Setup and configuration guide - CIMCO | CNC, DNC …...Simulation will not be accessible and the option will remain grey. 3. Once a valid machine is chosen, Machine Simulation will

Setup and configuration guide

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CIMCO A/S Copenhagen, Denmark

Tel: +45 45 85 60 50 Fax: +45 45 85 60 53

www.cimco.com [email protected]

Contents Introduction to Machine Simulation ................................................................................. 3

1. Geometry Manager ................................................................................................................... 4 2. Simulation interface .................................................................................................................. 7 3. Setting up Machine Simulation ................................................................................................. 8 4. Adjusting the Workpiece ......................................................................................................... 10 5. Simulation Report ................................................................................................................... 13

Adding Machine Models to open machine configurations ........................................... 17

Tool setup ......................................................................................................................... 22

Tool Manager .................................................................................................................... 24

Appendix 1: Icons ............................................................................................................. 30

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Introduction to Machine Simulation Machine Simulation is an add on to CIMCO Edit which is used for simulating the manufacturing process of a workpiece within the environment of a machine. The simulation allows you to observe the toolpath and highlights any collisions or outer limit moves found within the CNC program. Machine Simulation is accessed by clicking on the icon in the Backplot tab.

In Machine Simulation, the CNC program is displayed in the left pane of the window. The simulation is shown in the centre and the Geometry Manager, used for defining a machine and for viewing the Simulation Report, is found in the right pane.

During Machine Simulation the NC block being processed is highlighted. You can use full screen to make the machine simulation fill the entire screen without showing the CNC program. You can also skip through the NC codes by using the options:

Jump to next tool

Jump to next cutting pass

Jump to next move

Dynamic zoom, pan, rotate and measuring functions can be used to analyze the simulation.

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1. Geometry Manager The Geometry Manager is used for defining (building) a machine and adding a workpiece. The Geometry Manager contains the elements described below.

Shows head of machine and all additional axis that are applied. Right-clicking this icon allows for machine parts to be added and setting visibility.

Shows the table of the machine and all additional axis that are applied. Right-clicking this icon allows for machine parts to be added and setting visibility.

Shows the base of the machine and all additional axis that are applied. Right-clicking this icon allows for machine parts to be added and setting visibility.

Shows that a workpiece has been added to the simulation. The workpiece can be added by right-clicking on any of the axis lines located within the Geometry Manager.

Identifies the axis that will have a linear movement during the machine simulation.

Identifies the axis that will have a rotary movement during the machine simulation.

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Fixtures

Shows the fixtures that have been added to the machine simulation environment.

To add a fixture, right-click in the Geometry Manager and select Add Fixture. Locate the file and click Open to add it. The fixture will appear below ‘Fixtures’.

Workpiece

Shows the workpieces that have been added to the machine simulation environment.

To add a workpiece, right-click in the Geometry Manager and select Add Workpiece. Locate the file and click Open to add it. The workpiece will appear below ‘Workpiece’.

Once a fixture and workpiece have been added they will appear below their corresponding header.

Toggle Visibility

Right click on a part in the geometry manager to toggle between viewing the part/workpiece/fixture by selecting ‘Toggle Visibility’.

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Save Setup

Right click in the geometry manager to save the setup. Any changes that have been made (tool, holder, added fixture or workpiece) will be saved for when the NC code and machine is reopened.

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2. Simulation interface The Simulation interface is used for controlling the simulation and contains the functions described below.

Start/Stop simulation Click to start/stop the simulation.

Pause simulation Click to pause the simulation.

Jump to next move Click to jump to the next linear or rotary move.

Jump to next cutting pass Click to jump to the next cutting pass.

Jump to next Z-level Click to jump to the Z-level in the CNC program.

Jump to next tool Click to jump to the next tool change.

Show/hide information bar Click to either show or hide the interface, this will expand the backplot window when hidden.

Speed and direction slider Drag this slider from its midpoint to the right to forward from slow to fast. Drag from midpoint to the left to reverse the simulation from slow to fast.

