is far from smooth. The smoothing tolerance
allows the tool to follow a path with a specified minimum radius instead of having to
follow every contour on the surface.
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The linking settings are the final settings to adjust before generating and simulating the toolpath.
All of the settings below should be the defaults.
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The Pocket NC mill cant run directly off the toolpaths produced by Fusion 360. In order
to make them useable they have to be converted into code that the mill can read, called
G-code. The conversion between the toolpaths generated by CAM software and G-code
is called Post Processing.
Most CNC machines have slight differences in the format of the code as well as how
certain commands are encoded. This requires each type of CNC machine to have its
own post processor that creates G-code that can be read by that particular machine.
The Pocket NC post processor in Fusion 360 automatically creates the code to orientate
the A and B rotary axes based upon the tool orientation defined for each operation and
the work coordinate system that defines the machine orientation. The post processor
also automatically places a pause at the start of each program as well as between
operations if the tool is changed. For example if this part was processed into one code
file, there would be a pause at the start of the program as well as a pause between
operations 3 and 4 when the tool changes from the inch end mill to the 1/32 inch end
mill.
This part could be written in one file by clicking on the Actions tab in the CAM toolbar
and selecting Post Process. Select the pocket nc.cps - Generic Pocket NC post
processor out of the list. It can be located quickly from the long list of post processors
supported by Fusion 360 by beginning to type the name into the processor selection
window. Fusion then will prompt for a filename and location to which the file will be
saved. Any file name may be used, but it must end with .ngc because that is the only
file extension that the Pocket NC software can use.
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While the ring may be saved as one program file, it is recommended to use as separate
program for each tool. For the ring, this will mean two programs; one for the first three
operations with the inch end mill and another program for the last 5 operations done
with the 1/32 inch end mill.
Right click on the set up in the browser tree. Select Post Process.
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Choose the pocket nc.cps - Generic Pocket NC post processor. The name of the
program may be changed if desired. Comments may be added if desired. Click OK.
Choose where to save the NC file, and what name to use then click Save. The filename
must end in .ngc because that is the file extension that the Pocket NC mill uses.
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The NC file can be viewed and edited with Brackets if you are using a Mac, or Notepad
on PC.
The NC code is now ready to be used in your Pocket NC mill. It is recommended that
you save the file to a flashdrive (USB memory stick) and plug the flashdrive directly into
the mill. The file can be loaded and run from there using Machine Kit.
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Set the tool length offsets, load the stock, and home all axes on the mill. Plug the
flashdrive with the ring-code on it into the Pocket NC mill if you have not already done
so. In Machine Kit, click File => Open then navigate to the media folder on the
beaglebone. Use the back arrow button in the upper right hand corner of the window to
navigate back through the directory. Open the flash drive, select the ring file, and click
open.
Push the play button in Machine Kit to start the program. The first line in the code is a
pause so you will need to immediately push the yellow pause button on the mill or the
pause button in Machine Kit in order to start the program.
This concludes the tutorial on how to program the wax ring for machining on the Pocket
NC mill. Thanks for reading.
Happy milling!
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Quick Reference
Material:
Wax Cylinder:
Diameter: 1.5 inches Height: 1 inch
The wax ring test part is designed to be cut from wax using the Pocket NC mill. Harder
materials may cause damage to the Pocket NC mill as feeds and speeds have been selected
specific to wax.
Runtime:
~1 hour
Tooling:
Tool number 6
inch 2 flute flat 45 deg helix (Harvey Tool # 24208)
http://www.pocketnc.com/45-degree-square-helix/18th-inch-45-degree-square-helix-2-flu
te
Tool number 12
.031 inch 2 flute 2 deg ball nose (Harvey Tool #29831)
http://www.pocketnc.com/tapered-rib-cutters/10-degree-164th-tapered-rib-cutter
Fixture:
Wax should be held in the Pocket NC vise using threaded set screws to grip the sides of
the wax blank.
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Notes:
Starting the Program
Set the tool length offsets, load the stock, and home all axes on the mill. Plug the
flashdrive with the ring-code on it into the Pocket NC mill if you have not already done
so. In Machine Kit, click File => Open then navigate to the media folder on the
beaglebone. Use the back arrow button in the upper right hand corner of the window to
navigate back through the directory. Open the flash drive, select the ring file, and click
open.
Push the play button in Machine Kit to start the program. The first line in the code is a
pause so you will need to immediately push the yellow pause button on the mill or the
pause button in Machine Kit in order to start the program.
Tool changes
The wax ring uses only two tools. The first tool (number 6) should be loaded before
starting the program. The second tool (number 12) is loaded after tool number 6 has
completed its operations and has come to stop in the tool change position. Tools are
installed and uninstalled using the green handled 3mm hex tool. NOTE, a sufficient
whack may be required at the base of the tool holder to remove tooling. Use the back of
the green 3mm hex tool for this.
Workholding
The material should be held tight using the Pocket NC vise with M4 set screws. Use the
provided 5mm wrench to tighten the vise jaw.
82
GUIA DE USO FRESADORA DE ESCRITORIO POCKETNC
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/pocket-nc
http://www.pocketnc.com/s/SoftwareSetupPC.pdf
http://www.pocketnc.com/s/SoftwareSetupforMac.pdf
G Codes
Table of Contents
1. Conventions
2. G Code Quick Reference Table
3. G0 Rapid Move
3.1. Rapid Velocity Rate
4. G1 Linear Move
5. G2, G3 Arc Move
5.1. Center Format Arcs
5.2. Center Format Examples
5.3. Radius Format Arcs
6. G4 Dwell
7. G5 Cubic Spline
8. G5.1 Quadratic Spline
9. G5.2 G5.3 NURBS Block
10. G7 Lathe Diameter Mode
11. G8 Lathe Radius Mode
12. G10 L1 Set Tool Table
13. G10 L2 Set Coordinate System
14. G10 L10 Set Tool Table
15. G10 L11 Set Tool Table
16. G10 L20 Set Coordinate System
17. G17 - G19.1 Plane Select
18. G20, G21 Units
19. G28, G28.1 Go/Set Predefined Position
20. G30, G30.1 Go/Set Predefined Position
21. G33 Spindle Synchronized Motion
22. G33.1 Rigid Tapping
23. G38.n Straight Probe
24. G40 Compensation Off
25. G41, G42 Cutter Compensation
26. G41.1, G42.1 Dynamic Cutter Compensation
27. G43 Tool Length Offset
28. G43.1: Dynamic Tool Length Offset
29. G43.2: Apply additional Tool Length Offset
30. G49: Cancel Tool Length Compensation
31. G53 Move in Machine Coordinates
32. G54-G59.3 Select Coordinate System
33. G61, G61.1 Exact Path Mode
34. G64 Path Blending
35. G73 Drilling Cycle with Chip Breaking
36. G76 Threading Cycle
37. Canned Cycles
37.1. Common Words
37.2. Sticky Words
37.3. Repeat Cycle
37.4. Retract Mode
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G Codes
1. Conventions
Conventions used in this section
In the G code prototypes the hyphen (-) stands for a real value
and (<>) denotes an optional item.
