Sinumerik Training Sub Programs

Sinumerik Training, with Siemens Sinumerik there are many ways to call a subprogram. Subprograms are a really convenient way to repeat a piece of program.

You could have an incremental program and call it in several places. You could profile the outside of a part with two different tools. One for roughing then one for finishing.

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The program below calls an external subprogram “THE_SHAPE” twice. The first time with a 20mm Endmill then the second time with a 10mm Endmill.

External means it’s another program somewhere in the directory.

This is the subprogram.

These subprograms need to end with an M17 (Fanuc uses M99). This tells the control to go back where it came from.

Providing the program is in the same folder as your main program then you just need to write in the name to call it.

All Roads Lead to Rome

If it’s in another folder then you need to state the full path. There is a really easy way of doing that if you use the subprogram button it just takes you straight into the directory.

You can then pick your program (whatever you want).

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Those clever chaps in Germany even gave us a really easy way to look at the sub program. You don’t need to switch screens.

“Do not pass Go do not collect £200”

You just click an arrow.

Brilliant you can now access either side of the screen.

There is a bit of a problem with external subprograms and that is that you have to manage them.

It’s a bit like when I used to take the kids to school I just used to forget to pick them up again. They were there for two days once and then the wife noticed they were not in their rooms.

Well that’s like subprogram you need to make sure they are in the machine.

Sinumerik Training, Internal Subprograms

These are very convenient and they just tag along with your program so you don’t need to worry where they are.

To continue with the children analogy it’s like having your baby in one of those carrying things on your back. You almost never leave them on the bus or in the shops or in this case at the top of a mountain.

So these are the two options. If you use the external one you will need to make sure you store the subprogram along with the main.

External subprograms are really good for a generic programs you want to use over and over from different main programs.

It could contain a tool change position and maybe turn off the coolant.

Internal ones are really easy to work with and easy to manage.

Siemens has this really nifty way of letting you see both main and sub programs at the same time and quickly switch between the two.

How to do this with Fanuc

These methods are all tools in your programming toolbox. One day you’ll see a use for one of them and you’ll think “I remember that grumpy old bastard wrote an article on that”.

Then I hope you’ll return to this article.

Thanks for watching and reading

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this post or need CNC Counselling then contact me.

Siemens 828 840 Sinumerik Training

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