Category Archives: Fanuc Turn

G01 G00 Basic CNC Programming ( G01 not GO1 )

Tags :

Category : Fanuc Mill Fanuc Turn Haas Mill Haas Turn Mazak Mill Mazak Turn

G01 not GO1 Back to Basic CNC Programming

The letter O is only used for a programme number and a GOTO statement on a Fanuc Control. It’s important not to get it mixed up with the number Zero. So we should really say G zero one ( G01 not GO1 ).

So remember it’s G01 not GO1 (Zero not letter O)

G01 not GO1

A good solution is to miss it out where possible G1 not G01 etc.

This is part of a series of articles designed to cover basic CNC Programming.

When I first learnt to programme, before the First World War, I still remember how daunting the thick yellow Fanuc Manuals were. The Japanese were learning to speak English and we were learning to speak G Code.

Fanuc Manuals

Fanuc manuals are just like the yellow pages. A note here for you young people who might not know what yellow pages are (no it’s not like someone pissed on the photocopier)

Long before Google we had these thick yellow books and we used them to find stuff like if your mam needed to get the outside toilet unblocked or something.

None of this stuff was in the Fanuc manuals but you could easily get them mixed up cos they looked very similar.

I can honestly say when I was learning Basic CNC Programming I read the old 6M Fanuc manual from cover to cover. The Macro bit was just like another planet to me. Some things I had to read over and over again to understand.

Some of it was so badly written you kind of had to guess what they meant.

In the Beginning

Every now and then I used to go right back to the beginning and read the basic stuff again. Believe me, every time I would find something I didn’t know, mind you I didn’t know much then anyway.

Try it later and if it doesn’t work I’ll give you your money back.

Okay enough of this bullshit and verbiage let’s talk about G codes.

Geometric Code, that’s what the G stands for.

Useless information but anyway, now I’ve said it. Don’t tell your mates down the pub because you will probably bore them shitless.

I often begin my training courses by saying “you only need to know four G codes to programme a CNC, it really is that easy”

G0 G1 G2 G3

(Please smart arses don’t contact me.)

What that means is that you can get round any shape with straight lines G1 and circles G2 and G3. Oh and you need to quickly get to the part so use G0 rapid.

Yes and another note. You don’t need leading zeros.

G00 can be G0 (Never GO as in letter O)
G01 can be G1 (Never GO1 as in letter O)
G02 can be G2 (Never GO1 as in Letter O)
G03 can be G3 (Never GO1 as in letter O)

Read this if you want to know more.

Lets Get On with It

G00 or G0 commands a rapid move. That means the axis will be flat out. Maximum foot to the floor, shit off a stick as we say in the Midlands.

A common mistake with rapid moves is to assume that the axis will all move in a straight line like a bullet from a gun.

Not true. Because each axis is flat out one axis may arrive before the other. The rapid on your X axis could be slower than your Z. Anyway you get what I mean.

Why do I need to know this?

Easy because if something is in the way then you might hit it. That is if you assume the movement is a straight line.

Now lets see.

Move down in Z

G0 Z5.

G01 not GO1

Then a nice straight line G0 X130. Z-30.

G01 not GO1

But meanwhile in the real world

G01 not GO1

It’s obvious really.

Just think for a moment:

If both X and Z rapid motors ran at the same speed. Then each axis will move the same amount until one reaches its destination.

Looks like this.

G01 not GO1

Z has 30mm to move in total so they will both move 30mm. This will make a 45 degree line.

Ah but X is not finished yet. X will carry on and finish its move in a straight line.

G01 not GO1

If something is in the path of your rapid move you may need to programme your axis separately to be sure not to hit anything.

G00 X130. Z-30.

Could be:

G00 X130. ;
Z-30.;

G01 not GO1

Please don’t repeat the G00 (you know it will piss me off).

Now G01 ( G01 not GO1  )

G01 is a linear feed. It means feed in a straight line. Just like stretching a piece of string between two points. It can be just one axis or two simultaneous axis. You can even programme X Y and Z all in one line of code.

So this is what really separates a CNC from a manual machine. Remember how hard it was to machine an angle on a manual milling machine? Or a taper on a lathe.

