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Using 6 (or More) Axes Machines
With the machine simulator, it is possible to define and control 6 (or more) axes machines. When writing a post-processor for such a machine, it is very important to be able to view the motions on the machine simulator.
GPP2 supports up to 9 additional axes on the machine simulator. They can be used in addition to the basic 5 axes (X, Y, Z, Alpha and Beta). These axes may be linear or rotary.
In order to use such an extra axis, the following steps should be taken:
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The axis letter is defined, using the GPP2 variables, MACH_SIM_LETTER1 to MACH_SIM_LETTER9.
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The EX2 program must provide the values to the additional axis, through the GPP2 variables MACH_SIM_AXIS1 to MACH_SIM_AXIS9. Typically, these values only change during machine re-configuration.
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The additional axes must be be specified in the simulator data order variable (so GPP2 will know to output them in the simulator motion file). The digits 1 to 9 represent the additional nine axes.
For instance, setting the MACH_SIM_ORDER variable to "XYZAB1" tells GPP2 to output the additional axis 1, under the letter specified in MACH_SIM_LETTER1 and with values provided in MACH_SIM_AXIS1.
In some cases, the additional axes may be used to actually substitute some of the regular machine axes. For instance, some machines have two Z axes, one extending to a given limit and the other one that can reach further. In such a case, the data provided by GPP2 in Z_CURPOS may be broken to two other simulator axes (given any appropriate logic).
MACH_SIM_ORDER = "XY12"; // assume no rotary axes
MACH_SIM_LETTER1 = "Z"; // you can use the letter Z for the new axis!
MACH_SIM_LETTER2 = "W"; // this is the secondary Z axis
In each linear motion block, the value of Z_CURPOS will be broken in two, and the two variables, MACH_SIM_AXIS1 and MACH_SIM_AXIS2 will be assigned the proper values. The data will be output to the simulator as a 4-axis linear machine.
The following lines demonstrate such EX2 code, assuming that the major Z axis can reach no more than 500, and the minor Z axis is used above 500. The lines also demonstrate how to output the G-code numbers.
Regarding the machine simulator output, there is no need to do anything special with the MACH_SIM_AXIS1/2 variables. It is enough to set their values.
IF_SET (Z_CURPOS) // Z has changed
IF (Z_CURPOS <= 500) // test value against threshold
MACH_SIM_AXIS1 = Z_CURPOS; // major can handle point
MACH_SIM_AXIS2 = 0; // minor not used
ELSE // Z is above 500
MACH_SIM_AXIS1 = 500; // major reaches 500
MACH_SIM_AXIS2 = Z_CURPOS - 500; // minor does the rest
END_IF;
OUTPUT " "MACH_SIM_LETTER1 MACH_SIM_AXIS1; // create G-code
OUTPUT " "MACH_SIM_LETTER1 MACH_SIM_AXIS1;
SET_OFF Z_CURPOS; // set off, for next block!
END_IF;
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