ATC tool remarks

[tcombs]

Question for those who use an ATC:
Is there a way to automate putting in a remark at the top of the file that gives a list of what tools are being used? I figure it would mean changing the postP, but I am unsure how to code it.

I have a situation where the operator of the tool may not have made the part file and it would be beneficial if the operator could open the file in the editor and quickly check to see what tools are used and if the correct number has been assigned to those tools. In some cases the files are so long that scanning through the entire document to check on tool changes is very tedious . Often the students prepare their files in our computer lab and then drop only the sbp file on the computer that controls the Bot and the operator does not have access to the crv file for cross checking.

Anyway I can get people to double check steps helps keep mistakes from being made.;)

Thanks,
Tim

[don_roy]

Hi Tim,
You could use the "Header Writer" in the Shopbot software. It is listed under "Tools" drop down menu. There is also alot of other information that you could put in there that would be helpful. I use it a lot because some times it is a while before I get back to particular job.
Good luck
Don

[Gary Campbell]

Tim....
This is something that is farily easy to accomplish with Vectric Products. They have published a PDF of variables available and the output they provide. The Vectric forum has this info posted in the PostP section if not on your computer. I think it is call the "post processor guide" or similar.

Here is an excerpt from one of my ATC postP's:

"'"
"IF %(25)=1 THEN GOTO UNIT_ERROR 'check to see software is set to standard"
"CN,90 'load Toolchange Variables"
"CN,89 'load ATC variables?"
"CN,52 'load V Carve Settings"
"SA 'Set program to absolute coordinate mode"

EDIT: This will not place all the info at the top of the file. It will have the info prior to each cutting segment. This is not specific to ATC tools.
"'"
"&zshift = [ZLENGTH]"
"'Toolpath: [TOOLPATH_NAME]"
"'TOOL: [TOOLNAME]"
"&post = vectric"
"'&tool_name = [TOOLNAME]"
"TR, [S]"
"'"
"&tool =[T]"

The items in red will give you the requested info. This example shows where in the header to place the lines. You must also place the same info in the "NEW SEGMENT" section. Then each cutting segment or toolchange will have the appropriate info.

[tcombs]

Gary,
Thanks for the info. I found the variables "TOOLS-USED" and "TOOLPATHS_OUTPUT" and put them into a new postP. Now I get a nice list of the tools with their numbers and names and also the list of toolpaths used all listed in the header of the file.

Works great in my initial tests!

Thanks,
Tim

[Gary Campbell]

Tim...
I didnt know of those! Thanks for the info. Time to do some more homework.

[srwtlc]

Here's a bunch more to play with. ;)


If you want to use the 2 step plunge in material setup, you should have this in the beginning somewhere. Some pp's didn't have it.

RAPID_PLUNGE_TO_STARTZ = "YES"

Here's some of the others I use.

"'File created: [DATE] - [TIME]"

"'File name: [TP_FILENAME]"

"'File location: [PATHNAME]"

"'Material Size: Length [XLENGTH] x Width [YLENGTH] x Thickness [ZLENGTH]"

"'X_Y origin: [XY_ORIGIN]"

"'Origin offset: [X_ORIGIN_POS] [Y_ORIGIN_POS]"

"'Z zero location: [Z_ORIGIN]"

"'File notes:"
" '[FILE_NOTES]"

"'Toolpaths used in this file:"
" '[TOOLPATHS_OUTPUT]"

"'Toolpath name: [TOOLPATH_NAME]"

"'Toolpath notes:"
" '[TOOLPATH_NOTES]"

"'Tool used: [TOOLNAME]"

"'Tool notes:"
" '[TOOL_NOTES]"

I like to have this at the beginning of each new segment so it's easier to locate when scrolling through with an editor. I actually wrap a new segment with it's tool name, etc.

"'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Like this...

begin NEW_SEGMENT
""
"'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
""
"'Next toolpath"
""
"'Toolpath name: [TOOLPATH_NAME]"
""
"'Toolpath notes:"
" '[TOOLPATH_NOTES]"
""
"'Tool used: [TOOLNAME]"
""
"'Tool notes:"
" '[TOOL_NOTES]"
""
"'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
""
"TR,[S],1"
""
"MS,[FC],[FP]"
""

[beacon14]

Wow that was extremely helpful. I just updated all my posts.

Thanks!

[Gary Campbell]

David...
I think the Vectric crew snuck a few new tricks in their bag when I was napping.

[Brian Moran]

David...
I think the Vectric crew snuck a few new tricks in their bag when I was napping.

You snooze you lose ... :)

[beacon14]

No kidding. What else don't we know about?

[adrianm]

The Post Processor editing guide is on the Help menu for the newer versions of Aspire/VCarve/Partworks. Version 1.1.1 at the moment.

[tcombs]

An extension from this conversation - maybe should be a new thread:

Is there a way to change the location of the Application Data Folder?

I've modified the post processor and would like all the computers in our cad lab to reference the same folder so I don't have to copy the file to each computer. That way any future updates I have will only have to be posted in one location, not a dozen. I've looked through PartWorks and have been unable to find a way to change the location of the data application folder.

Thanks,
Tim

[Gary Campbell]

Tim...
That may be a good question for the Vectric Forum. They (Vectric) would know if these files could be accessed from a network drive. The answer may already be there, but I dont remember a similar post.

SB tech supt may also know the answer if you are using PartWorks.

[srwtlc]

Changing the location of and having the program look to a network location for that folder would be something that Vectric would have to deal with, but I'm thinking that it would/could be a support nightmare for them.

On the other hand, you could use any number of file sync programs out there to sync that folder with each other. Microsoft has one called SyncToy http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en , but I think it will only sync between two locations. Allway Sync and GoodSync might be other options for multiple PC's. http://allwaysync.com/ http://www.goodsync.com/

Another option, if the computers are online, is Windows Live SkyDrive/Live Mesh. You can sync folders on multiple devices.

[srwtlc]

I've been giving Windows Live Mesh a try for syncing the Aspire User Data folder between three Win 7 computers and so far, it works great. In setting it up, I found it best to have one computer with the user data folder all up to date as you like it and then delete or (back up temporarily) the same folder on the others before syncing the folder on each of the others.

This would work for Aspire, VCP, PartWorks, etc. You can also utilize 5gb of online storage for syncing a backup of them.

http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh?os=other
(http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh?os=other)