You do?

Well on a CNC Machine we just programme the end point. It will then machine a straight line from it’s current position to the programmed point

If your machine was at X50. Y0 and you programmed a line

G01 X55. Y-200. ;

You would get an angle.

Ok what’s wrong in this picture?

Just to see if you are not a robot?

Yes congratulations but what is wrong with the line.

G01 X55. Y-200. ;

The Feed-rate

Yes with G01 you need a feed-rate. Don’t repeat the feed-rate, you only need another feed-rate when you want to change it.

G01 X55. Y-200. F100. ;

Don’t forget you can programme X Y and Z together and it will still be a straight line just like you tied a piece of string between the start and end point.

F100. means feed at 100mm per minute.

CNC Turning

On a manual lathe you would have to set up a compound slide to just machine an angle.

Basic CNC Programming

Mmm very skillful and I’m sure it’s loads of fun.

On a CNC Lathe this is just one line of code and some Basic CNC Programming!!

What About 3 Axis Rapid?

Yes you can programme 3 axis together in rapid move. It’s definitely the quickest way to get to the part.

G0 X50. Y20. Z3.

I would definitely advise using it but, and there always is one, just be real careful nothing is in the way. Don’t blame me I’ll just say I never  met you.

Oh just one more thing as Columbo would say.

You could use a very high feed instead of a rapid move. That way you really would guarantee a straight line. I’ve never done this but it just came to me in a flash.

So there you have it G0 is rapid ( never GO letter O).

G1 is linear feed, remember G01 not GO1 (Not letter O)

Thank you for reading my article ( Basic CNC Programming G01 not GO1 )

Services offered at CNC Training Centre

Edgecam training.

Classroom programmer training.

Onsite CNC Machine Training.

CNC Training on all controls and machines.

Mazak Training Fanuc Training

Don’t forget we offer training on all types of Mazak Machines and all Fanuc Controls 6m to 31i Oi old to young.

 

 

 

Colchester Tornado CNC Lathe

Category : Fanuc Fanuc Turn News Useful Stuff

Classroom Training Click Here

 

Colchester Tornado

Colchester Tornado

A visit to Halesowen to train on this beast. Nice simple two axis Colchester Tornado 90, this guys got six, mmmm.

This one has the following:

  • 12 station turret, just about enough.
  • Fanuc 21i T and it’s got Macro too, lovely.
  • Absolute encoders, useful no zero return required
  • 4000rpm spindle with a collet chuck
  • Bar-feeder (hydrafeed)
  • VDI turret these are great for accurately and quickly changing tools
  • This particular machine has a 42mm bar capacity.
Colchester Tornado
Available from Fortis Tools

VDI

No it’s not a sexually transmitted disease, it’s that funny round thing with a pattern on at the back of the tool.

If you have this you’ll love it because it means you can quickly change a complete tool holder and it repeats really accurately.

Halesowen West Midlands

I’ve not been to Halesowen since 1974 I actually worked as a singer in a nightclub there. The band was “Sweet Rain” I wouldn’t google that one if I was you, if you don’t want to see some dodgy porn movie.

There was certainly no sexual innuendo intended back in 1970 when that name was conceived.

That’s me back then

These dates are not accurate but the price of oil quadrupled in 1974 and there was a shortage. I remember there was a 50mph speed limit on the motorway meaning the 50 mile journey took much longer.

It takes even longer today but that’s another grumble for a different post from me.

I’m a bit bored with 70’s music now but it was great at the time. I remember what it was like to be a tall man, my platforms adding over a foot to my total height. Us little guys were very reluctant to let the platforms go.

I still wear mine on occasions where I want to impress, especially with my mates all being taller than me.

Colchester Tornado

I remember years ago trying to set up a CNC Machine shop on a budget and it was almost impossible. The cost of machines being massive and the second hand market almost non existent. I ended up buying a Beaver, stop sniggering you infantile.

I know it’s now a euphemism but this was 1981 and Beavers were known for their hard work and making dams.

Sorry am I digging myself deeper into this?

