Introduction to postprocessing

The process of generating an NC Program for a specific CNC machine is called postprocessing.

Many CAM systems generate what is known as a CL file (Cutter Location file). Such CAM systems convert this CL file into a G-code program for a selected CNC machine by running a collection of computer programs called postprocessors.

PartMaker bypasses the intermediate step of generating CL-Data; it generates CNC programs when the you select Generate NC Program from PartMaker’s Job Optimizer menu. Since formats of CNC programs vary from machine to machine PartMaker needs to know the program format structure for every specific machine.

The CNC machine-specific program structure is described using the ConfigPost application and its description is stored in a file that the ConfigPost application produces. This file is called Post Processor Configuration File, usually abbreviated as Post Config file, Post Processor, or most commonly, to Post File.