Inserting Machine Rotations

You can add Machine Rotation in the Manufacturing Program.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: In the Part Operation:
  • Make sure the machine assigned supports rotations.
  • Make sure Activate the generation Transition Paths check box is cleared.

For a Machining Operation, a Machine Rotation is required:

  • If the previous activity is neither a Tool Change nor a PP instruction:
    • If it is an axis change, the Machine Rotation is inserted before the axis change.
    • If it is not an axis change, the Machine Rotation is inserted before the current Machining Operation.
  • If the previous activity is a Tool Change or a PP instruction, Machine Programming gets its previous activity and the above steps are repeated to insert the Machine Rotation.

Related Topics
Creating a Part Operation
Working with Generic Machine Editor

Insert a Machine Rotation Manually

You can add a Machine Rotation manually in the Manufacturing Program.

  1. Open an existing Machining Process containing Machining Operations.

    1. Click NC Machine Control.
    2. Click Machine Rotation in the toolbar that is displayed.
    3. In the Manufacturing Program, select the activity after which you want to add the Machine Rotation.

    The Machine Rotation dialog box appears.

    Note: The Rotary type is set to Absolute in this version and is not editable.

  2. Go to the Properties tab to specify the characteristics of the Machine Rotation:

    1. Select the Definition mode from the list: Manual or Selection.

  3. If you have selected Manual, key in the required value in Rotary angle.

  4. If you have selected Selection, in the sensitive icon of the dialog box:

    1. Click the axis symbol, and select an axis system in the authoring window.
    2. Click the vector symbol, and select a line or cylinder in the authoring window.

      The value of Rotary angle is defined by the absolute value of the angle formed by the z-axis of the selected axis system and the line or cylinder axis.

    3. Alternatively, click the point symbol, and select a point in the authoring window.

      The value of Rotary angle is defined by the absolute value of the angle formed by the z-axis of the selected axis system and the line going through the selected point and the axis system origin.

    The machine table is rotated by this angle around the rotary axis (A, B or C). This rotary axis is defined on the machine set in the Part Operation. See Working with Generic Machine Editor.

  5. Still in the Properties tab , select the Rotary direction:

    • Clockwise,
    • Counter-clockwise,
    • Shortest.

  6. Go to the Syntax tab .

    1. Select the Initialize from PP words table check box to consult the Machine Rotation syntax defined in the PP table referenced by the Part Operation. See Working with Generic Machine Editor.
    2. Or key in your own PP instruction for the Machine Rotation. See Defining User Parameters in PP Instructions.

      Note: This user-defined syntax has no link with the PP table and its validity is not checked by Machine Programming.

  7. Click OK to create the Machine Rotation in the Manufacturing Program.

Generate Machine Rotations Automatically

You can add a Machine Rotation automatically in the Manufacturing Program.

  1. Make sure the check box Generate Transition Paths in the Part Operation is not selected. See Creating a Part Operation.

    When the check box Generate Transition Path is selected, the contextual menu items Generate Machine Rotations and Delete Generated Machine Rotations are not available. All the generated Machine Rotations are removed from the Activities Process Tree

  2. Right-click the Manufacturing Program in the Activities Process Tree and select Generate Machine Rotations in the contextual menu. The program is updated with all necessary Machine Rotations.

    Note:

    The Manufacturing Program is updated with Machine Rotations.

  3. Right-click the Manufacturing Program in the Activities Process Tree and select Delete Generated Machine Rotations.

    All Machine Rotations that were automatically generated are removed from the Manufacturing Program.