Anyway if there had have been good CNC machines around then at the right price I’d now be sunning myself on a Caribbean island instead of writing this gratuitous shit that nobody reads.

Don’t know what gratuitous means but it sounds impressive in that sentence you must admit.

These machines can certainly deliver, now they are not exactly the Carlos Alcaraz in terms of looks but unless you’re a CNC geek like me you wont be taking selfies with one of these to impress your mates with the company you keep.

They ooze pragmatism, much like my wife they get things done, she can plough a large field in an afternoon on a good day.

My Colchester Tornado doesn’t have a tool presetting arm like this one.

Colchester Tornado

That really is a crying shame but let’s not get too upset

Here’s a nice video on how to use cut and measure.

Definitely more time consuming than if you have a measurement arm. So it’s something to look out for if you are buying one of these machines.

Calibration of these arms is not too difficult either. I would suggest you get some one like me or a service engineer to do it for you the first time and watch carefully. You should be able to do it yourself next time.

There is no separate rapid override on this Colchester Tornado. It’s just one control. A bit strange and scarry in equal measures until you get used to it.

I actually got to like it in the end.

Colchester Tornado

No markings at all on ours, welcome to the world of old machines. Anyway it overrides your rapid and your feed rate all in one dial.

Just reember to leave it at 12 o’clock.

Absolute Encoders

Cool, very cool. When you switch this beast on you don’t need to zero return it. Just straight on with business.

What’s An Absolute Encoder David?

I haven’t had an alcoholic drink for nearly 20 years, that’s another story for another time. Anyway I still go out with my mates and they still get absolutely blind, dogshit, pissed.

Come 2am I am the only one who knows exactly where I am, in fact I know where I am at all times.

Well I’m the one with the absolute encoder.

Absolute encoders know where they are even when you switch off your machine. Therefore no need to zero return the axis.

New Shit (Colchester Tornado)

Yes always something new, I must admit it is amazing now a days how you can use shit in almost any context. In my days it was something confined to a toilet, but now it can mean whatever you want.

I personally use it everywhere but I have always loved swearing. My mum used to say “it’s not clever to swear”. Now listen kids I admit to not being clever but I must tell you swearing is great fun, long may it live.

Anyway “new shit” I learn something new on every machine I work on.

M51 means that M30 no longer stops and rewinds. M30 just rewinds and the machine will carry on.

It now thinks it’s an M99.

M52, you guessed it switches the M30 back to it’s normal self.

(Never seen that before, probably made up by Mr Colchester)

No G53….. What?

Not sure if this is an option but most newer machines I work on have it.

Fuck, this ain’t got it. Shame. Can I live without it?

Probably not, watch this space.

What is G53? You mean you don’t know? Shame on you.

No Copy n Paste

Editing is really painful on this beast as you can’t copy n paste at all and using brackets for comments is a mind numbing painful experience to be avoided at all cost. It does tend to piss one off but work with what you got boys.

Editing

So if you are buying a Colchester Tornado be prepared to take a trip back in time when it comes to the editing process.

Check what spec the control is. Not sure how you do this but I recon you just have to try these G  codes to see if they work.

If you know a more scientific way then please let me know. Anyway if this was my machine I would definitely be doing my major program surgery offline.

Nice touch

It has the normal feed-hold but it also has cycle hold.

This means you can halt the program and stop spindle then open the door and have a look around. Then when you close the door you can carry on. Great. The luxury.

How Simple.

You would be forgiven for thinking all CNC’s would do this, take it from me, and I’m old enough to remember when we had fish in the rivers instead of tampons and human excrement, they fuckin don’t.

Stuff I like on Colchester Tornado

Second hand these machines are great value.

Most of em have VDI turrets. (Look out for it)

Cycle hold can stop program for inspection .

If you press F2 you can rotate the turret in reverse to quickly get your tool.

Absolute encoders (no need to zero return)

Loads of em about so therefore easy to get fixed.

Easy to fix yourself.

4000rpm spindle.

Fanuc control, and yes I slagged it but everyone knows it, so if you buy one of these and you advertise for someone to use it they will flood your inbox.

