mill cam designer & lathe cam designer

[techy]

can anyone advise whether i can use the above software with the triac milling m/c and easiturn lathe (with pnc 3 controllers) and if so how do i transfer the fnc files created when making 'g' codes. is it possible to use this software in conjunction with the respective denford dos text editors

[Denford Admin]

I don't think the PNC3 controls were supported by Millcam or lathecam - there is no mention of them in the fanucm.ini file.
However, you could still create g code programs with them and possibly have to make a couple of small alterations for codes that won't be recognized by the PNC3.
The industrial text editor should also be able to download the prorgams via RS232.

BTW, the current QuickCAM 2d design software has a post processor for the Triac PNC - it splits arcs up into quadrants where needed, due to a limitation of the PNC3.

[techy]

thanks for prompt response working in a school i am trying to create g codes from dfx files the pupils create on 2d design ...MCD can load these files and display the image...... i can also create g codes successfully, minor mods accepted, however our triac m/c will not accept the data transfer nor can i get the text editor, which does communicate with the triac to open the .fnc file it only opens either .trs or .tri files.
i do not have a problem with the progamming side of things but would like to achieve this facility to speed things up and introduce pupils (13 +) to programming and m/cing
again thanks

[Martin]

You can change the file extension in Fanucm. The file can be found in C:\Denford\Config. There is a list of machine types. I would think you are best using the Triac as the travels & feeds should be correct.




[Triac PC (metric)]
Library=C:\Denford\Libs\FANUCM.SLB
Extension=FNC (Change to TRI)
Metric=1
Max Material Length=290
Max Material Width=170
Max Material Height=100
Max Feed=1500
Min Feed=20
Max Speed=4000
Min Speed=250
Max Cut Depth=20
HomeX=50
HomeY=0
HomeZ=50
DenfordExtras=1
Comments=1
AddPercents=0
ForcePoints=0
cutter comp=1

[techy]

once again thanks for the rapid response.........i am back at work 19th may...... will try out your solutions then......again thanks for your help

[techy]

ok seem to be making progress..... have ammended config files as suggested and can now save *.tri files these can be openened and read via notepad, the files are also able to be identified by text editor in the file directory, however, attempting to load these files results in error message 'file not found' am i missing a trick?
i have tried removing lines which are incompatable with the triac but to no avail. files created and saved with text editor use the *.lst format, which can be read by notepad but *.tri files created useing text editor open in an un-readable form of notepad text. clearly ther is some process at work within the editor file to convert *.tri to *.lst for print purposes, is it possible to convert notepad text to be read by the editor.

again with thanks

[Martin]

This sounds like a question for Mr Magoo. It may be worth you pm him.

[Denford Admin]

Can you attach a program that works in the text editor (and can be sent to the Triac), and one that doesn't (from MillCAM) ?
I'll have a look at the differences
(You may have to change the file extension on both to .txt for the forum to allow them)

[techy]

have attatched files as requested as follows

1)triac1a triac text editor opens and will send to m/c but will not attatch as you thought, tri extension ammended to txt
2)test3 this is created in mill cam designer an modified, tri extension ammended to txt
3)triac10 this the triac1 file opened in notebook and saved as txt file


oh and what is meant by 'pm'
with thanks

[Steve]

The "pm" box is at the bottom of all posts.

You click it and it sends a personal message to that recipiant.

Can you clarify which if any of the 3 programs you posted work on the machine?

[Denford Admin]

The "pm" box is at the bottom of all posts.

You click it and it sends a personal message to that recipiant.

... so you'd have to find a post by Mr Magoo, do a member search and view his profile.
Don't worry though for now, I've emailed him with a link to your question - I don't think anyone at Denford's currently knows about the .tri file format (which is obviously different to the ASCII format produced by MillCAM)

[techy]

triac1a will transfer and run on m/c, i have noticed that when files are created and saved thro text editor a duplicate file is produced eg '*.trs' i have attatched this file, triac1b again in a text format

with thanks

[Mr Magoo]

G'Day all

The attached file will install a PNC3-Miller post processor for your MillCam Designer software. Unzip into a folder on your hard-drive, then run the INSTALL program and follow the prompts. Once installed, run MillCam and your should be able to pick "PNC3 Miller" as your machine at MillCams opening screen.

When you create a CNC program in MillCam it will have an extension of ".PNC"
This is a text file you can view in Notepad, or send to your Triac via the Industrial Text Editor.

When running Ind Text Editor make sure you load the Comms Settings and Config settings for the PNC3 controller before you try to communicate with your machine (I can't quite remember the menu options but something like "Install Comms -> Load Settings -> PNC.CS" and "Configuration -> Load Configuration -> PNC.CFG")


And a bit of history which hopefully will enlighten rather than confuse...

• Denford made some really old "Triac Specific" offline programming software (OFFLINE.COM) that used a binary format for its CNC files (can't remember the extension). This can Send/Receive its own CNC files to the machine but we can't use it to send programs made from a cad/cam system.
• Later they made some "Triac Specific" offline programming software (TRIAC.EXE) that used text based CNC files (with an extension of ".TRI" I think ??)
• And also the Generic "Industrial Text Editor" software that uses and extension of .PNC for PNC3 controlled machines.

The CNC file format for TRIAC.EXE and Ind Text Editor is the same, although you may need to remove any comments the CAD/CAM system has created in the program prior to sending.

Hope these tips help and good luck (The Triac always was a bit of a pain to talk to !!!)

[Mr Magoo]

I have just realised that if you are getting a .TRS file you must be using the "really old" software that stores in Binary format (and can't read a file created with cad/cam).

Take a look at this post
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=196
to get alternative Triac software.

[techy]

the triac text edit file you pointed to in the last post was the one i was using, without realising the industrial text editor was a different file, however, the advice on using the mill cam designer tweak and creating .pnc files, in mill cam designer, does work on the industrial text edit as you suggested, so i can now send to m/c and save back as a triac edit file which i think is a neater package (hopefully,......we are enjoying half term break now so am working from my laptop, but no m/c)

is there a similar tweak file for lathe cam designer to talk to the easiturn pnc 3

you guys have been fantastic with your help
thanks

[Mr Magoo]

Hi Techy
Here is a new ZIP that will install both the Lathe and Mill PNC3 post processors.
No need to uninstall the previous version, just install this one over the top.
Cheers

[techy]

thanks for the file, the lbs file loads and includes pnc3 L but does not load a config file which includes pnc 3 any thoughts what i may be missing

[techy]

no need to dig further, having looked at lcd in more detail i realize it is very basic and does not import dxf files, which is what i was hoping to achieve.

the easiturn text editor sample file "turntest" heads it with text comment 'CNC prog produced from a dxf file 15th april 1988' and it was this i was hoping to achieve, however lathe programming is relatively simple and i will stick with this in the absence of a solution

once again thanks for all your help, you have been absolutely superb, if i could send you a pint by message board i would.

[Mr Magoo]

No Worries.
As a hint, if you rename you PNC.CS and PNC.CFG files to EDITOR.CS and EDITOR.CFG respectively in the Industrial Text Editor folder then these will be loaded by the Editor at startup (there will be files with these EDITOR names in there already - just delete or move them beforehand)
Cheers