If L- is written in a prototype the - will often be referred to
as the L number, and so on for any other
letter.
In the G code prototypes the word axes stands for any axis as defined
in your configuration.
An optional value will be written like this <L->.
A real value may be:
An explicit number, 4
An expression, [2+2]
A parameter value, #88
A unary function value, acos[0]
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G Codes
value of parameter 100 were 2, G10 L#100 would also mean the same.
If L- is written in a prototype the - will often be referred to
as the L number, and so on for any other
letter.
Code Description
G0 Coordinated Motion at Rapid Rate
G4 Dwell
G5 Cubic Spline
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G Codes
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G Codes
3. G0 Rapid Move
G0 axes
For rapid motion, program G0 axes, where all the axis words are optional.
The G0 is optional if the
current motion mode is G0. This will produce
coordinated motion to the destination point at the
maximum rapid rate
(or slower). G0 is typically used as a positioning move.
G0 Example
4. G1 Linear Move
G1 axes
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G Codes
G1 Example
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G Codes
XY-plane (G17)
G2 or G3 <X- Y- Z- I- J- P->
Z - helix
I - X offset
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G Codes
J - Y offset
P - number of turns
XZ-plane (G18)
G2 or G3 <X- Z- Y- I- K- P->
Y - helix
I - X offset
K - Z offset
P - number of turns
YZ-plane (G19)
G2 or G3 <Y- Z- X- J- K- P->
X - helix
J - Y offset
K - Z offset
P - number of turns
It is an error if:
No feed rate is set with the F word.
No offsets are programmed.
When the arc is projected on the selected plane, the distance from
the current point to the
center differs from the distance from the end
point to the center by more than (.05 inch/.5
mm)
OR ((.0005 inch/.005mm) AND .1% of radius).
Deciphering the Error message Radius to end of arc differs from radius to start:
start - the current position
center - the center position as calculated using the i, j, or k words
end - the programmed end point
r1 - radius from the start position to the center
r2 - radius from the end position to the center
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G Codes
In the following figure you can see the start position is X0 Y0, the
end position is X1 Y1. The arc
center position is at X1 Y0. This gives
us an offset from the start position of 1 in the X axis and 0 in
the Y
axis. In this case only an I offset is needed.
G2 Example Line
G0 X0 Y0
G2 X1 Y1 I1 F10 (clockwise arc in the XY plane)
Figure 1. G2 Example
In the next example we see the difference between the offsets for Y if
we are doing a G2 or a G3
move. For the G2 move the start position is
X0 Y0, for the G3 move it is X0 Y1. The arc center is at
X1 Y0.5 for
both moves. The G2 move the J offset is 0.5 and the G3 move the J
offset is -0.5.
G0 X0 Y0
G2 X0 Y1 I1 J0.5 F25 (clockwise arc in the XY plane)
G3 X0 Y0 I1 J-0.5 F25 (counterclockwise arc in the XY plane)
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G Codes
In the next example we show how the arc can make a helix in the Z axis
by adding the Z word.
G2 Example Helix
G0 X0 Y0 Z0
G17 G2 X10 Y16 I3 J4 Z-1 (helix arc with Z added)
In the next example we show how to make more than one turn using the P word.
P word Example
G0 X0 Y0 Z0
G2 X0 Y1 Z-1 I1 J0.5 P2 F25
In the center format, the radius of the arc is not specified, but it
may be found easily as the distance
from the center of the circle to
either the current point or the end point of the arc.
G2 or G3 axes R- <P->
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G Codes
It is not good practice to program radius format arcs that are nearly
full circles or nearly semicircles
because a small change in the
location of the end point will produce a much larger change in the
location of the center of the circle (and, hence, the middle of the
arc). The magnification effect is
large enough that rounding error in a
number can produce out-of-tolerance cuts. For instance, a 1%
displacement of the endpoint of a 180 degree arc produced a 7%
displacement of the point 90
degrees along the arc. Nearly full circles
are even worse. Other size arcs (in the range tiny to 165
degrees or
195 to 345 degrees) are OK.
In the radius format, the coordinates of the end point of the arc in
the selected plane are specified
along with the radius of the arc.
Program G2 axes R- (or use G3 instead of G2 ). R is the
radius. The
axis words are all optional except that at
least one of the two words for the axes in the selected plane
must be
used. The R number is the radius. A positive radius indicates that the
arc turns through less
than 180 degrees, while a negative radius
indicates a turn of more than 180 degrees. If the arc is
helical, the
value of the end point of the arc on the coordinate axis parallel to
the axis of the helix is
also specified.
It is an error if:
both of the axis words for the axes of the selected plane are omitted
the end point of the arc is the same as the current point.
G2 Example Line
The above example makes a clockwise (as viewed from the positive Z-axis)
circular or helical arc
whose axis is parallel to the Z-axis, ending
where X=10, Y=15, and Z=5, with a radius of 20. If the
starting value
of Z is 5, this is an arc of a circle parallel to the XY-plane;
otherwise it is a helical arc.
6. G4 Dwell
G4 P-
The P number is the time in seconds that all axes will remain unmoving.
The P number is a floating
point number so fractions of a second may be used.
G4 does not affect spindle, coolant and any I/O.
G4 Example Line
It is an error if:
the P number is negative or not specified.
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G Codes
7. G5 Cubic Spline
G5 X- Y- <I- J-> P- Q-
G5 creates a cubic B-spline in the XY plane with the X and Y axes only.
P and Q must both be
specified for every G5 command.
For the first G5 command in a series of G5 commands, I and J must both
be specified. For
subsequent G5 commands, either both I and J must be
specified, or neither. If I and J are
unspecified, the starting
direction of this cubic will automatically match the ending direction of
the
previous cubic (as if I and J are the negation of the previous P and
Q).
For example, to program a curvy N shape:
G90 G17
G0 X0 Y0
G5 I0 J3 P0 Q-3 X1 Y1
A second curvy N that attaches smoothly to this one can now be made
without specifying I and J:
G5 P0 Q-3 X2 Y2
It is an error if:
P and Q are not both specified
Just one of I or J are specified
I or J are unspecified in the first of a series of G5 commands
An axis other than X or Y is specified
The active plane is not G17
G5.1 X- Y- I- J-
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G Codes
G5.1 creates a quadratic B-spline in the XY plane with the X and Y axis
only. Not specifying I or J
gives zero offset for the unspecified axis,
so one or both must be given.