Stuff I Don’t Like on Colchester Tornado

Fanuc control, shit to edit.

Rapid override scare the living bollocks out of me.

Buttons tend to wear down, might be worth investing in new ones.

Tend to be dirty but you can always clean it.

Old Fanuc controls have very small memories.

No tool arm, it’s an option so check if you have one.

Conclusion

This machine is not super precision, it’s not super fast although definitely not slow.

To make a car analogy it’s like buying an old ford car. You know you won’t need a second charge on your house in order to get it fixed and there are loads of em about.

Parked on the drive it might look a bit shit but never mind. My mate once said to me, sat behind the wheel of his new Mercedes “you still driving that old wardrobe”

No-one gets to insult my V70 Volvo. “Yes” was my reply “and when it breaks down I’ll put it in my wheelie bin with the rubbish and buy another one for one months payment on that Mercedes”

Because the Colchester Tornado is common there is plenty of knowledge and bits out there.

Old Fanuc Control? Well that means it’s easy to find someone to work it.

Easy to get training (just come to me)

The price means you can almost have one in the garage. My wife said no but you might have more luck.

 

 

 

 

 

Femco HL 25N CNC Lathe

Category : Beginners Fanuc Turn News Whats New

On or Offsite CNC Training
Tel: David 07834 858 407

A Femco, yes they let me out again, tagged but free to train my victims.

Sooo, today I got to work on a Femco not to be confused with products designed to keep your private parts smelling nice n fresh

Femco

As is often the case there were no machine manuals. This is not like pissing into the wind no no this is pissing into a fuckin sunami with a water infection (tsunami so that’s how you spell it).

This one is the Femco HL 25N, Fanuc Oi TD control with macro, whoopee.

Femco HL 25N CNC Lathe

Nice simple two axis lathe, absolute doddle.

No Manuals, No Doddle

Anyway I couldn’t get it to bloody budge. It was like trying to get a teenager out of bed at 6am in the morning (fuck you).

It does everything except for Zero return, Jog and Rapid mm mmm. Apart from that it was great.

Definitely won’t be able to bull-shit my way out of this one.

Hand-wheel, check.
Spindle on off, check.
Index turret, check.
Coolant on, check.
Light on, check.

I suppose I could tell the customer that it was a demo machine and never designed to actually move around. Only thing is they want to make stuff on it so that idea wouldn’t work.

Anyway there was only one way to do this, we decided to take a very logical precise and scientific way to solve this problem of the lazy turret.

Yes you guessed it, we just keep pressing buttons until something happened. Pushing buttons on the fly as it were.

Low and behold it worked.

Is it me or is it outright blindingly shit-faced obvious????

Femco

Please tell me no. You hold the button in the middle as you press the outside buttons. Works for RAPID, JOG and ZERO RETURN

Normally that button is to change the moves to rapid. Not here, this machine has a rapid mode.

Femco

In fact everything on this dial except for the first four selections.

Sooo. That meant we could zero return the machine, phew.

Only an hour into the training and we’re just moving the machine around. But honestly how would I fuckin know. I mean without a manual and unless you worked one of these beasts before you couldn’t know.

Talking of bull-shit it’s something I never do, I mean yes I do bull-shit everybody does especially after 14 pints of lager.

No I mean when I’m training people. I’ve learnt it’s best to say sorry I don’t know. Then afterwards I will spend hours making sure I do know.

Some trainers, and you know who you are, will gloss over shit that they don’t know and it’s easy to do but in the long run it’s not good for anyone.

Anyway It’s Not Over Yet.

Next challenge. Tool arm, all I want to do is get it to rear it’s ugly head. It wont come out.

Tool Measurement arm please reveal yourself. Honestly this one is bonkers.

Have you guessed it yet?

Femco

You hold down the ready button (that’s the one that switches the machine on) and simultaneously press P SET and voila. It appears.

 

You just can’t know this stuff without a manual. Can’t blame the customer as he bought this machine at auction so it’s always a bit of a lottery.

Anyway once all the, shall we say “teething problems”, are out the way it’s time to have some fun.

