To use the multiple fixture document capability of FeatureCAM, either the reserved word <FIXTURE> or the reserved word <MCSID> must be placed in the Program Start, Tool Change, and Segment Start program formats prior to any <MOTION> statements. Your choice of <FIXTURE> or <MCSID> depends on your programming preference and the type of controller being used. Generally, one or the other reserved word is used, not both.
When the reserved word <FIXTURE> is used, it is preceded by the controller's fixture offset letter (for example D, E, F, G, or H) in the appropriate program formats.
For example, the following build line is the last line of the Program Start format of the 850sxm.cnc post:
{N<SEQ>}G0X<X-COORD>Y<Y-COORD>
Z<ABS-ZRAPID><COOLANT><EOB>
Adding an H command using the <FIXTURE> reserved word prior to the motion command would look like this:
{N<SEQ>}H<FIXTURE>G0X<X-COORD>Y
<Y-COORD>Z<ABS-ZRAPID><COOLANT><EOB>
A similar modification to the Tool Change and Segment Start program formats would complete the necessary changes to the post.
When using the reserved word <MCSID>, recall that this word is the name of the Setup in FeatureCAM. This reserved word has more flexibility than the <FIXTURE> reserved word since it is a string. The only requirement is that the Setup name in FeatureCAM uses the appropriate G-code command for your post. The placement of the <MCSID> reserved word in the block is identical to that of the <FIXTURE> reserved word, only it does not need a preceding command letter. Using the above example, the modification would be:
{N<SEQ>}<MCSID>G0X<X-COORD>Y
<Y-COORD>Z<ABS-ZRAPID><COOLANT><EOB>
The Setup name in this particular example must be of the form Hx where x is a number.
By placing the reserved word <FIXTURE> or <MCSID> in the Program Start, Tool Change, and Segment Start program formats, the fixture offset is called immediately prior to any motion commands.