Post-Processor Macro Samples
This appendix shows three macro examples. The first two are user-defined post-processor macros, the third is a motion startup macro.
“Macro Example #1” shows how to defer the application of diameter compensation to the first feed motion.
“Macro Example #2” shows how look-ahead variables can be used within a motion startup macro to determine the angle between successive moves. The usage of trigonometric functions within a macro is also illustrated. The example only outputs PPRINT statements, but M or G codes could have been put to the tape instead.
“Macro Example #3” shows the use of a LOAD/TOOL user-defined macro to handle optional coolant and spindle settings on the LOAD/TOOL command.
Macro Example #1
The following macros when used together ensure that the activation of diameter compensation (e.g., G41, G42) is deferred to the first feed motion that follows. This can be useful in case the CAM system outputs diameter compensation activation with the tool change instead of where it is actually required.
The first step is to define a GLOBAL variable that will remember the diameter compensation command parameters when the command is encountered in the CL file. A sequence is the best way to hold a list of command parameters. This sequence will be initialized empty in the Declaration macro (which is the recommended place to declare global and object scope variables).
Declaration Macro
$$ Declare global variables DECLAR/GLOBAL,SEQUENCE,SAVE_CUTCOM={}
Next, a User-Defined macro is needed to catch the CUTCOM/LEFT… or CUTCOM/RIGHT… command. This macro will simply copy the command parameters to the global SAVE_CUTCOM variable created in the declaration macro. It will not actually process the command right away. A warning message will be output if a new diameter compensation command is coded while we are still waiting for a feed motion to output an earlier one.
User-Defined Syntax Macros: CUTCOM
CUTCOM/$P1(LEFT,RIGHT),$P2* $$ Defer to feed motion IF/$FLEN(SAVE_CUTCOM).GT.0 ERROR/4,'Deferred diameter comp <!(*)> ignored',SAVE_CUTCOM ENDOF/IF SAVE_CUTCOM={$P1,$P2}
Finally, a Motion Startup Macro is needed to output the deferred CUTCOM command when a feed motion is encountered. Macro matching must be disabled when outputting the deferred CUTCOM, otherwise the command will simply be saved into the SAVE_CUTCOM variable instead of being output. After outputting the command, the SAVE_CUTCOM variable is set empty so that we do not keep activating CUTCOM on every feed motion.
Motion:Startup Macro
$$ Process deferred diameter comp IF/.NOT.$RAPID $$ Not a RAPID motion? IF/$FLEN(SAVE_CUTCOM).GT.0 $$ Global variable is not empty? MATCH/OFF $$ Disable macro matching CUTCOM/SAVE_CUTCOM $$ Process CUTCOM command MATCH/ON $$ Re-enable macro matching SAVE_CUTCOM={} $$ Set the variable empty ENDOF/IF ENDOF/IF
The following is a sample input source to test the deferred CUTCOM command.
ISN … 002 LOAD/TOOL,1 003 CUTCOM/RIGHT 004 SPINDL/3000 005 RAPID,GOTO/-2,-2,10 006 RAPID,GOTO/-2,-2,0 007 FEDRAT/PERMIN,20 008 GOTO/0,0,0 009 GOTO/10,0,0 010 CUTCOM/OFF 011 GOTO/12,-2,0 012 GOHOME …
The GENER listing appears as follows (the time column shows the incremental time for each block in mmm:ss.ss format):
NC CONTROL CODE TIME ISN … T1 M6 0:00.00 2 S3000 M3 0:00.00 4 G0 G43 X-2. Y-2. Z10. H1 0:03.00 5 Z0. 0:03.00 6 G42 G1 X0. Y0. F20. D1 0:08.49 8 X10. 0:30.00 9 G40 G1 X12. Y-2. 0:08.49 11 G91 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. 0:00.00 12 …
Macro Example #2
The following motion startup macro is used to write the angle between successive moves to the listing file. See “Macro Look-Ahead Processing” for details regarding macro variable look-ahead.
PPRINT/'Last XY: !@X,!@Y' PPRINT/'New XY: !(@X),!(@Y)',$P03(1),$P03(2) PPRINT/'Next XY: !(@X),!(@Y)',$NXM,$NYM DECLAR/LOCAL,SEQUENCE,V1,V2 V1=$FSEQ($P03(1)-$XM,$P03(2)-$YM) V2=$FSEQ($NXM-$P03(1),$NYM-$P03(2)) IF/$FVLEN(V1).EQ.0.OR.$FVLEN(V2).EQ.0 %L01='**points are too close**' ELSE %L01=$FVANG(V1,V2) ENDOF/IF PPRINT/'Angle: !(*)',%L01
Note the use of the !@X and !@Y format descriptors in the first
PPRINT. These output the current X and Y axes values and therefore do
not require a numeric parameter as do the !(@X) and !(@Y) format
descriptors on the next two PPRINTS. Note also the use of the !(*)
format descriptor to format a value of any type. This is needed since
%L01 might contain either text or numeric data.
The V1 and V2 variables are sequences that contain the XY displacement of the motion from the old position to the new (V1) and from the new to the next (V2). The $FVLEN and $FVANG are vector functions that work with sequences.
The following is a sample input source to test this macro.
ISN … 002 RAPID 003 GOTO/0,0,0 004 FEDRAT/10 005 GOTO/1,0,0 006 GOTO/1,1,0 007 GOTO/0,0,0 …
The GENER listing appears as follows:
NC CONTROL CODE TIME ISN … Last XY: X0.,Y0. New XY: X0.,Y0. Next XY: X1.,Y0. Angle: **points are too close** G0 X0. Y0. Z0. 0:00.00 3 Last XY: X0.,Y0. New XY: X1.,Y0. Next XY: X1.,Y1. Angle: 90 G1 X1. F10. 0:06.00 5 Last XY: X1.,Y0. New XY: X1.,Y1. Next XY: X0.,Y0. Angle: 135 Y1. 0:06.00 6 Last XY: X1.,Y1. New XY: X0.,Y0. Next XY: X0.,Y0. Angle: **points are too close** X0. Y0. 0:08.49 7
Macro Example #3
The following macro implements special LOAD/TOOL syntax that includes spindle and coolant information. Depending upon the parameters passed to the macro, SPINDL and COOLNT commands may be automatically generated after the loading of a tool.
LOAD/TOOL,$P1,[RPM,$P2,$P3(CLW,CCLW)],[$P4(FLOOD,THRU,MIST)],[$P5*] $$ $$ $P1 := Tool number (required) $$ $P2,$P3 := Spindle direction and speed (optional) $$ $P4 := Coolant (optional) $$ $P5 := Other LOAD/TOOL qualifiers (optional) $$ $$ Output the tool change excluding spindle and coolant LOAD/TOOL,$P1,$P5 $$ $$ Output spindle speed if given IF/$P2.NE.$NULL SPINDL/$P2,RPM,$P3 $$ Output SPINDL ENDOF/IF $$ $$ Output coolant if given IF/$P4.NE.$NULL COOLNT/$P4 $$ Output COOLNT ENDOF/IF
The following is sample input source to test the LOAD/TOOL macro.
ISN … 003 GOHOME 004 LOAD/TOOL,1,OSETNO,10,RPM,2000,CLW,FLOOD 005 RAPID 006 GOTO/1,1,1 …
The GENER listing appears as follows:
NC CONTROL CODE TIME ISN … G91 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. 0:00.00 3 T1 M6 0:00.00 4 S2000 M3 0:00.00 4 G90 M8 0:00.00 4 G54 0:00.00 6 G0 G43 X1. Y1. Z1. H10 0:00.12 6 …