For example, to program a parabola, through the origin, from X-2 Y4 to X2 Y4:
G90 G17
G0 X-2 Y4
G5.1 X2 I2 J-8
It is an error if:
both I and J offset are unspecified or zero
An axis other than X or Y is specified
The active plane is not G17
G5.2 Example
G0 X0 Y0 (rapid move)
F10 (set feed rate)
G5.2 P1 L3
X0 Y1 P1
X2 Y2 P1
X2 Y0 P1
X0 Y0 P2
G5.3
; The rapid moves show the same path without the NURBS Block
G0 X0 Y1
X2 Y2
X2 Y0
X0 Y0
M2
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G Codes
G7
G8
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G Codes
P - tool number
R - radius of tool
I - front angle (lathe)
J - back angle (lathe)
Q - orientation (lathe)
G10 L1 sets the tool table for the P tool number to the values of the words.
A valid G10 L1 rewrites and reloads the tool table.
G10 L1 P1 Z1.5 (set tool 1 Z offset from the machine origin to 1.5)
G10 L1 P2 R0.015 Q3 (lathe example setting tool 2 radius to 0.015 and orientation to
3)
It is an error if:
Cutter Compensation is on
The P number is unspecified
The P number is not a valid tool number from the tool table
The P number is 0
G10 L2 offsets the origin of the axes in the coordinate system specified to
the value of the axis word.
The offset is from the machine origin established
during homing. The offset value will replace any
current offsets in effect for
the coordinate system specified. Axis words not used will not be changed.
Program P0 to P9 to specify which coordinate system to change.
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G Codes
1 1 G54
2 2 G55
3 3 G56
4 4 G57
5 5 G58
6 6 G59
7 7 G59.1
8 8 G59.2
9 9 G59.3
Optionally program R to indicate the rotation of the XY axis around the Z axis.
The direction of
rotation is CCW as viewed from the positive end of the Z axis.
All axis words are optional.
Being in incremental distance mode (G91) has no effect on G10 L2.
Important Concepts:
G10 L2 Pn does not change from the current coordinate system to the one specified by P,
you
have to use G54-59.3 to select a coordinate system.
When a rotation is in effect jogging an axis will only move that axis
in a positive or negative
direction and not along the rotated axis.
If a G92 origin offset was in effect before G10 L2,
it will continue to be in effect afterwards.
The coordinate system whose origin is set by a G10 command may be
active or inactive at the
time the G10 is executed.
If it is currently active, the new coordinates take effect immediately.
It is an error if:
The P number does not evaluate to an integer in the range 0 to 9.
An axis is programmed that is not defined in the configuration.
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G Codes
The above example sets the XYZ coordinates of the coordinate system 1 to the machine origin.
The coordinate system is described in the Coordinate System Section.
P - tool number
R - radius of tool
I - front angle (lathe)
J - back angle (lathe)
Q - orientation (lathe)
G10 L10 changes the tool table entry for tool P so that if the
tool offset is reloaded, with the machine
in its current position
and with the current G5x and G92 offsets active, the current coordinates
for
the given axes will become the given values. The axes that are
not specified in the G10 L10 command
will not be changed. This could be
useful with a probe move as described in the G38 section.
It is an error if:
Cutter Compensation is on
The P number is unspecified
The P number is not a valid tool number from the tool table
The P number is 0
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G Codes
P - tool number
R - radius of tool
I - front angle (lathe)
J - back angle (lathe)
Q - orientation (lathe)
G10 L11 is just like G10 L10 except that instead of setting the entry
according to the current offsets, it
is set so that the current
coordinates would become the given value if the new tool offset
is reloaded
and the machine is placed in the G59.3 coordinate
system without any G92 offset active.
This allows the user to set the G59.3 coordinate system according to a
fixed point on the machine,
and then use that fixture to measure tools
without regard to other currently-active offsets.
It is an error if:
Cutter Compensation is on
The P number is unspecified
The P number is not a valid tool number from the tool table
The P number is 0
G10 L20 P1 X1.5 (set the X axis current location in coordinate system 1 to 1.5)
It is an error if:
The P number does not evaluate to an integer in the range 0 to 9.
An axis is programmed that is not defined in the configuration.
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G Codes
G18 - ZX
G19 - YZ
G17.1 - UV
G18.1 - WU
G19.1 - VW
Warning Only use G28 when your machine is homed to a repeatable position and the
desired G28 position has been stored with G28.1.
It is an error if :
Cutter Compensation is turned on
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G Codes
Warning Only use G30 when your machine is homed to a repeatable position and the
desired G30 position has been stored with G30.1.
G30 functions the same as G28 but uses the values stored in
parameters 5181-5186 as the X Y Z A B
C U V W
final point to move to. The parameter values are absolute machine
coordinates in the native
machine units as specifed in the ini file.
All axes defined in the ini file will be moved when a G30 is
issued. If no
positions are stored with G30.1 then all axes will go to the
machine origin.
Note G30 parameters will be used to move the tool when a M6 is programmed
if
TOOL_CHANGE_AT_G30=1 is in the [EMCIO] section of the ini file.
It is an error if :
Cutter Compensation is turned on
G33 X- Y- Z- K-
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G Codes
Technical Info
At the beginning of each G33 pass, LinuxCNC uses the spindle speed and the
machine acceleration
limits to calculate how long it will take Z to
accelerate after the index pulse, and determines how
many degrees the
spindle will rotate during that time. It then adds that angle to the
index position
and computes the Z position using the corrected spindle
angle. That means that Z will reach the
correct position just as it
finishes accelerating to the proper speed, and can immediately begin
cutting a good thread.
HAL Connections
The pins motion.spindle-at-speed and the encoder.n.phase-Z for the
spindle must be connected in
your HAL file before G33 will work.
See the Integrators Manual for more information on spindle
synchronized motion.
G33 Example
It is an error if:
All axis words are omitted.
The spindle is not turning when this command is executed
The requested linear motion exceeds machine velocity limits
due to the spindle speed
G33.1 X- Y- Z- K-
Warning If the X Y coordinates specified are not the current coordinates when
calling
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G Codes
G33.1 for tapping the move will not be along the Z axis
but will rapid move
from the current location to
the X Y location specified.
G33.1 Example
It is an error if:
All axis words are omitted.
The spindle is not turning when this command is executed
The requested linear motion exceeds machine velocity limits
due to the spindle speed
G38.x axes
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G Codes
Important You will not be able to use a probe move until your
machine has been set up
to provide a probe input signal.
The probe input signal must be connected
to motion.probe-input in a .hal file.
G38.x uses motion.probe-input to
determine when the probe has made (or lost) contact.
TRUE for probe
contact closed (touching), FALSE for probe contact open.
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G Codes
G40 Example
D - tool number
To start cutter compensation to the left of the part profile, use G41.