Femco Let the Madness Begin

Measuring Tools

With the measuring arm down you can do what you want. So if you wanna smash or just bend this thing it’s dead easy.

Rapid Full Wack     TICK
High Feed                TICK
Index Turret           TICK
Index Turret Whilst Checking a Tool TICK  (I love this one)
Feed as fast as you want whilst checking tools TICK

Anyway that to one side at least it clears the the wear offset each time you check the tool. Which in my experience does not happen on all machines so beware.

It also jumps to the correct offset and displays the offset table. Some machines don’t even do this. Means you can measure the wrong tool mmm.

The tools on this turret are very close together. I mean it’s got 12 tools and they are crammed in. It’s like trying to breakdance in a Mumbai shopping centre on Black Friday. So extra care is needed.

Watch Out For

Tools hitting the chuck when proving out. Don’t forget that the tool you are watching has one sat right underneath it just waiting to kick you square on in the knackers when it clobbers the chuck.

Also when using tool measurement arm you can hit it underneath with the tool below. Now this shouldn’t happen but if you have some unusual weird tool that sticks out too far, it can hit.

When Measuring Tools Do This

Drive the tool in the opposite direction first. That way if you are in Rapid mode by mistake you will spot it.

It is also important to measure the tools at the same feed-rate. This ensures constant measurement and consistent figures.

Mazaks and the like just fix the feedrate when the arm is down so you automatically get the same feedrate regardless of dial position.

When I grow up (which people say I never will) I’m going to make a tool measurement arm that does all these things so you can’t trash it.

Always keep the rapid down real low when setting up a CNC machine.

No more than this.

Femco, It’s A Cool Dude

There is a massive difference between machines with regards to what they allow when using a measurement arm.

Like parents some let the kids do what the fuck they want and when they visit you your house gets trashed and you have to pretend it’s all ok (bastards).

This Femco HL 25N CNC Lathe is the “Hippy” of machine tools. It’s the laissez-faire, the “don’t give a flying fuck”, the “stay on ice man” machine tool. Anyway you get it.

It doesn’t have any respect for your welfare or your wallet. You wanna break this thing go ahead and do it, it’s cool with that.

Joking Aside

This Femco is a second hand machine bought at auction and I recon it’s half decent. The previous owner obviously looked after it. No battle scars, no dents in guards or cracked windscreens. Sounds lovely too, spindle nice n quiet and no axis noises.

Once you get your head around the weird protocol shit it’s easy. Just remember to press the buttons in the right order.

Setting the work offset is easy too. Call out the tool MDI (lay off the reset button) then press this

Femco

The work-shift screen will manifest.

Then press this.

Femco

You will see the work-shift figure update.

Job done just don’t press reset otherwise tool offset may be dumped and everything goes tits-up.

This Femco has Fanuc Oi TD

It has Macro which is great, oh and somebody changed the brackets around.  Just give me a minute I’ll explain.

On a Fanuc control like this it’s a pain the the arse to put comments into your programs. That’s because you have to press a million combinations of buttons to get to the curved brackets.

Anyway by changing a parameter you can make the square brackets into curved brackets making it all much easier.

Fanuc buried access to these extra buttons for brackets and commas and stuff like that deep in the bowels of the control. Without a metal detector and a private investigator they remain the fourth secret of Fatima. For my thick readers this link will save you googling this.

Graphics

Well what can I say.  If this was 1980 I’d be saying these graphics are cool. Unfortunately they are in a time lock a nice way of saying crap.

Anyway I’ve done this rant a million times so I’m not repeating it as much as I know you want me to.

If you have graphics then I will always recommend their use.

If you make a daft typo type error or like me you forget that in G74 the Q value can’t have a decimal point. Then the graphics will show an alarm.

Before

G74 Z-25. Q5. F.2:

After

G74 Z-25. Q5000 F.2:

This is way better than finding it at the prove-out stage.

You have to use machine lock and just run the program in memory as normal. Machine lock switch has to be pulled out to work (to stop you accidentally turning it on)

Use the feed potentiometer to speed up and slow down the graphics.

