cnctoolcat
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2006
- Location
- Abingdon, VA
I have a part to machine that is a cam. It seems fairly simple, but a limitation with the Fadal 88HS control is complicating matters for me.
Basically the cam is a 6" diameter round part, with a continuous cam slot milled around the circumference. Typically, I would position the tool at the starting point in X, with Y on the part centerline. Feed down into the part in Z, then use a G1 X.... A.... command to feed the tool in X, as the rotary rotates. At the 180 degree rotation point, the toolpath for X is reversed, bringing the tool back to the original starting point when the rotary finishes 1 rotation (360 degrees).
Simple enough.
But here's the kicker: the print calls for the tool to make a partial arc in the XY plane, as the rotary rotates. The toolpath calls for the tool to make the partial arc clockwise during the first 180 degrees of rotation, then counterclockwise during the 2nd 180 rotation, with the tool ending back where it started in X,Y, and A.
But alas, according to the Fadal manuals, you cannot program an A-axis rotation on the same line as a G2 or G3!! An A command can only occur on a G0 or G1 line.
I am stumped. Any ideas on this one??
Thanks,
Greg
Basically the cam is a 6" diameter round part, with a continuous cam slot milled around the circumference. Typically, I would position the tool at the starting point in X, with Y on the part centerline. Feed down into the part in Z, then use a G1 X.... A.... command to feed the tool in X, as the rotary rotates. At the 180 degree rotation point, the toolpath for X is reversed, bringing the tool back to the original starting point when the rotary finishes 1 rotation (360 degrees).
Simple enough.
But here's the kicker: the print calls for the tool to make a partial arc in the XY plane, as the rotary rotates. The toolpath calls for the tool to make the partial arc clockwise during the first 180 degrees of rotation, then counterclockwise during the 2nd 180 rotation, with the tool ending back where it started in X,Y, and A.
But alas, according to the Fadal manuals, you cannot program an A-axis rotation on the same line as a G2 or G3!! An A command can only occur on a G0 or G1 line.
I am stumped. Any ideas on this one??
Thanks,
Greg