G41 starts cutter compensation
to the left of the programmed line
as viewed from the positive end of the axis perpendicular to the
plane.
To start cutter compensation to the right of the part profile, use G42.
G42 starts cutter compensation
to the right of the programmed line
as viewed from the positive end of the axis perpendicular to the
plane.
The lead in move must be at least as long as the tool radius.
The lead in move can be a rapid move.
Cutter compensation may be performed if the XY-plane or XZ-plane is active.
User M100-M199 commands are allowed when Cutter Compensation is on.
The behavior of the machining center when cutter compensation
is on is described in the Cutter
Compensation
Section along with code examples.
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G Codes
It is an error if:
The D number is not a valid tool number or 0.
The YZ plane is active.
Cutter compensation is commanded to turn on when it is already on.
D - cutter diameter
L - tool orientation (see lathe tool orientation)
G41.1 & G42.1 function the same as G41 & G42 with the added scope of being able
to program the
tool diameter. The L word defaults to 0 if unspecified.
It is an error if:
The YZ plane is active.
The L number is not in the range from 0 to 9 inclusive.
The L number is used when the XZ plane is not active.
Cutter compensation is commanded to turn on when it is already on.
G43 <H->
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G Codes
G43 H1 (set tool offsets using the values from tool 1 in the tool table)
It is an error if:
the H number is not an integer, or
the H number is negative, or
the H number is not a valid tool number (though note that 0 is a valid
tool number on
nonrandom tool changer machines, it means "the tool
currently in the spindle")
G43.1 axes
G43.1 Example
It is an error if:
motion is commanded on the same line as G43.1
G43.2 H-
H - tool number
G43.2 Example
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G Codes
G53 axes
G53 Example
It is an error if:
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G Codes
Select CS X Y Z A B C U V W R
G54 1 5221 5222 5223 5224 5225 5226 5227 5228 5229 5230
G55 2 5241 5242 5243 5244 5245 5246 5247 5248 5249 5250
G56 3 5261 5262 5263 5264 5265 5266 5267 5268 5269 5270
G57 4 5281 5282 5283 5284 5285 5286 5287 5288 5289 5290
G58 5 5301 5302 5303 5304 5305 5306 5307 5308 5309 5310
G59 6 5321 5322 5323 5324 5325 5326 5327 5328 5329 5330
G59.1 7 5341 5342 5343 5344 5345 5346 5347 5348 5349 5350
G59.2 8 5361 5362 5363 5364 5365 5366 5367 5368 5369 5370
G59.3 9 5381 5382 5383 5384 5385 5386 5387 5388 5389 5390
It is an error if:
selecting a coordinate system is used while cutter compensation is on.
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G Codes
G64 P0.015 (set path following to be within 0.015 of the actual path)
G73 X- Y- Z- R- Q- <L->
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G Codes
It is an error if:
the Q number is negative or zero.
the R number is not specified
G76 P- Z- I- J- R- K- Q- H- E- L-
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G Codes
Note When G7 Lathe Diameter Mode is in force the values for I, J and K are
diameter
measurements. When G8 Lathe Radius Mode is in force the values for
I, J and K
are radius measurements.
I- - The thread peak offset from the drive line. Negative I values
are external threads, and
positive I values are internal threads.
Generally the material has been turned to this size before
the G76 cycle.
J- - A positive value specifying the initial cut depth. The first
threading cut will be J beyond the
thread peak position.
K- - A positive value specifying the full thread depth. The final
threading cut will be K beyond
the thread peak position.
Optional settings
R- - The depth degression. R1.0 selects constant depth on successive
threading passes. R2.0
selects constant area. Values between 1.0 and
2.0 select decreasing
depth but increasing area.
Values above 2.0 select decreasing area.
Beware that unnecessarily high degression values will
cause a large
number of passes to be used. (degression = a descent by stages or
steps.)
Q- - The compound slide angle is the angle (in degrees) describing to
what extent successive
passes should be offset along the drive line.
This is used to cause one side of the tool to remove
more material than
the other. A positive Q value causes the leading edge of the tool to
cut more
heavily.
Typical values are 29, 29.5 or 30.
H- - The number of spring passes. Spring passes are additional passes at
full thread depth. If
no additional passes are desired, program H0.
E- - Specifies the distance along the drive line used for the taper. The
angle of the taper will be
so the last pass tapers to the thread crest
over the distance specified with E.' E0.2' will give a
taper for the
first/last 0.2 length units along the
thread. For a 45 degree taper program E the
same as K
L- - Specifies which ends of the thread get the taper. Program L0 for no
taper (the default), L1
for entry taper, L2 for exit taper, or L3
for both entry and exit tapers. Entry tapers will pause at
the drive line to
synchronize with the index pulse then move at the feed rate
in to the beginning
of the taper. No entry taper and the tool will rapid to the
cut depth then synchronize and begin
the cut.
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G Codes
HAL Connections
The pins motion.spindle-at-speed and the encoder.n.phase-Z for the
spindle must be connected in
your HAL file before G76 will work.
See the spindle pins in the Motion section for more
information.
Technical Info
The G76 canned cycle is based on the G33 Spindle Synchronized Motion. For more
information see
the G33 Technical Info.
The sample program g76.ngc shows the use of the G76 canned cycle,
and can be previewed and
executed on any machine using the sim/lathe.ini configuration.
G76 Example
G0 Z-0.5 X0.2
G76 P0.05 Z-1 I-.075 J0.008 K0.045 Q29.5 L2 E0.045
In the figure the tool is in the final position after the G76 cycle
is completed. You can see the entry
path on the right from the Q29.5
and the exit path on the left from the L2 E0.045. The white lines
are the cutting moves.
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G Codes
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G Codes
If other planes are active, the error conditions are analogous to the
XY conditions above.
Note Line numbers are not needed but help clarify these examples
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G Codes
Eight Holes
The G98 to the second line above means that the return move will be to
the value of Z in the first line
since it is higher that the R value
specified.
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G Codes
The second reason to use a canned cycle is that they all produce
preliminary moves and returns that
you can anticipate and control
regardless of the start point of the canned cycle.
It is an error if:
Axis words are programmed when G80 is active.
G80 Example
The following code produces the same final position and machine state as
the previous code.
G0 Example
The advantage of the first set is that, the G80 line clearly turns off the
G81 canned cycle. With the
first set of blocks, the programmer must turn
motion back on with G0, as is done in the next line, or
any other motion
mode G word.
If a canned cycle is not turned off with G80 or another motion word, the
canned cycle will attempt to
repeat itself using the next block of code
that contains an X, Y, or Z word. The following file drills
(G81) a set
of eight holes as shown in the following caption.
G80 Example 1
Note Notice the z position change after the first four holes.
Also, this is one of the few
places where line numbers have some value,
being able to point a reader to a
specific line of code.
