Creating and Editing Synchronization

You can launch the synchronization using the Synchronization Wizard.

1. Select the Part Operation from the Activities Process Tree.

2. Click Synchronization Wizard. in the NC Machine Control toolbar.

   The Activities Process Tree is replaced by the Global View of the Synchronization Wizard. In this Global View, you can launch/stop the simulation, create synchronization, and navigate through the simulation model (based on the Machining Operation, on time).

3. Select two Machining Operations and click Synchronize in the contextual menu or click Synchronize.

   
   
   The Synchronization dialog box appears.
   
   

   You can change the Machining Operations in the Synchronization dialog box by selecting the Machining Operations among the list in Global View.

You can create/edit a MO level synchronization from the Dock/Global View.

1. Select MO Level check box.

2. For each Machining Operation, select a position (Start, End, End of Approach, and Start of Retract) from the list below.

   The position indicates whether the synchronization is set at the start of the selected Machining Operation or at the end of the above Machining Operation. When you run the simulation the simulation run as per the position of synchronization.

   Note: End of Approach and Start of Retract positions are supported only for Lathe operations.

3. Select a turret from the list at the bottom of the dialog box.

   The selected turret becomes the master turret.

4. Click OK to validate the synchronization.

   An error appears in case synchronization fails between two Machining Operations.

   
   
   

5. Place the pointer over the Synchronization column or over a Machining Operation to display synchronization information as a tooltip.

6. Double-click arrow in the Synchronization column in Dock/Global View, to edit the existing synchronization.

7. Click Preview to display the turrets in the position corresponding to the currently defined synchronization.

8. Click Cancel to close the Synchronization dialog box without changes.

You can create/edit a Pass level synchronization from the Dock/Global View.

1. Select Pass Level check box to create the synchronization across two different Turning operations.

   
   
   

2. Select two turning operations, say External Roughing and Rough Turning.

3. Select a Lagging activity.

   Lagging activity is the turning operation whose passes in the tool path lag the passes in the tool path of the other turning operation.

4. Select an End point option from the list to create the synchronization.

   
   

   • None: No synchronization at the end of passes and tool path behaves as:

     
     
     

   • End Of LiftOff: This creates a synchronization at the end of passes and tool path behaves as:

     
     
     

5. Specify the Delay distance.

   The delay distance allows the pass on the lagging operation to start a small distance after the pass of the other operation has started.

6. Select Retract at once check box to start LiftOf motion of the last pass of both turning operations simultaneously.

7. Select a turret from the list at the bottom of the dialog box.

8. Click OK to validate the synchronization.

   See APT output for Pass Level synchronization in APT Syntax for Synchronization.

   An error appears in case synchronization fails between two turning operations.

   
   
   

   The pass level synchronization is represented in Global View by an arrow and with an icon prior to the arrow.

9. Place the pointer over the Synchronization column or over a Machining Operation to display the synchronization information as a tooltip.

10. Double-click arrow in the Synchronization column in Dock/Global View, to edit the existing synchronization.

11. Click Preview to display the turrets in the position corresponding to the currently defined synchronization.

12. Click Cancel to close the Synchronization dialog box without changes.

You can expand the Global View for synchronization.

1. Click at the top-right of window to expand Global View of all synchronization.

   By default, the Global View presenting all the Machining Operations and synchronizations is docked. Only information on current activity, synchronization, times, and percentage working of turrets are visible.

   
   
   

   The Global View displays all the operations on each turret, all synchronizations, and times.

   The busy time is represented by a green line when the same Machining Operation is repeated and the idle time is represented by an hourglass .

   The Duration time column is hidden.

2. Click to revert to the Dock View again.

You can use simulation player to interact with the simulation.

You can update time using an Update button. Time is computed initially (at command launch) but becomes out of date as soon as a synchronization is added or changed. When the time information is out of date, the simulation player is hidden and an Update button enables to update times.

You can go to next/previous Machining Operation/synchronization.

1. Select the type of navigation in the navigation box, available at the bottom right of the authoring window.

   

2. Use the arrows to go from one entity to the other.

You can use the contextual menus to edit, delete synchronizations and show/hide columns.

1. Click Edit in contextual menu of the synchronization to edit an existing synchronization.

2. Click Delete in contextual menu of the synchronization to delete an existing synchronization.

   

3. Right-click Column Header to display the contextual menu shown below.

   

You can view warning or error messages in the Messages Reporting dialog box launched during simulation.

1. Click Simulation Options (middle of the right side of the screen) to define simulation criteria.

   See Simulation Options

2. Click Messages Reporting (immediately beneath Simulation Options) to read any warning or error messages. See Messages Reporting

   The dialog box is updated at the beginning of the command and each time you refresh the time based information by clicking the Update button.

   Messages are displayed when:

   
   

   • The tool path of a Machining Operation is not computed. Compute the tool path
   • Two Machining Operations work simultaneously on the same spindle. Their rotation states are incompatible.Synchronize the operations.
   • Two Machining Operations work simultaneously on the same spindle with different spindle rotation directions. Either:
     
     • Synchronize the Machining Operations,
     • Or modify their properties,
     • Or modify their toolings.
   • Two turrets are working simultaneously on one spindle and no master turret has been defined. Synchronize them and/or define the master turret.
   • Several turrets are working simultaneously on one spindle, during a given time, and no master turret has been defined. Synchronize them and/or define the master turret.
   • The slave turret starts before the master turret. Synchronize them and/or define the master turret.