I can't tell you how much I wish the local community colleges would do that around here. You will find the toolpath programming functionality is very similar across all of these platforms.Ī smart move would be poll prospective employers in your area to find out what they are using and try to strike up a deal with the CAM package company most popular. Get them on Solidworks and one of the multiple plugin CAM packages available like: MasterCAM, SolidCAM, HSMWorks, CAMWorks, VisualCAM or even BobCAM for that matter (before the haters chime in they use the same toolpath and simulation engine the big players use now aka Module Works ). If you want them to be a desireable to someone hiring at a machine shop as a programmer. Maybe introduce some wizard based conversational programming tools and canned cycles available in your particular CNC controller(s) in your lab. If your goal is to have your students understand what the basic G&M code principles, make them hand write the code and verify using a backplotting program. Before even a single line of G&M code is posted for the machine. On the other hand, simulation is done within the CAM programming suite to verify that the toolpaths were set-up correctly in the first place. It is set up to interpret the code in the same way a specific manufacturer's controller would.
Backplotting is done as a G$M code verification after the program is written and posted. It is important to note that backplotting is different than simulation. Your college might already have access to the forementioned 3D CAD programs necessary to use the plugin.
I think HSM Works is offering this kind of free plugin called HSM XPress which does 2D work. Some of the CAM companies even provide a limited edition free version that might do basic 2 axis mill functionality. Many of these CAM packages can run independently or within a CAD package like Solidworks, Inventor, etc. If however you are wanting to write the program toolpaths directly from CAD data or CAD drawings you could select from a number of CAM programming packages, most of them have a simulation function to assist in finding the big whoopsies like crashes, table tattos, and milling into your brand new Kurt vise. It has back plotting capabilities and can support several "reverse posts" which are specific to a particular manufacturer's control. I can recommend Predator Editor which has many features to get your code ready and then even transmitted to the machine.
If the distance between the starting position and the total depth ( Z) is not evenly divisible by K then the last interval along Z is less than K.Ok, so if you already have G & M code written (either by hand or some other programming means like a conversational wizard, CAM software, etc.) what you need is a CNC back plotting software. Adding a K performs multiple, evenly spaced, grooves. The K code is the incremental distance between Z axis pecking cycles. One at the current location and another at the Z location. When a Z, or W, code is added to a G75 block and Z is not the current position, then a minimum of two pecking cycles occur. The G75 canned cycle can be used for grooving an outside diameter. Grooving Cycle: Rapid, Feed, Start position. Z - Z-axis absolute location to furthest peck cycle X - X-axis absolute location total pecking depth (diameter) W - Z-axis incremental distance to furthest peck cycle U - X-axis incremental distance to total pecking depth
This software combines editing, formatting and translation tools that are useful for CNC programmers with a backplotter for instant G-Code verification. K - Z-axis size of increment between peck cycles NCPlot is an editor and backplotter for 4 axis mill and 2 axis lathe G-Code programs. I - X-axis size of increment between pecks in a cycle (radius measure) Grooving Cycle (Group 00) *ĭ - Tool clearance when returning to starting plane, positive