Program Naming Convention

Hey everyone,

I am wondering how you guys number programs. My question in particular is with machines that only accept 4 characters in their program numbers (ex. O1234).

My company is a job shop, so changing machine set ups are very frequent and our programs are abundant. What are some creative ways that you use naming conventions?

Thanks!

O1000, and rewrite over it constantly...

Programs stored in computer under part and op #...

O1001,O1002 etc for subs.

No point in storing programs in the control that you may or may not need again.

90% of the time I don't even store the programs on the computer.. I just keep posting to a file
called "delete me".. That way I go back and look at the CAM and can refresh my memory as to the operations
and that's where I store my notes on the job also.

That's just my system.. May not work for you.

We have a large mix of routers, mills and lasers and all our programs are numbered consecutively and saved in a folder specific to that machine. One machine does allow letters which can be helpful in finding a program if it was done with no CAD file as some of our stuff is. The rest have the program number noted along with the other job info so it can be found and sent to the control in seconds. Everything is backed up in 1 place except for a few of the latest programs which need to exist also on my hard drive for communication purposes. We keep everything since about 25% is repeat jobs.

I use 199 200 etc... Just the I use it. Post the code out on the part if run again force update the cam instead of fixing the crap in the code.

WE are a small manufacturer. 99% of our parts are our own product part numbers. Those are all 3 digit part numbers.On our Fanuc controls, all have to start with a capital O, as in O1234. I use the part number, preceeded by the O, and followed by a zero if it's the only program for that part. Or if it's the program for the first operation on parts with more than one operation. Any parts with multiple operations get the second operation designated with a subsequent number. 1-9. O, then the three digit part number, then the suffix number.Usually I use 5 for the suffix if there is only one secondary operation. Part number 134, for instance, would be O1340, for the first op. Second op would be O1345.
Now, we get to sub routines, which I use a LOT. These can be handled by any of the other numbers not 0 or 5. O1341, O1342 and so on. If I run out of numerals, I can occasionally alter the first number of the part number to the next number in sequence. Say I have enough subs that I've used O1349, and need more. Then I go to O2341, and so on. This could(and has)gotten confusing, if there is a 234 part number,and if it also needs subs written. If that is the case, I write in a note in the first lines of code, inside parenthasis, explaining what is going on here. This is usually sufficient. Otherwise, I can just pick a number way higher than my part numbers run, and make a note on the print header. O6000, or similar. I very seldom have to, but it has happened before.
We have a few "customer part numbers" that we build on occasion. I use the first four digits, and alter the first digit sequentially. O7347 becomes O8347 for the second op or for a subroutine. It sounds confusing, but it really isn't. If I had thousands of programs, it could be. But that isn't the case in our operation.
In our Okuma lathes, we can use more digits, so we just use the part number, along with a description of the op. SH141STI is a shaft(SH) number 141(our pn) STI( our customers custom spec). Very simple, once you get the hang of it.
It just has to make sense to you. There is no convention to adhere to. Long as it works for your shop, and your people grasp it, you're good.

The OP didn't say what control but all of the i series controls, ie: 30i, 31i, 32i, OiF, can use an 8 digit program number. Parameter 11317 bit 0 will do it.

Paul

I like how most machines still can't use alphanumeric names. It's only 2016...so

John Welden said:

I like how most machines still can't use alphanumeric names. It's only 2016...so

Click to expand...

It's a strangely depressing reality, which makes you wonder why?

Does having alpha numeric file/program names encourage some sort of "Bad practice"?... I don't get it.

cameraman said:

It's a strangely depressing reality, which makes you wonder why?

Does having alpha numeric file/program names encourage some sort of "Bad practice"?... I don't get it.

Click to expand...

Most of my machines will store a 32 letter/ number program name. They will also store programs in a subfolder. It will tell you when the program was last run and what part of it was edited.

John

John Welden said:

I like how most machines still can't use alphanumeric names. It's only 2016...so

Click to expand...

Gotta love Okuma. My 30+ year old LB15, LC20, and LC30 machines can take up to 16 alphanumeric characters...as long as the first character is a letter.

More good Okuma rant. I can take a program from my 1982 era LB15 (single spindle, single turret) and put it in my 2015 Genos without changing a thing and it runs just the same. I can also take that same program and put it in an LC20 (single spindle, two turrets) and it runs....just need to add G13 at the beginning of the code (G13 for upper turret, G14 for lower turret).
I can even take that same program and put it into my 8 year old LT200 (twin spindle, two turret)...just need to add G140 for main spindle and the G13 for upper turret.

John Welden said:

I like how most machines still can't use alphanumeric names. It's only 2016...so

Click to expand...

Because Fanuc sucks balls. Their controls are so outdated it's not even funny.
You'd think that one of the biggest if not THE biggest control company in the world would be on top of the game and not have a complete utter pile of shit for a control.

