Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Mach4 Toolbox => Topic started by: j2mariashop on December 13, 2019, 01:39:16 PM

Title: Writing the script for a canned cycle
Post by: j2mariashop on December 13, 2019, 01:39:16 PM

I'm new to CNC programming with my experience being limited to having read the book by Peter Smid and written a few very basic scripts. I was looking for an internal boring canned cycle to use with Mach 4 and not having found one thought I'd write a script. My question is how do you programmers write out each position in the cycle? If I'm starting out with my lathe boring tool at, say, x=8, z=0, and want to end up at x=17 and z=-11, with a given F rate and depth of cut, do you manually calculate all the intermediate positions including clearance on a spreadsheet and then manually input the numbers or do you have some kind of macro that you can import into your script that calculates that for you? Woah - that was one long sentence...

Joe

Title: Re: Writing the script for a canned cycle
Post by: joeaverage on December 13, 2019, 02:14:15 PM

Hi,
you could write the Gcode manually with the help of a spreadsheet but you don't need to.

Look at the Turning feature of the Lathe Cycles tab. click the ID turn button. Then you can set initial points, endpoints,
depth of cut, roughing cuts, spring passes and finish cuts. The cycle wizard will compose the Gcode.

Craig

Title: Re: Writing the script for a canned cycle
Post by: j2mariashop on December 30, 2019, 11:13:51 AM

Hi Craig

I apologize for the delay in replying. Thank you very much for pointing out that I can toggle between OD and ID - should have clicked that button, duh! It works perfectly.

Best

Joe