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G Codes
The use of G80 in line N200 is optional because the G0 on the next
line will turn off the G81 cycle.
But using the G80 as shown in
Example 1, will provide for easier to read canned cycle. Without it, it
is not so obvious that all of the blocks between N120 and N200 belong
to the canned cycle.
This calls for absolute distance mode (G90) and OLD_Z retract mode
(G98) and calls for the G81
drilling cycle to be performed once.
The X value and X position are 4.
The Y value and Y position are 5.
The Z value and Z position are 1.5.
The R value and clear Z are 2.8. OLD_Z is 3.
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G Codes
This calls for incremental distance mode (G91) and OLD_Z retract mode
(G98). It also calls for the
G81 drilling cycle to be repeated three
times. The X value is 4, the Y value is 5, the Z value is -0.6 and
the
R value is 1.8. The initial X position is 5 (=1+4), the initial Y
position is 7 (=2+5), the clear Z
position is 4.8 (=1.8+3), and the Z
position is 4.2 (=4.8-0.6). OLD_Z is 3.
The first preliminary move is a maximum rapid move along the Z axis to
(X1,Y2,Z4.8), since OLD_Z
< clear Z.
The first repeat consists of 3 moves.
1. a rapid move parallel to the XY-plane to (X5, Y7)
2. move parallel to the Z-axis at the feed rate to (Z4.2)
3. a rapid move parallel to the Z-axis to (X5, Y7, Z4.8)
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G Codes
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G Codes
Since this plot starts with (X0, Y0, Z0), the interpreter adds the
initial Z0 and R1.8 and rapid moves
to that location. After that initial Z
move, the repeat feature works the same as it did in example 3
with the
final Z depth being 0.6 below the R value.
Since this plot starts with (X0, Y0, Z0), the interpreter adds the initial Z0
and R1.8 and rapid moves
to that location as in Example 4. After that initial Z
move, the rapid move to X4 Y5 is done. Then the
final Z
depth being 0.6 below the R value. The repeat function would make the Z move
in the same
location again.
The G82 cycle is intended for drilling with a dwell at the bottom of
the hole.
1. Preliminary motion, as described in the
Preliminary and In-Between Motion section.
2. Move the Z-axis at the current feed rate to the Z position.
3. Dwell for the P number of seconds.
4. The Z-axis does a rapid move to clear Z.
The motion of a G82 canned cycle looks just like G81 with the
addition of a dwell at the bottom of
the Z move. The length of
the dwell is specified by a P- word in the G82 block.
The G83 cycle (often called peck drilling) is intended for deep
drilling or
milling with chip breaking.
The retracts in this cycle clear the hole
of chips and cut off any long stringers (which are common
when drilling
in aluminum). This cycle takes a Q number which represents a delta
increment along
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G Codes
It is an error if:
the Q number is negative or zero.
The G85 cycle is intended for boring or reaming, but could be used
for drilling or milling.
1. Preliminary motion, as described in the
Preliminary and In-Between Motion section.
2. Move the Z-axis only at the current feed rate to the Z
position.
3. Retract the Z-axis at the current feed rate to the R plane if it is lower
than the initial Z.
4. Retract at the traverse rate to clear Z.
The G86 cycle is intended for boring. This cycle uses a P number
for the number of seconds to dwell.
1. Preliminary motion, as described in the
Preliminary and In-Between Motion section.
2. Move the Z-axis only at the current feed rate to the Z
position.
3. Dwell for the P number of seconds.
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G Codes
It is an error if:
the spindle is not turning before this cycle is executed.
The G89 cycle is intended for boring. This cycle uses a P number,
where P specifies the number of
seconds to dwell.
1. Preliminary motion, as described in the
Preliminary and In-Between Motion section.
2. Move the Z-axis only at the current feed rate to the Z
position.
3. Dwell for the P number of seconds.
4. Retract the Z-axis at the current feed rate to clear Z.
G90 Example
G91 Example
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G Codes
G92 axes
G92 makes the current point have the coordinates you want (without
motion), where the axis words
contain the axis numbers you want.
All axis words are optional, except that at least one must be
used.
If an axis word is not used for a given axis, the coordinate on
that axis of the current point is
not changed.
When G92 is executed, the origins of all coordinate systems move.
They move such that the value of
the current controlled point, in the currently
active coordinate system, becomes the specified value.
All coordinate
systems origins are offset this same distance.
For example, suppose the current point is at X=4 and there is
currently no G92 offset active. Then
G92 x7 is programmed. This
moves all origins -3 in X, which causes the
current point to become
X=7. This -3 is saved in parameter 5211.
Being in incremental distance mode has no effect on the action of G92.
G92 offsets may be already be in effect when the G92 is called.
If this is the case, the offset is
replaced with a new
offset that makes the current point become the specified value.
It is an error if:
all axis words are omitted.
LinuxCNC stores the G92 offsets and reuses them on the next run of a
program. To prevent this, one
can program a G92.1 (to erase them), or
program a G92.2 (to remove them - they are still stored).
See the Coordinate System Section for an
overview of coordinate systems.
See the Offsets Section for more information.
See the Parameters Section for more information.
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G Codes
Note G92.1 only clears G92 offsets, to change G53-G59.3 coordinate system offsets
in G
code use either G10 L2 or G10 L20.
You can set axis offsets in one program and use the same offsets in
another program. Program G92
in the first program. This will set
parameters 5211 to 5219. Do not use G92.1 in the remainder of the
first program. The parameter values will be saved when the first
program exits and restored when
the second one starts up.
Use G92.3 near the beginning of the second program. That will restore
the
offsets saved in the first program.
It is an error if:
Inverse time feed mode is active and a line with G1, G2, or G3
(explicitly or implicitly) does not
have an F word.
A new feed rate is not specified after switching to G94 or G95
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G Codes
G96 D2500 S250 (set CSS with a max rpm of 2500 and a surface speed of 250)
It is an error if:
S is not specified with G96
A feed move is specified in G96 mode while the spindle is not turning
Program a G98 and the canned cycle will use the Z position prior to
the canned cycle as the Z return
position if it is higher than the R
value specified in the cycle. If it is lower, the R value will be
used.
The R word has different meanings in absolute distance mode and
incremental distance mode.
G0 X1 Y2 Z3
G90 G98 G81 X4 Y5 Z-0.6 R1.8 F10
The G98 to the second line above means that the return move will be to
the value of Z in the first line
since it is higher that the R value
specified.
The initial (G98) plane is reset any time cycle motion mode is
abandoned, whether explicitly (G80)
or implicitly (any motion code
that is not a cycle). Switching among cycle modes (say G81
to G83)
does NOT reset the initial plane. It is possible to switch
between G98 and G99 during a series of
cycles.
