Re: lathe arcs

Carey,

I program CNC lathes and mills for a living. I've been looking into
CNCPro for a little home brew setup. Looking over the system
requirements sheets I printed out considering the purchase of this
software I have to ask this question. Does the code G18 appear
anywhere in the beginning of your G-code program? This code sets up
the ZX plane for cutting arcs from what I see printed here. If you
can, send me a copy of your g-code program and a drawing in dxf or
other graphics format and I'll look the code over and see what I can
do to help you. I won't be able to get back to you though before noon
central time Sunday though since I have to put in a half days work in
the morning. Also I need to know what type of tool or insert or tool
nose radius your using for cutting these arcs. Since I'm not familiar
with CNCPro, does the program handle tool compensation for you or
does the compensation need to be figured into the programing? Some
times tool compensation has to be turned off in the machine (even
commercial machines fall prey to this problem) and figured into the
programming for these machines to cut certain arcs correctly. I can
figure it both ways. How soon do you need it?

Donald Brock
don.pat.brock@...

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "Carey L. Culpepper" <mr.c@b...> wrote:
> I am in need of some help. I am doing lathe work on my cnc converted
> Hardinge hlv-h lathe. I am making forming rollers for specialized
sheet
> metal shapes. The first sets of rollers were strictly angular flats
and
> angles. The next stages require arcs (fillets). I cannot get my
machine
> to cut the arcs. It machines all of the flats and angles perfectly
but
> does weird things when it gets to the arcs. The drawings and gcodes
are
> Vector 8.2 generated. I even went back and altered a previous BobCad
> drawing(which was used to make the previous rollers without problem)
> with some fillets. Same type of problem. I have been working on
this for
> several long frustrating days. I have talked with Fred and tried
some
> things and emailed Doug and tried doing it with relative coordinates
> which did result in some arcs but still not accurate to the
drawing. I
> am using CNCPro as a control program. I have tried drawing in
different
> quadrants, all manner of different things- all wrong. This is
probably
> something really simple as far as setup(to the experienced
operator) but
> I just haven't found it yet. I made up a pen holder to draw the tool
> path on the lathe and have gotten some rather unusual shapes. Fred
and
> Doug have been very helpful but it is the weekend and I am
desperate.