Simulation progress slider (0-100%) Drag this slider to set a new starting point for the simulation.

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3. Setting up Machine Simulation Installing the Machine Simulation software that comes as an add-on to CIMCO Edit Pro activates Machine Simulation.

For Machine Simulation to work properly, you need a virtual representation of the machine you are simulating. Such a representation in CIMCO Machine Simulation is called a Machine Definition and includes information about kinematics, STL files for graphical models and collision detection.

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1. To access Machine Simulation, open a valid NC program and select a Machine configuration - then click the Machine Simulation option in the Backplot tab.

2. If a valid Machine configuration must be chosen in order to activate Machine Simulation. If selected machine configuration doesn’t support Machine Simulation, Machine Simulation will not be accessible and the option will remain grey.

3. Once a valid machine is chosen, Machine Simulation will be accessible.

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4. Adjusting the Workpiece Within the Geometry Manager, right-click and select Add Workpiece. Locate the file (valid for machine simulation) and click Open to add it. To make adjustments to the workpiece you need to click on the workpiece located under the heading Workpieces in the Geometry Manager. The Properties table will then appear in the lower part of the Geometry Manager.

There are four properties you can modify to make the appropriate adjustments to the workpiece.

• Translation Adjust the workpiece along the X, Y and Z axis.

• Rotation (Euler) Adjust the workpiece and rotate it around the Z, X and Z” axis.

• Colour Change the colour of any elements located in the Geometry Manager. By changing the colour of the workpiece it would allow you to better distinguish between the Workpiece and other machine parts when viewing the machine simulation.

• Unit System Change the unit of measurement.

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The following explains how the four properties are used to adjust the workpiece.

Translation Click the small icon to expand the properties of Translation. By clicking on the X, Y and Z, location adjustments can be made to the workpiece allowing it to be moved along the X,Y and Z axis.

Rotation Click the small icon to expand the properties of Rotation. By clicking on the Z, X and Z”, location adjustments can be made to the workpiece allowing it to be rotated along the Z, X and Z” axis.

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Colour To change the colour of the workpiece, click on the icon [...] located to the right, within the Colour property. Select the colour you want and click OK to confirm.

Unit System To change the unit of measurement, click on the dropdown to the right, within the Unit System property. Select the unit measurement you want.

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5. Simulation Report Once a machine simulation is configured and running, the Simulation Report provides information about collisions and limitations within the NC program. To view the Simulation Report, click on the Simulation Report tab located to the left of the Geometry Manager tab. Click on the small arrow icon to reveal all the Collisions and Limits that have been detected.

5.1. Collisions

All collisions found within the NC program will appear in the Simulation Report. For each collision, the report shows the corresponding line within the NC program that has been found to be causing a collision.

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Clicking on any Collision will highlight the corresponding line in the NC program. The highlighted line can then be adjusted and the Simulation Report will automatically update, removing the collision from the Simulation Report.

For further information about each collision click on the small arrow icon, located to the left of each collision. This will show additional information regarding the collision that has been selected.

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5.2. Limits

Click on the small icon to reveal all the Limits that have been detected. All limits found within the NC program will appear in the Simulation Report. The report shows the limit and the corresponding line within the NC program.

Clicking on any of the limits will highlight the corresponding line in the CNC program where the limit has occurred. The highlighted line can then be adjusted and the Simulation Report will automatically update, removing the limit from the Simulation Report.

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For further information about each limit, click on the small arrow icon, located to the left of each Limit. This will show additional information about the limit that has been selected.

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Adding Machine Models to open machine configurations After a CNC program has been opened the next step is to define a machine. Click on the Backplot tab and then access Machine Simulation. Locate the Geometry Manager to the right of the backplot. To define a machine, all the separate parts that make up the machine must be imported. To do this, complete the following steps.

1. Right click Base and select the option Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case it is Table.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

2. Right-click Table –> C and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case it is C_Axis.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

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3. Right-click Table -> A and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case it is A_Axis.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

4. Right-click Head -> Z and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case it is Z_Axis.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

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5. To insert the Spindle, right-click Head -> Z and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the correct STL file. In this case it is Spindle.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

6. Right-click Head -> X and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case X_Axis.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

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7. Right-click Head -> Y and select Add Machine Part. Locate and select the corresponding STL file. In this case Y_Axis.stl. Click Open to add the machine part.