I have changed from using sub programs to calling a sub line in the same program. I like this method a lot better because the subs stay with the main and you do not have to worry about calling a sub for a different part. The main program name I try to use the part number when possible, if not just any number that is not another part number.

Mtndew said:

Because Fanuc sucks balls. Their controls are so outdated it's not even funny.
You'd think that one of the biggest if not THE biggest control company in the world would be on top of the game and not have a complete utter pile of shit for a control.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've bitched about them for years.

Luckily there are a lot of other options out there now days.

John Welden said:

Yeah, I've bitched about them for years.

Luckily there are a lot of other options out there now days.

Click to expand...

Color me crazy, but even on the fancy new heidenhains, still just using 4 digit numbers.. :/

0010/0011/0012 for the first part, 0020/21/22 for the next one, i'll count up to ~0150 or so before deleting them all and rolling back to 0010 again. Seems to work, lets me have multiple irons in the fire without getting too out of hand.

Its one of the things i love about My Linux cnc retrofit, 255 characters is the limit, thats enough to have damn near a short novel as to what it is, or more likely, a name, part number and revision details + operation 1 of x etc, lots of info that makes life easy and reduce the fuck up potential.

I still don't see why you guys will drop £ or $10'sK on something with less file handling capabilities than a 20 year old graphic calculator.

adama said:

Its one of the things i love about My Linux cnc retrofit, 255 characters is the limit, thats enough to have damn near a short novel as to what it is, or more likely, a name, part number and revision details + operation 1 of x etc, lots of info that makes life easy and reduce the fuck up potential.

I still don't see why you guys will drop £ or $10'sK on something with less file handling capabilities than a 20 year old graphic calculator.

Click to expand...

I totally get the sentiment of woefully archaic interface consistent with "20 year old [+] graphing calculator".

BUT unfortunately a lot of the GOOD but somewhat more affordable Japanese iron seems to be integrated with Fanuc controls :-( (especially from the smaller MTBs in that class). Firms that have a LOT of expertise with the "iron" and "mechatronics" but don't necessarily want to invest a lot in control and software development (YES they could integrate on Siemens or Heidenhain but not all of them do for all their product range)...

So for example Makino and Matsuura will have various offerings that use FANUC controls that have another thin layer added to it, making still very "Fanucy"... So for example I can snap up a Matsuura MX-520 for around $300K (sim 5 and 60 tools, scales on all axes, spindle chiller, etc etc. pretty well optioned and delivered on my floor) but if I wanted better functionality at the control and machine functionality like a Okuma MU 4000V that's another $100 to $150K more (at least)... There's a lot of really good Japanese iron that (unfortunately) is Fanuc Based. You can also say the same of the Robodrill products at least for 5 axis.

I like the Good yet more affordable Japanese iron and the saved $ (for the whole system) over the more modern convenience of "Modern"/"contemporary" control.

Do I wish the MTBs that I can afford and like would integrate with other control systems..? Absolutely. But I like the iron more at that price. But never the less it's good to complain about it so that that one day Fanuc might actually wake up? But maybe Hades installs a new ice rink before then.

Honestly, for me, a 1 digit program identifier would be fine. I don't have probing so only need one macro for the toolchange. Subs are in the main program right after the M30. So two programs are all I ever need in the control at any time.

I only really care about how my files are named and organized on the PC and backup drive that they are stored on.

Personally I keep everything on a pc and use sub folders for machine name, customer and very descriptive file names. Occasionally I'll have to change a program number or delete something out of the controller but each customer (pretty much) has their own first digit: O1xxx, O2xxx etc. I have the added bonus of having to save a "left" and "right" for most of what I run due to the fact they're Nakamuras with left and right spindles, but that's easy enough in a descriptive filename like "Z2011, Top Riser, left.txt" and "Z2011, Top Riser, right.txt".

aj said:

Personally I keep everything on a pc and use sub folders for machine name, customer and very descriptive file names.

Click to expand...

I do the same thing... Break it all down by descriptive names and part #'s.

Here are some samples of descriptive file names.

"some goofy shit".. Just delivered some more of those the other day.
"some stupid plate shit"
"stupid little fucking I-beam"
"waste of time freebee"
"bronze thing"
"cap assembly BS"
"xxxx tube and stuff"
"crappy towbar thing"
"fucking flapper arm shaft"
"little casting with a hole in it"
"two holes in a piece of shit"
"some round fucking thing with a hole and a pin"
"dirt clods"
"gummy rings" need to make some more of those.
"safety wire holes on a shitty nut"
"stupid pin thing"
"thing with nub"

Those are all real file names I just pulled up.. I know what 90% of those are based on the folders they are in...

Though I did just find this one and I have no idea what it is.

"Giant aluminum penis and teflon".

99% of all file names are in a customer folder and then a part # folder, and have sane and normal names.. "part # op2" etc...

And they still all go to the machine as O1000

Is it possible to name programs O1787-A-12345.tap on a Fanuc 31i ?