Be careful using graphics with machine lock. Zero return the machine BEFORE and AFTER use of machine lock.

Setting Speed In Manual on Femco

No need to program in MDI all you need is this.

Femco

Just be careful to leave it turned down or you may get a nasty shock when you start the spindle.

Turret

The turret is absolute “dog shit off a stick fast” so be careful. You can’t select individual tools so it’s a bit like playing roulette trying to get the tool you want. But at least it’s bloody quick. Shame there is no cuddly toy prize when you select the right tool with your first press of the button.

Inches “Oh my God”

For you Americans just say millimetres “holy goddam shit”.

The previous owner had this machine in inches. Now you can’t just program G21 it’s a common misconception. The G20 or G21 are just a check. It will just alarm out if you are in inches and you program G21 to mm. It’s like a shot across the bows, a warning.

Sorry suckers it’s a setting. Oh and to completely fuck you over it does not convert the program. It merely changes the decimal place. Useless. Other controls are available that convert. Never mind.

Femco

So just switch your machine into MDI and press away.

Oh just one thing before you go…… the machine must be at zero return when you do this.

What No G53, Femco Horror

Cover me in bat shite, this is bad. No fuckin goddam G53. Life can’t go on. Fanuc you guessed it, it’s a bloody option, can you believe it.

I use G53 all the time for sending the turret to a tool change position.

Now if you never heard of G53 don’t worry it’s OK. I got your back, yes you are a bit stupid you should know that but just take the time to read this, it’s for a machining centre but it works just as well on a lathe.

Honestly my friend it beats the shit out of G28.

Chamfer and Rads The Saving Grace

So glad it can add chamfers and rads to a program. Just add R3. to the end of a block and you will get a 3mm radius.

It works with C3. too to give you a 3mm 45 degree chamfer.

Important to note that the way this machine is set up you don’t use a comma.

G1 Z-20. F.1
X10. R3. 

Femco Sample code

T0303(ROUGH TURN)
M1

G0 X50. Z0
G96 S200 M3

G1 X-1.6 F.1
G0X52.Z1.

T0300
G0 X200. Z200.

M30

This is the way it was programmed before and I don’t really like it because that T0300 is a tool change and if you altered the tool number you might forget to change that one too BANG BANG

That’s why I’d sooner have G53.

The jury’s out, send me your suggestions.

Femco HL 25N Editing Fanuc Oi TD

This Fanuc Oi TD control has copy and paste and it’s easy to copy a program (if a bit convoluted) and there is a USB for saving programs.

Just press and hold the shift key to send a screen shot to the memory stick. You get a nice picture of the screen on your USB.

Very small memory by today’s standards, but on a two axis lathe you must be a greedy bastard if you run out.

Sorry Mr Femco

I like this machine, honestly I hadn’t heard of it before but they have been around for years.

The Femco brand from South Korea has been around for a long time, it stand for Far Eastern Machinery Company. So now I get it. Sorry for the cheap joke but if you read my stuff you’ll know about my infantile sense of humour.

I couldn’t resist a cheap joke. Maybe he’ll change the name to something more catchy like Anusol CNC, just and idea.

Thanks for reading. Love you all.

Femco

 

 

 

 

Fanuc Display – Relative Position

Category : Fanuc Mill Fanuc Turn

 

Fanuc Display (Relative Position) is used only by the operator.

Fanuc Display

You can reset Fanuc Display (Relative Position) just like you would on a manual machine with a DRO. So use it for setting or even measurements. One thing to remember is it will not retain it’s position when you turn the machine off. The control in the video is a Fanuc 18i on a big vertical lathe but all other Fanuc controls are similar.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel (I beg you)

“Read More”

Ten Things You Might Not Know About The Fanuc Sub Program

Category : Beginners Fanuc Fanuc Mill Fanuc Turn

Sub Program Fanuc

Here are ten things you might not know about Fanuc sub programs,

Fanuc CNC controls are the most common controls in the world so it might be useful to have a good understanding of how sub programs are called and used.

(1) You Can Call a Sub Program By Name.

Yes you heard it here the program can be called by it’s name or it’s number. When calling by name don’t use the P.

