Re: Why is a Gcode standard important???

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "doug98105" <dougrasmussen@c...> wrote:

> Group,
>
> There's been much discussion about what is "standard" and what is
> not.
>
> My questions....Why so much concern over standardizing Gcodes? Why
> does it matter? Who is adversely affected by non-standard Gcode?
>
> What about conversational programming? Why no efforts (to my
> knowledge) to standardize that?
>
> The machines themselves are not "standardized" so even with

standard

> Gcode they'll still perform differently.
>
> thanks,
>
> Doug

Howdy
yethdear here again. I figure I'll throw my 2 cents worth in on this
discussion. I first learned NC programming by way of G codes and old
tele-type machines. And yes that is "NC" before they had computers on
board to control these wonderful machines. In those days, the mills
and lathes were merely a step up in technology from a player piano.

Anyway, to state my point, there was and still are only a handful
of "G" codes that remain the same no matter what brand of machine or
control you dealt with, these were the basics G00, G01, G02, G03,
(sometimes G40, G41, G42) and that was about it. All the other codes
tend to be control and brand name sensitive.

Now as for conversational programming, true these can make life
easier when you do not have access to CAM software but everybody and
their dog has their own type of conversational programming software
out there and each one can be drastically different from the next.
From a teaching viewpoint, this proved impossible to try to discuss
everyone on the market today. So I teach basic "G" code programming
and we begin by learning to program by hand (calculating points and
typing in coordinates in a text file). Sounds old fashioned, but if
you know the basic codes and how to use them then you can approach %
99 of all the machines out there in the world today (no matter how
old) and be able to create a program that will cut what you need. You
can always learn the conversational stuff later and from a
contracting programming point of view, this is a must know situation
for you will encounter every type of machine out there.

From experience, every machine and control may have an elaborate,
detailed, and very capable conversational software on board but ALL
of them still read and interpret good ole "G" code in one form or
another. My students and I may not know Hurco, Mazatrol, Dynapath,
Mitutoyo, Ocuma or Easypath (and on and on) but we can still create
programs for each and every one of these.

I would love for there to be a standard set of G and M codes, it
would make life much easier on us and there may be a published list
somewhere but I have yet to see it fully conformed to by any 2
separate brands of controls.

The key phrase I stress to my students is "Know your machine". Before
creating a program or operating any machine for the first time, dig
out some manuals and read, surf the web, find some sort of
information, run a few evaluation programs, anything to help
determine the capabilities.

Happy toolpaths!