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Work Coordinate Setting and Part Measuring Program

PROBE

Hot Rolled
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Tel Aviv, Israel
Many times in the past I mentioned in my posts, that I prefare to use my own measuring routines when using probe. Those have been written "ad hoc" in accordance with actual task.
I decided to organize all these pieces into complete, easy to use program. It took a while to compile it and then debug. It is basicly written for Fanuc Macro B, but can be easy adopted to all other "cousins": Mitsubishi, Mazak,Yasnuc and Haas. I ran the program on Fanuc 0M, 0iMC, 0iMD, 16i, 18i and 21i.
The program (I call it SNR Basic) allows to measure position and size of: X/Y/Z surface, Bore/Boss, Slot/Web and angle. It allows to SET (contrary to update) the work coordinate system. It is very easy and safe to use by machine operator. And of course is FREE.

I attach the program and zipped Operating Instructions. All settings have to be done by editing the program O9960. The values now are for metric system, edit accordingly for your needs, either inch or metric.

As written above, the program went through debug and trials and works OK. Nevertheless, as with any new program, be carefull while using it for the first time.
 
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I am sorry, despite many attempts I did not succeed to attach files to my message. Coul'd anybody give me step by step instructions ?
 
Edit your post - or the last one you can edit in the thread. Click the "Go advanced" if needed. Then "manage attachments" and add the file. You cannot add an attachment to a new thread as you post it because the thread doesn't yet exist in the database. So you have to post your comments part of the post, then edit the post and add the attachments.
 
I am sorry, it seems that attaching files to messages is more complicated then writing the whole program. Tony, thank you for your help.
Dave, as to your question regarding Easyset:
1. Easy set is in fact just application program, which operates the Inspection Plus. It means that you have to have the Inspection Plus purchased
and loaded in the control prior to use the Easyset.
2. In mine (well, not very objective ) and many of my customers opinion SNR Basic is easy, friendly and intuitive to use. You don't have to ask yourself: "Oh God, what A1 means ? And A7 ??" It also was written to be absolutely insensitive to previous tool offset activation, and therefore very usefull for on the spot MDI utilization.
3. The Easyset adds one additional level of macro nesting. Together with already problematic level of nesting in Inspection Plus you may found yourself
unable to use it. As the result of experiance with this kind problems the SNR Basic is written in one level of macro without any nesting.
4. Last but not least: SNR Basic is free. You can use it on any number of machines and copy it to any number of applications. Pay attention that each Renishaw disk has a clause: one disc for one machine. If you have 20 machines - then you are obliged to buy 20 Inspection Plus and 20 Easyset -roughly 35000 $.
 

Attachments

  • OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS.zip
    13.3 KB · Views: 671
  • SNR BASIC F.txt
    10.5 KB · Views: 986
Just thought I might add my opinion having used and purchased probing for over 30 years in 5 different countries, my experiences might be useful to other.
I’ve used varying probing systems (Blum, Marposs & Renishaw) and found them all to have their good and bad points but always prefer to purchase Renishaw due their larger product range and better coverage for support in the area’s I have worked.
I have used Renishaw software and found it fine for my application and have always managed to get it free of charge, In the UK where I am currently working you will get easyset & easycycle (cycle called from Mazak Mazatrol programs) free of charge if you ask Renishaw, and yes you will need inspection plus already on the machine for these free of charge “add on” to run but does anyone pay list price for this software? I do feel I need to correct a few statements in the previous post:

1) How can easyset have any nesting level issues when it’s suppose to be running from MDI?
2) I have never come across any nesting level problems yet using Renishaw software, I guess if you call a program you have created using a G65 when you should be using M98 they maybe.
3) Having looked into the easyset macro it applies the tool offset for you.
4) Having just opened up the SNR user guide I cannot see it being any easier or any more difficult then what Renishaw offers, most things are easy in the creator’s eyes!
5) The SNR software maybe great in his opinion, but I’ll stick to the probe manufactures software if only for the support they give and they must have teams of software engineers in the UK, Germany & Italy ensuring the software is safe and works the varying control I’m now seeing.
6) I’ve just taken delivery of Renishaw Aepro CAM software which is in my opinion is the direction I need to be going with probing as all my new programs that I’m generating are created from my CAM system, a nice little touch from Renishaw is they supply easyprobe on the machine free of charge to allow the operator to use the program as well.
 
Just thought I might add my opinion having used and purchased probing for over 30 years in 5 different countries, my experiences might be useful to other.
I’ve used varying probing systems (Blum, Marposs & Renishaw) and found them all to have their good and bad points but always prefer to purchase Renishaw due their larger product range and better coverage for support in the area’s I have worked.
I have used Renishaw software and found it fine for my application and have always managed to get it free of charge, In the UK where I am currently working you will get easyset & easycycle (cycle called from Mazak Mazatrol programs) free of charge if you ask Renishaw, and yes you will need inspection plus already on the machine for these free of charge “add on” to run but does anyone pay list price for this software? I do feel I need to correct a few statements in the previous post:

1) How can easyset have any nesting level issues when it’s suppose to be running from MDI?
2) I have never come across any nesting level problems yet using Renishaw software, I guess if you call a program you have created using a G65 when you should be using M98 they maybe.
3) Having looked into the easyset macro it applies the tool offset for you.
4) Having just opened up the SNR user guide I cannot see it being any easier or any more difficult then what Renishaw offers, most things are easy in the creator’s eyes!
5) The SNR software maybe great in his opinion, but I’ll stick to the probe manufactures software if only for the support they give and they must have teams of software engineers in the UK, Germany & Italy ensuring the software is safe and works the varying control I’m now seeing.
6) I’ve just taken delivery of Renishaw Aepro CAM software which is in my opinion is the direction I need to be going with probing as all my new programs that I’m generating are created from my CAM system, a nice little touch from Renishaw is they supply easyprobe on the machine free of charge to allow the operator to use the program as well.

