Re: what is POSTPROCESSOR? a fundamental question

To further add to what's already been said.....

In some cases a post processor can be more than a translator from
the CAM program's internal data format to a language that is machine
specific.

My customer paid $15K to get a post processor written for his 5 axis
machining center. In addition to the data translation, that post
processor handles orientation of the tilt & rotate spindle axes with
respect to the part work surface so that cutting will occur near
the full diameter of the ball end cutter rather than near the tip.
Pretty complicated stuff.

In case you haven't given it much thought, surfacing with a ball
nose cutter can be inefficient. Especially when the cutting is
being done near the tip which has a peripheral speed close to zero.
That's the idea behind this 5 axis machine's extra axes allowing
better cutting action by using the cutter's full diameter or close
to it.


--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Asim Khan <asimtec@y...>"
<asimtec@y...> wrote:

> Hi everyone!
> What is postprocessor file? what kind of information does it

contains?

> and what is the format of the information?
> i've heard there are many machine specific postprocessor files,
> I have setup a 3 axis milling machine, with stg-2 and EMC, can
> anyone tell me which postprocessor file i'd need to generate the
> g-codes?
> Is customization of this file possible?
>
> Best regards
> @sim