Just put the name of the program in these things <> with an M98 and your away.

M98<ALBERT>

The only problem with this is that the syntax needs to be spot on so if you have got complicated names for your your sub routines then you might be in the shit.

I always call mine names like ALBERT that are easy to remember.

(2) You can use internal sub routines on a Fanuc Control.

Some people call these local sub programs. It just means it’s tagged on the end of your program which makes them nice n easy to look after. A bit like a pet Goldfish or a pet fly.

I bought mine from the local pet store. I asked the assistant if he sold pet flies and he said no. I said “well there are loads in the window”.

Anyway he sold me one (£15) his name is Paul

 

This is not him this is Steve.

Internal Sub-Routines

By typing M98 Q500 your control will look for N500 within your current program. This is great because you can add the sub programs to the end of your main program. Don’t forget to leave big gaps so you can clearly see where and what they are. Oh and mind your P’s and Q’s.

M98 P500 (Call O500 externally)

M98Q500 (Call N500 in main program.

Oh and read this too.

Sub Program

Just one other thing. Watch your n numbers it’s easy to get them mixed up. Try and use a convention.

This Is What I Do

N1-N99 (Tool change lines)
N26 M6 T26

N100 to N900 (Local Sub routines)

N1000 to N9999 (Anything else)

(3) You Can Jump Back To a Specific N Number

If you put a P at the end of your sub program next to the M99 after completing the sub program it will return to the main program at the corresponding N number.

M99 P800 will make it return to N800 in the main program it came from.

Sub Program

The above example calls sub program O500 when it gets to M99 it returns to the main program. The P800 means it will return at the line N800

Oh by the way I think this is useless but if you can think of a use please let me know.

(4) There Are Two Ways to Call a Sub Program

M98 P500 L4 (Call program O500 four times.

M98 P40500 (Call program O500 four times) watch out as the digits need to be the correct number.

The last four digits are the program number. The digits before them are the number of repetitions.

There must be four digits for the program number so you need the leading zeros (0500).

Sub Program

This method is a bit convoluted but at least I’ve included it and you never know when you might come across it.

I suggest always use the same method.

(5) M99 Has More Than One Use

M99 normally ends a sub-program but it can also be used in a main program to make it continuous. If you replace M30 (Stop and rewind) with M99 the program will constantly loop around. This is useful for multi pallet machines and barfed lathes.

Oh and don’t forget the EOB or you’ll get an alarm.

M99 ;

(6) You can use M99 to Jump over a Section of Code

M99 P100 will jump to N100

Impress your mates with this one it saves an awful lot of block skips

/
/
/
/
/
/

Sub Program

(7) You Can Call Sub-Programs From The MDI Screen

M98 P500 L6 (Call program O500 six Times)

This will work fine in MDI

(8) You Can Use a G or M Code to Call a Sub-Program

You can use a G Code alias to call a sub program. By setting certain parameters you can create your own G code which will then call a program specified by certain parameters.

Read this article

(9) You Can Have an Movement on the Line That Calls a Sub-Program

Although I have often shit my pants proving out programs, I mean an XY or Z movement not a a bowel movement.

X50. M98 P500 machine will move to X50. then call out the sub program.

(10) On your check screen it will show you how many times you have entered your sub program.

Each time you enter a sub program your control will show you a count down.

(11) You Can Call Sub Programs that are Not in Your Current Folder

When you call sub programs the control will look in your current folder. If it is in a different folder you can still call it.

<//from cnc memory/folder/folder/program>

Sub Program

The format for this is really important.

Also you will get a format error when you try and type it in. Easy fix….. go to CHANGE EDITOR

I have nearly 27,000 followers on LinkedIn and it has some real perks. One is that when I couldn’t get this to work. A quick post on LinkedIn got me some clues many thanks to Volker Hänig.

Shit, that’s 11 things.

Try to ignore one of them so there are only 10, maybe the one you already knew

 

 

Onsite Training

Careers in CNC

View all current vacancies in CNC

Click here

Classroom Courses

Apply Now

Call David: 07834 858 407

© Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved

WP to LinkedIn Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com