Davestanworth,
I really appreciate the fact that, although after a while, you decided to response to my post and publication of the SNR Basic. I am specially honoured as your first apperance on this forum was stimulated by me. Nevertheless I am quite surprized that your response is offensive rather then productively critical. When I decided to publish the SNR Basic here, my intension was to give members of this forum the possibility to use free of charge, easy to use set of probing macro routines. I did not force anybody to use it or prefare it over any other option.

This closes the courtesy part of my answer. Now to the facts.

1. Easy Set adds one level of nesting. It's manual does not mention in any place that it is intended for MDI usage. Majority of HAAS owners, the biggest user of the Easy set in the world, who are fed with it even without their knowledge, use the G65P9023 A.... commands planted in their production programs. And additional level of nesting causes problems, specially in cell systems.

2. I realy do appreciate your many years of professional record as mentioned by you in your post. But the fact that you did not ever had a problem with nesting depth does not mean that the problem does not exist. I experienced it in many cases. One was with Renishaws non contact tool setting "software" when I was forced to write the whole thing from scrap. This was really difficult task, as I had to figure out how the NCi4 interface works during the "drip rejection" process, and of course Renishaw did not supply any information. But I did it and many NC3's and NC4's are working with my set of macros ( I am refraining from calling macro programs "software"). Of course, "per definitio", this set uses no macro nesting in all.

3. Unfortunately wrong. As stated before, Easy set is just application program. It addresses to standard Renishaw tool setting software, which must be purchased. Not by you of course. You somehow (your words) always got it free. But majority of users pay for it.

4,5. Of course I like and am proud of SNR Basic. It is my baby. It works very nice and is free.

6. The problem of combining probing activities during the process of cutting, which becomes more and more popular because of process control demands, forces the CAM suppliers to cope. The Renishaws Productivity+, with such enthusiasm promoted by you (one could believe that you are undercover Renishaw guy) is not giving any solution, as whatever its outcome is, it must be manually planted in CAM generated G-code program.
Some CAM suppliers have already solution, which addresses the probing instructions to Renishaws Inspection Plus, resident in machines control. Just recently I was contacted by one of leading CAM suppliers. They wished to go the mentioned way (using Inspection Plus). But then they realized that they will have to force their customers to purchase the "software" from Renishaw (not all are lucky to get everything free of charge). So this guys came to me and asked me to write the comprehensive set of macros to fulfill all kind of setting, measuring and reporting tasks. This set will be supplied by them as one block with probing module in their CAM. This set of macros is ready and the whole system is undergoing final tests. Many customers are enxiously waiting for the release.

So as you see, I am not only arguing , but also doing some productive things. Nevertheless I still appreciate your post. Maybe it will ignite some discussion on the forum. Ennormous amount of great minds participate here and one can learn a lot just from reading the exchange of ideas.

Welcome to forum and be well.

PROBE
 
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My new probing program - the SNR-PRO - went through successfull trials, while working as a tandem with SOLIDCAM's SOLID PROBE module. SOLID PROBE generated macro commands to execute necesssary probing tasks during the machining process. The complete g-code program (part cutting and probing) was generated based on same model. The trial was performed on big bridge type machine, Fanuc OiM controlled, part size 5000 mm X 2200 mm, aluminum, with thousends of small cavities. The probing tasks were:
1. Set initial WCS.
2. Update WCS based on thermal changes in part during the production.
3. Generate comprehensive Inspection Report for finished part.

SOLIDCAM guys made very nice job, the Man-Machine Interface is neat and very easy to operate. The system generates macro sentences specified by me to execute variety of measuring tasks.

As to SNR-PRO - it of course is written in accordance with basic rules I defined for any program I develop: no macro nesting, possible minimum of subprograms, easy and intuitive commands.
The capabilities are:
1. Support of any probe, no matter of make.
2. Comprehensive setup file.
3. Optional calibration of the probe without necessity of finding the center of calibration ring.
4. Measure surfaces, bores and bosses (3 or 4 points), webs and slots (straight and angled), angles in all major planes, intersections between 2 lines rather the just corner finding.
5. Possibilty of tolerancing of any of measured features, with options of stoping program execution if OUT OF TOLERANCE for operators / inspector revue and decision.
6. Updating the tool offsets according to measured difference from nominal.
7. Generating the Inspection report. The trial part report included several hundreds of slots and bosses, measured for size and position tolerance. The final report had over 1000 lines and was stored in one file on Memory card. This was quite difficult to achieve, I unseccessfully looked for some help on this forum. Finally I found the solution which is now implemented in SNR-PRO.

The final inspection of this huge part took quite long time. This big machine was a bit harsh in short movements, and sensitive probe (OMP40 in this case) was unintentionally triggered, stoping the cycle with alarm. I didn't want to lower the feeds, as this would make the process longer. In order to overcome this problem I developed the unique "False Trigger Filter" ability, now implemented as standard in SNR-PRO.

Finally, the SNR-PRO can be operated by machine operator using same simple commands of SNR-Basic. There is no need for additional application software, like Easy Set.

And most important: It can be adapted to any special demands - without any burocratic obsticals. I wrote it, I know each letter of it and I can edit it - immediately.
 








 
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