Re: Can you use a mill CAM to run a lathe?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "mszollar" <kenargo@v...> wrote:

> I think this is possible but someone who knows more please help..
>
> I am able to modify my post processor to scale the Y axis (to

adjust

> for diameter vs radius. If I made this change, and plugged the
> motors into X/Y would I be able to properly drive a lathe or an I
> asking for trouble?
>
> I'm using Mach1 (the alpha of the replacment for Master5
>
> I thought that I'd ask before I tried it.
>
> Ken

Mill, lathe, robot etc.. the program won't care at all. You can
choose to work in radius or diameter even as long as you remain
consistent. Since no one but myself ever runs the dopey files I make
I have always worked in radius dimensions so that the converted
drawing curves are the same as drawn and similar to the milling code.
Depending on the sign convention used and axis designations you then
just have to select the proper plane for circular interpolations and
remember the rotation direction.

Example would be if you call X+ increasing radius and Y+ moving away
from the head stock then cutting a radius from Y=2 to y=1 clockwise
makes a ball CCW makes a fillet. If you reverse either sign so do the
interpolations. Linear moves are easy enough I just found the
circular ones require that you draw the geometry in the proper
orientation to conform to the sign convention which may seem
backwards depending on the machine setup.

Ah, the veterans must be cringing at the very thought of a rookie
such as myself hacking on tools.

With turbo CNC the ini file allows you to name any axis to any pins
so it is quite easy to run the same unit in lathe or mill mode so I
use X Z in lathe mode and XY for mill mode. If your files are already
XY then that works as well as long as you scale for radius vs.
diameter and set the signs correct for the circular interpolations in
your files.

Brian
BSP