8. Once all of the machine parts have been added, the machine can be saved and used when reopening Machine Simulation.

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9. To save the machine, right-click Head, locate Save Machine and click to save.

10. By saving the machine, once all its parts have been defined, the machine can be used by selecting it in the Machine Configuration within the ribbon bar under Editor. This way the machine can easily be reused without having to define all its parts again.

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Tool setup A tool description line, located at the beginning of an NC file, can be scanned to automatically configure the tool for use in the simulation. Information about the scanned tool can be found in the Tool Setup dialog.

Tool descriptions are formatted in the following way:

Tool Name TOOL229 Tool Type “END MILL SPHERE” Tool Measurements D = Diameter CR = Corner Radius FL = Flute Length SL = Shaft Length BL = Body Length AD = Arbor Diameter

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Tool scanning

To set up tool scanning go to the Backplot tab and select Backplot Setup - then select Tool Scanning from the tree-menu.

Tool setup

To edit or create tools, select the Backplot tab and click Tool Setup. A dialog will open that allows you to edit the tool that has been scanned or create/edit new tools and holders.

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Tool Manager This section describes the Tool Manager. The Tool Manager is used for creating and editing new tools/holders and setting up tool libraries. To view the Tool Manager, open Machine Simulation, select the Backplot tab and click the Tool Setup icon. Clicking the Tool Setup icon opens the following window

To open the tool manager, first select the Tool Setup item from the backplot tab.

Tool Setup tab

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Tool Manager icons

New Library Select this item to create a new tool library.

Delete Library Select this item to delete a tool library.

New Tool Select this item to create a new tool.

New Holder Select this item to create a new tool holder.

Delete Select this item to delete a tool/holder.

Edit Select this item to edit a tool/holder.

Filters Select this item to set filters when searching for a tool in the library.

Copy A tool can be copied from a library into the current tools list or vice versa.

Replace A tool from a library can replace the currently selected tool of the currently used tools but retain the tool number.

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Selected NC file

This section of the Tool Manager highlights what NC file is currently being used.

NC file that has been selected.

Tool Description

This section of the Tool Manager shows all current tools that are being used in the NC file. Any new tools that are created will appear here.

Tool description.

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New Tool

To create a new tool, select the item New tool. This will open a window allowing you to choose the tool type you want. Click on the tool type you want to create.

After a tool type has been selected, a Tool Parameters window will open allowing you to edit the tools measurement, description and holder.

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Tool Parameters – Design

In the tool design section of the Tool Parameters, you can edit the tools,

• Unit of measurement • Shaft diameter • Flute diameter • Body length • Shoulder length • Flute length

Tool Parameters - Details

In the tool details section of the Tool Parameters, you can edit the tools,

• Description • Number • Length offset • Diameter offset

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Tool Parameters – Holder

In the tool holder section of the Tool Parameters, you can edit the holders,

• Upper measurement • Lower measurement • Length

Please note: Add multiple lines to create more levels of the tool holder by selecting New.

Import and Export tool holders by selecting Import/Export.

Any changes made to the tools Design and Holder will update the tool graphic in the tool parameter window.

Edit tool

Click on the tool in the tool description that you would like to edit and then click the Edit button above.

.

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Appendix 1: Icons

Icon Function

Play simulation

Pause simulation

Jump to next move

Jump to next cutting pass

Jump to next Z-level

Jump to next tool

Show / hide information bar

Adjusts the speed of the machine simulation

Adjusts the position of the start point for machine simulation

Head of the machine

Table of the machine

Base of the machine

Workpiece

Linear movement

Rotational movement

Documents

Setup and configuration guide - CIMCO | CNC, DNC …...Simulation will not be accessible and the option will remain grey. 3. Once a valid machine is chosen, Machine Simulation will