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NC Program output for MCPs

A Program Format called MCP-Action format is used to configure the output for Material Control Processes.

Output steps for MCP not using a Turret Tool

The following step shows how PartMaker outputs an NC program for a Material Control Process that does not use a turret tool.

  1. MCP-Action.

Output steps for MCP using a Turret Tool

The following steps describe how PartMaker outputs an NC program for a Material Control Process that uses a turret tool.

  1. Outputs a Process Header Format as follows:

    • Program Start

    • Tool Change

    • Process Start

      The Program Start Format is output if a given process is the first process in the Process Table, otherwise, if a tool used in a given process needs to be activated and brought into position to begin cutting, the Tool Change Format is output, otherwise the Process Start Format is output.

  2. Outputs an MCP-Action format.

  3. Outputs a Process End format.

Note: Tool positioning rules in Process Header Formats for MCP are similar to the rules for tool positioning in turning cutting processes, that is <x-coord>, <z-coord> of the first position point have to be used. However, because MCP has no toolpath, this first point (called "Position Point") is either calculated by PartMaker or entered by the user in PartMaker's Material Control Process Parameters dialog.
Note: If you configure a Post File in a manner that Process Header Formats will handle MCPs, you must use logic to avoid certain actions not required by MCPs, for example, turning on the spindle. Another alternative is to start every Process Header Formats with a line <ifnot><mat-control-process><then> and configure the MCP-Action to handle the entire MCP.

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