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/g-code.html[4/7/2017 23:27:46]
M Codes
M Codes
Table of Contents
1. M Code Quick Reference Table
2. M0, M1 Program Pause
3. M2, M30 Program End
4. M60 Pallet Change Pause
5. M3, M4, M5 Spindle Control
6. M6 Tool Change
6.1. Manual Tool Change
6.2. Tool Changer
7. M7, M8, M9 Coolant Control
8. M19 Orient Spindle
9. M48, M49 Speed and Feed Override Control
10. M50 Feed Override Control
11. M51 Spindle Speed Override Control
12. M52 Adaptive Feed Control
13. M53 Feed Stop Control
14. M61 Set Current Tool
15. M62 - M65 Digital Output Control
16. M66 Wait on Input
17. M67 Analog Output,Synchronized
18. M68 Analog Output, Immediate
19. M70 Save Modal State
20. M71 Invalidate Stored Modal State
21. M72 Restore Modal State
22. M73 Save and Autorestore Modal State
22.1. Selectively Restoring Modal State
23. M100 - M199 User Defined Commands
Code Description
M0 M1 Program Pause
M3 M4 M5 Spindle Control
M6 Tool Change
M7 M8 M9 Coolant Control
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M Codes
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/m-code.html[4/7/2017 23:30:47]
M Codes
Note Lines of code after M2/M30 will not be executed. Pressing cycle start will
start the
program at the beginning of the file.
Warning Using % to wrap the G code does not do the same thing as a Program End.
See
File Requirements for more information on what using
% does not do.
It is OK to use M3 or M4 if the S
spindle speed is set to zero. If this is done
(or if the speed override
switch is enabled and set to zero),
the spindle will not start turning.
If, later, the spindle speed is set
above zero
(or the override switch is turned up),
the spindle will start turning.
It is OK to use M3 or
M4 when the spindle is already
turning or to use M5 when the spindle is already stopped.
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M Codes
6. M6 Tool Change
Warning The tool length offset is not changed by M6, use G43 after the
M6 to change
the tool length offset.
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M Codes
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M Codes
When adaptive feed is enabled, some external input value is used together
with the user interface
feed override value and the commanded feed rate
to set the actual feed rate. In LinuxCNC, the HAL
pin motion.adaptive-feed
is used for this purpose. Values on motion.adaptive-feed should range
from 0 (feed hold) to 1 (full speed).
It is an error if:
Q- is not 0 or greater
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M Codes
Note M62-65 will not function unless the appropriate motion.digital-out-nn pins are
connected in your hal file to outputs.
M66 P- | E- <L->
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M Codes
M66 wait on an input stops further execution of the program, until the
selected event (or the
programmed timeout) occurs.
It is an error to program M66 with both a P-word and an E-word (thus
selecting both an analog and
a digital input). In LinuxCNC these
inputs are not monitored in real time and thus should not be
used for
timing-critical applications.
The number of I/O can be increased by using the num_dio or num_aio parameter
when loading the
motion controller. See the Motion Section
for more information.
Note M66 will not function unless the appropriate motion.digital-in-nn pins or
motion.analog-in-nn pins are connected in your hal file to an input.
M67 E- Q-
Note M67 will not function unless the appropriate motion.analog-out-nn pins are
connected in your hal file to outputs.
M68 E- Q-
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M Codes
Note M68 will not function unless the appropriate motion.analog-out-nn pins are
connected in your hal file to outputs.
Note that in particular, the motion mode (G1 etc) is NOT restored.
current call level means either:
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M Codes
O<showstate> sub
(DEBUG, imperial=#<_imperial> absolute=#<_absolute> feed=#<_feed> rpm=#<_rpm>)
O<showstate> endsub
O<imperialsub> sub
g20 (imperial)
g91 (relative mode)
F5 (low feed)
S300 (low rpm)
(debug, in subroutine, state now:)
o<showstate> call
O<imperialsub> endsub
; main program
g21 (metric)
g90 (absolute)
f200 (fast speed)
S2500 (high rpm)
(debug, in main, state now:)
o<showstate> call
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M Codes
O<showstate> sub
(DEBUG, imperial=#<_imperial> absolute=#<_absolute> feed=#<_feed> rpm=#<_rpm>)
O<showstate> endsub
O<imperialsub> sub
M73 (save caller state in current call context, restore on return or endsub)
g20 (imperial)
g91 (relative mode)
F5 (low feed)
S300 (low rpm)
(debug, in subroutine, state now:)
o<showstate> call
; note - no M72 is needed here - the following endsub or an
; explicit 'return' will restore caller state
O<imperialsub> endsub
; main program
g21 (metric)
g90 (absolute)
f200 (fast speed)
S2500 (high rpm)
(debug, in main, state now:)
o<showstate> call
o<imperialsub> call
(debug, back in main, state now:)
o<showstate> call
m2
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/m-code.html[4/7/2017 23:30:47]
M Codes
Note After creating a new M1nn file you must restart the GUI so it is aware
of the new
file, otherwise you will get an Unkown m code error.
The external program named M100 through M199 (no extension and a capitol M)
is executed with
the optional P and Q values as its two arguments.
Execution of the G code file pauses until the
external program exits.
Any valid executable file can be used. The file must be located in the search
path specificed in the ini file configuration. See the
Display Section for more information on search
paths.
Warning Do not use a word processor to create or edit the files. A word processor
will
leave unseen codes that will cause problems and may prevent a bash or
python file from working. Use a text editor like Gedit in Ubuntu or
Notepad++
in other operating systems to create or edit the files.
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/m-code.html[4/7/2017 23:30:47]
M Codes
#!/bin/bash
# file to turn on parport pin 14 to open the collet closer
halcmd setp parport.0.pin-14-out True
exit 0
#!/bin/bash
# file to turn off parport pin 14 to open the collet closer
halcmd setp parport.0.pin-14-out False
exit 0
To pass a variable to a M1nn file you use the P and Q option like this:
#!/bin/bash
voltage=$1
feedrate=$2
halcmd setp thc.voltage $voltage
halcmd setp thc.feedrate $feedrate
exit 0
To display a graphic message and stop until the message window is closed
use a graphic display
program like Eye of Gnome to display the graphic
file. When you close it the program will resume.
#!/bin/bash
eog /home/john/linuxcnc/nc_files/message.png
exit 0
#!/bin/bash
eog /home/john/linuxcnc/nc_files/message.png &
exit 0
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/m-code.html[4/7/2017 23:30:47]
GUIA DE USO FRESADORA DE ESCRITORIO POCKETNC
DOWNLOAD POST
This is a set of instructions for uploading new Fusion CAM posts. Please note that the current post will eventually be
updated and provided within the Fusion software. This update may take several months, so the following solution can be
5. To use the new post within Fusion, select a toolpath as normal, then select the Source dropdown and "My Cloud Posts"
The Post processor tab will now show a list of all cam posts available on your A360 drive. It will take several minutes
before posts uploaded to the A360 drive show up in Fusion, in some cases users may need to restart Fusion for a post to be
available.
