Custom Human Interface

Hello, I have a part with about 48 holes. Any one or combination of these holes may require drilling bigger and tapping. What are the steps to create a custom program that talks to the Fanuc controller.

My vision is as follows

1. Operator opens an Excel file which shows a picture the part and a check box next to each hole.
2. Each check box corresponds to a particular G-code program or maybe parameters to be used by a G-code macro.
3. Operator selects all the holes requiring work.
4. VBA (that program I know) would collect all the boxes and tell the Fanuc controller to load all of the applicable G-code programs or parameters.

Step 4 is where I am lost.

Thanks

Jason

Simplest way I can think of would simply be to have macro variables in the header of the program that act as toggle switches to turn the various holes on and off. No need for Excel or VBA.

barbter said:

Just an initial question:-
Do you know how to program and run a Fanuc CNC at the moment?

Click to expand...

I had the same thought.

Not sure how many options per hole as far as drill sizes and tapped or not.
Anyhoo in VBA I'd run through the checkboxes and generate the code on the fly.
I'd use print to output this code to a text file as it is being built.
Then I'd use whatever program transfer method you have handy to push it to the controller. You can automate this step in excel but it just may be easier to open your comm program.
I sense that what you want is a easy to use HMI so that people who don't code can auto generate programs. Often it is best to keep these people away from the G-code.
Click a few buttons or boxes and press the "Build my program" button.
Once you have such an interface even if you are a g-code master it's just plain faster and easier to use. 60 seconds for a custom part, done, press the green button.

Think about what the code has to look like and how your automation in excel can build it. Building the file is just building strings and spitting them out.
Perhaps none of this makes sense. Been doing such "program builders" in basic since before VBA so it seems like falling off a log to me which is bad as I just think do this or that.
Many examples of working such in excel on the net are so way over-complicated. Keep it simple.
Bob