Using Fanuc Background Editing

This article is about Fanuc Background Editing. Now I suggest you move straight to the end if that’s all you are interested in.

If your happy to listen to me ranting for a while then read on.

I love gadgets, I don’t think people call them that now but in the absence of a better word then I’ll use it.

Whenever I get lose on a CNC Machine I’m always looking for something extra that it will do, like some hidden extra that it’s got.

It’s always nice to find something new. When you know everything a machine can do. That is when you are in a position to make an informed choice as to how you want to use it.

I use a toolbox metaphor. All the different functions and options are tools that the user can chose from.

One day a problem arises and the person I once trained thinks “mm I remember that miserable old bastard showed me something here”.

Something I taught them that they didn’t see a use for suddenly becomes relevant. They don’t remember the minutia but just find it in a manual, refresh their memory and use it.

Like using a G10 to write your work offset from the programme. You might never need this but if you know it exists. It’s easy to look up how it works and subsequently use it.

Gadgets Like Cruise Control

I adore cruise control on a car. Even my old V70 Volvo has it. I use it all the while especially on a motorway. What really pisses me off is that all these much newer cars most of them have a monthly rental cost that’s more than I paid for my car.

I mean surely these cars must have cruise control for that money I’d want fuckin cruise missiles.

So why in the name of holy shit do people not use it. I’m like cruising along at exactly 70 mph when somebody starts passing me on the inside. I let them go only to find they slow down and I have to pass them. Sometimes this goes on for quite a while. Now I’m not an aggressive driver but fuckin hell this is annoying.

If they are not using cruise control how many options on this car are they not using. I mean do they have a handle fitted on the windows to avoid pressing the electric windows button.

Some poor bastard at BMW is creating all these brilliant features and no fucker is using them. Windows open on a hot day cos they don’t know how to use the climate control.

These peole who say “oh I like a manual gearbox”. I say “fuck off your not Jenson Button” why do you need a bloody manual gearbox. Oh and a clutch (what’s that all about).

Drving is suppoed to be easy, buy yoursalf an old Ford Cortina or something or maybe an 1960”’s tractor. Do these people need something to do.

Driverless cars bring it on.

Background Edit is Useless

Background editing on a Fanuc control is useless.

No it’s not who said that?

The main reason why I’m writing about background editing is because you can get locked into it by mistake. It’s so easy to press the wrong button and end up stuck in background edit. It’s like the Guantánamo Bay of CNC Programming, very hard to escape from.

It’s Useless But Here is How To Use It

You will be in Memory or Auto mode and your programme is running merily producing your parts.

First of all press BG-EDT

Once it’s active it’s there at the top of the screen

You can now go to your directory and call your programme to edit in the usual way. Enjoy yourself editing your programme or even create a new one.

Don’t Hit Reset

There is only one thing you must not do in background edit. That is to hit reset as it will stop the machine.

Try to get into the habit of using rewind not reset.

Rewind

Background Edit (Fanuc)

• You can’t Press RESET
• You can’t edit the programme that’s running.
• You can’t get to MDI screen
• Some other screens won’t work.
• Most edit functions will work.

As I said before you can get stuck in background edit it’s easy you just need to press this.

When I’m training people on Fanuc Controls I always teach them about Background Edit. Even if you don’t use it, one day you’ll press it by accident. It could take you a long time before you realise what you did

Ignore At Your Peril

It’s easy to ignore these buttons and not even know what they do. When you one day accidentally press Background Edit in a pressing frenzy you’ll remember this.

Always Read The Label

When you get a problem on a CNC Control step back and carefully read everything on the screen. Sometimes your CNC Machine is screaming at you but you chose to ignore it.

Background edit is no exception.

Backgroung Edit Haas

You can edit the program that is running. How cool is that?

Piss off it’s not dangerous it’s the dogs bollock.

All that happens is that when the program finishes once you press reset your programme is changed.

Dead useful when you see something that wants changing and you know you’re gonna forget.

Mazak In ISO

On a Mazak when you are running an ISO programme (G Code) if you see an error on the next line or further on. You can edit it before the machine gets to it. Don’t you just love it.