MASTERCAM X9
MASTERCAM 2017
The files you will need are in the zipped file and include:
Click here to download all the files needed to run the machine simulation on your computer.
2) Copy all file enclosed in the Zip (must unzip them first) to this folder
3) Launch machine sim inside mastercam and the POCKETNC should now appear in the dropdown.
The desk and laptop are defined as the machine housing and can be turned off or made transparent for
simulation.
WORK COORDINATE SYSTEM TUTORIAL
If you are new to Mastercam or programming 5 axis, the this tutorial would be a good introduction to get the hang
of things:
WCS TUTORIAL
EXAMPLE FILES
Shortcuts for switching workspaces
You can now switch workspaces with CTRL + Leftbracket and CTRL + Rightbracket key
combos. This will take you through the next and previous workspace in the order it is listed in
the workspace switcher.
Key Combinations
Command
Extrude E
Hole H
Press Pull Q
Fillet F
Move M
Toggle Visibility V
Toggle Component Color Cycling Shift + N
Model Toolbox S
Appearance A
Compute All Crtl + B (Windows) or Command + B (Mac)
Joint J
As-built Joint Shift + J
Line L
2-point Rectangle R
Center Diameter Circle C
Trim T
Offset O
Measure I
Project P
Normal / Construction X
Sketch Dimension D
Scripts and Add-ins Shift + S
Window Selection 1
Freeform Selection 2
Paint Selection 3
Delete Del
Windows Key
System Keyboard Shortcuts Mac Key Combinations
Combinations
Create Version Ctrl + S Command + S
Recovery Save Ctrl + Shift + S Command + Shift + S
Windows Key
Canvas Selection Mac Key Combinations
Combinations
Pan Hold Middle Mouse Button Hold Middle Mouse Button
Windows Key
Canvas Selection Mac Key Combinations
Combinations
Zoom Roll Middle Mouse Button Roll Middle Mouse Button
Orbit Hold Shift + Hold Middle Hold Shift + Hold Middle
Mouse Button Mouse Button
Orbit around point Hold Shift + Click then Hold Hold Shift + Click then Hold
Middle Mouse Button Middle Mouse Button
Undo Ctrl + Z Command + Z
Redo Ctrl + Y Command + Y
Copy Ctrl + C Command + C
Paste Ctrl + V Command + V
Cut Ctrl + X Command + X
Sculpt Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Selection Combinations
Grow selection Shift + Up Arrow Shift + Up Arrow
Shrink selection Shift + Down Arrow Shift + Down Arrow
Loop selection Alt + P Control + P
Loop grow selection Alt + O Control + O
Ring selection Alt + L Control + L
Ring grow selection Alt + K Control + K
Ring shrink selection Alt + J Control + J
Previous U Alt + Left Arrow Control + Command + Left
Arrow
Next U Alt + Right Arrow Control + Command +
Right Arrow
Previous V Alt + Down Arrow Control + Command +
Down Arrow
Next V Alt + Up Arrow Control + Command + Up
Arrow
Range selection Alt + M Command + M
Invert selection Alt + N Command + N
Toggle box mode Alt + 1 Control + 1
Toggle control frame mode Alt + 2 Control + 2
Toggle smooth mode Alt + 3 Control + 3
Select edge ring Double-click an edge Double-click an edge
Select face ring Select two faces then Select two faces then
double-click a third face double-click a third face
Windows Key
Edit Form Command Mac Key Combinations
Combinations
Add geometry Alt + Drag Alt + Drag
Add geometry and keep Alt + Ctrl + Drag Alt + Command + Drag
creases
Render Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Command Combinations
Appearance A A
Animate Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Command Combinations
Transform Components M M
Auto Explode All Levels U U
Manual Explode E E
View U U
Publish Video P P
Simulate Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Command Combinations
New Simulation Study N N
Structural Constraint C C
Structural Loads L L
Force F F
Model View Ctrl + L Command + L
DOF View Ctrl + D Command + D
Groups View Ctrl + G Command + G
Results View Ctrl + R Command + R
Settings E E
Drawing Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Command Combinations
Projected View P P
Move M M
Delete Delete Delete
Center Mark C C
Dimension D D
Text T T
Balloon B B
CAM Workspace Windows Key
Mac Key Combinations
Command Combinations
Generate Toolpath Ctrl + G Command + G
Duplicate Ctrl + D Command + D
Show Log Ctrl + L Command + L
Scripts and Add-Ins Shift + S Shift + S
FUSION 360 /
Sketch
Sketches are the base building blocks for your design. In this tutorial, youll be able to start a new sketch,
create sketch objects, edit existing sketches, and turn sketches into 3D objects.
Model
Fusion 360 gives you flexibility in your preferred modeling technique. In this tutorial, youll learn how to
turn a sketch into a parametric 3D model.
Manage
With Fusion 360 you can manage your design and project data from anywhere, on any device. In this
tutorial, youll learn about managing and sharing your CAD files, version management, and workgroup
access.
Collaborate
Product development typically requires multiple people to take a product to market. In this tutorial, youll
learn how to collaborate using Fusion 360 and A360.
Patch
Gain additional flexibility in an already robust modeling environment with the patch workspace in Fusion
360. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use surfaces to help in the product design process.
CAM
Fusion 360 has the functionality to help you fabricate your designs. In this tutorial, youll learn how to set
up toolpaths and generate machine code to cut, turn, and mill your designs.
Under the 2D and 3D icons you'll find drop-down menus containing the toolpath/machining commands:
The following example illustrates selecting a 2D Pocket strategy which is used to remove the interior
cavity of a part . Be sure to create a Setup before starting your toolpaths. A setup defines a number of
general properties for your machining process. For more information about creating a setup, see the
Help topic: Setup Reference.
There are 2 ways to select a toolpath. You can click the appropriate icon from the command ribbon . In
this example, you would click 2D panel 2D Pocket
CAM includes a powerful Drill tool for generating drilling, counterboring and tapping operations. The
Circular strategy is used for milling cylindrical pockets and islands, while the Thread operation is used
for thread milling cylindrical pockets and islands. The Bore operation allows you to bore mill
cylindrical pockets and islands by selecting the cylindrical geometry directly. All operations are
optimized to minimize tool travel and overall cycle time. Both standard and customized cycles are
supported for all point-to-point operations, including spot-drilling, deep drilling with chip break, etc.
Contouring
With the Contouring strategies, you can easily machine 2D and 3D contours with separate lead-in and
lead-out, and with or without tool compensation. Choose multiple roughing and finishing passes and
multiple depth cuts for any contour. Machine open and closed contours without creating additional
geometry and eliminate sharp motion with corner smoothing.
The Pocket toolpath is used for machining closed curves both with and without islands. The toolpath
starts at the center of the pocket and works its way outward. The entry can be selected anywhere on the
model and includes possibilities for plunge, ramp, or at a pre-drilled position. The special high-speed
option creates a smooth toolpath and allows you to specify a maximum tool engagement. As a result, the
feedrate can be increased significantly, reducing the machining time and tool wear.
Facing
The Facing strategy is designed for quick part facing to prepare the raw stock for further machining. It
can also be used for clearing flat areas in general.
Adaptive Clearing
The Adaptive Clearing strategy creates a roughing/clearing toolpath inside closed curves both with and
without islands. This strategy avoids full-width cuts by progressively shaving material off the remaining
stock. The generated toolpath ensures that the cutting conditions remain constant with a stable load on
the tool. As a result, the feedrate can be increased significantly, reducing the machining time by 40% or
more which provides improved surface quality and less tool wear.
About 3D Machining Strategies
Learn about the various 3D machining strategies.
Parallel
Parallel passes is one of the most widely used finishing strategies. The passes are parallel in the XY
plane and follow the surface in the Z direction. Parallel passes are best suited for shallow areas and
down milling. To automatically detect shallow areas, the machining can be limited to a maximum angle
between the tool tip and the surface. By selecting the down milling option, tool deflection can be
minimized when machining complex surfaces.
Contour
Contour passes is the best strategy for finishing steep walls, but can be used for semi-finish and finish
machining on the more vertical areas of a part. If a slope angle is specified, for example 30 to 90
degrees, the steeper areas are machined, leaving the shallower areas up to 30 degrees for more
appropriate strategies.
Horizontal Clearing
The Horizontal Clearing strategy automatically detects all the flat areas of the part and clears them
with an offsetting path. When the flat area is shelved above the surrounding areas, the cutter moves
beyond the flat areas to clean the edges. Using the optional maximum stepdown, horizontal faces can be
machined in stages, making the horizontal clearing suitable for both semi-finishing and finishing.
Pencil
The Pencil strategy creates toolpaths along internal corners and fillets with small radii, removing
material that no other tool can reach. Whether using single or multiple passes, the Pencil strategy is
ideally suited for cleaning up after other finishing strategies.
Scallop/Constant Stepover
The Scallop strategy creates passes that are at a constant distance from one another by offsetting inward
along the surface. The passes follow sloping and vertical walls to maintain the stepover. Although
Scallop finishing can be used to finish an entire part, it is most commonly used for rest machining,
following a combination of Contour and Parallel passes. Like the other finishing strategies, machining
can be limited by a contact angle range.
Spiral
Spiral machining creates a spiral toolpath from a given center point, generating a constant contact as it
machines within a given boundary. It is ideally suited for use on round shallow parts using tool contact
angles up to 40 degrees, in conjunction with Contour passes for the more vertical faces. The center
point of the detail to be machined is located automatically, or can be user-specified. This strategy also
supports tool contact angles.
Morphed Spiral
The Morphed Spiral strategy is very similar to the Spiral strategy. However, a Morphed Spiral
operation generates the spiral from the selected boundary as opposed to a Spiral operation which trims
the generated passes to the machining boundary. This means that Morphed Spiral can be used for
additional surfaces for which Spiral is not appropriate. It can also be very useful when machining free-
form/organic surfaces. Although the Scallop strategy is often used for these types of surfaces, both the
sharp corners and the linking transitions between the generated passes can result in visible marks. The
Morphed Spiral strategy generally provides a much smoother toolpath by avoiding these issues.
Radial
Like spiral machining, Radial machining also starts from a center point, providing you with the ability
to machine radial parts. It also provides the option to stop short of the center of the radial passes, where
they become very dense. The center point of the detail to be machined is located automatically, or can be
user-specified. This routine can also be used with tool contact angles.
Pocket
Pocket is the conventional roughing strategy for clearing large quantities of material effectively. The
part is cleared layer by layer with smooth offset contours maintaining climb milling throughout the
operation. To avoid plunging, the tool ramps down along a helical path between levels. To maintain a
high feedrate, and thereby reducing machining time, sharp changes of direction are avoided by
smoothing the tool motion.
Adaptive Clearing
Adaptive Clearing is an innovative roughing strategy that offers significant improvements compared to
conventional roughing strategies. The strategy avoids full-width cuts by progressively shaving material
off the remaining stock. The generated toolpath ensures that the cutting conditions remain constant with
a stable load on the tool. As a result, the feedrate can be increased significantly, reducing the machining
time by 40% or more.
3+2 Machining
All 2D and 3D strategies support 3+2 machining (5-axis positioning) by rotating the part or the head of
the machine tool through a combination of A, B, or C axis motions. Creating 3+2 operations is just a
matter of selecting a work plane for the operation and CAM takes care of the rest. Once in position, all
machining strategies are available, and are both tooling and holder gouge protected for all the strategies
that normally support this.
Toolpath Parameter Pages
Toolpath Dialog Tabs and Their Meaning
Strategy Dialog and Tabs
Th illustrations shown below will give you an overview of what you can expect to see in the toolpath
dialogs.
Tool tab - Select the tool to use, Coolant function, as well as the Feeds and Speeds.
Geometry tab - Select the geometry to be machined.
Heights tab - Define the toolpath clearance heights, starting heights, retract heights and cut depth.
Passes tab - Define how the tool removes material. The parameters of this page will change depending
on the toolpath type.
Linking tab - Define how the tool responds between cuts. Sets the conditions for retracting and how the
tool will lead in or lead off of the cut.
GUIA DE USO FRESADORA DE ESCRITORIO POCKETNC
MASTERCAM X9
MASTERCAM 2017
The files you will need are in the zipped file and include:
Users > Public > Public Documents > shared mcamx9 > CNC_MACHINES
Users > Public > Public Documents > shared mcamx9 > mill > Posts
In this location find Generic PocketNC 5X Mill.mmd-9 and Generic PocketNC 5X Mill MM.MMD-9
The difference between these two mill formats is related to the unit output:
Select either or both of these machines and click "Add" to move these machines onto the standard mill
selection in the Mastercam interface.
MACHINE SIMULATION
To run the Machine Sim on your PC:
Click here to download all the files needed to run the machine simulation on your computer.
2) Copy all file enclosed in the Zip (must unzip them first) to this folder
Recopilado por Ulises Rodrguez cnc@avancort.com Julio/2017
GUIA DE USO FRESADORA DE ESCRITORIO POCKETNC
3) Launch machine sim inside mastercam and the POCKETNC should now appear in the dropdown.
The desk and laptop are defined as the machine housing and can be turned off or made transparent for
simulation.
things:
WCS TUTORIAL
EXAMPLE FILES