Haas CNC Mill Graph Function

[P-Dog]

I do most of my work for our team on a Haas Mini Mill, set up in my garage. Any time I want to test a program though, I have to load my program on a floppy, run down stairs, cross a rugged path of gravel and asphalt, impeded by bits and peices of other projects, and finally to the garage. Then I find my program filled with enough errors that it would take far to long to change them at the mill. Is there any program that can emulate the mill's graphing function on the computer?

G47 P0 X2. Y2. I45. J.5 R0.5 Z-0.005 F15. E10. (HELP ME PLEASE)

[GregT]

By "test a program" and "graphing function" are you referring to a simulation program of some sort? I've never seen a haas mini-mill, but the larger models can simulate like this. If so, just about any CAM package can simulate the running of NC code (mill, lathe, and wire; anything the CAM package can write programs for).

Unfortunately, CAM packages are quite expensive, and unless you already have access to one it may not be possible for you to simulate this way. It’s possible that someone has written a free program to simulate NC programs. You may want to search google.

Greg

[sanddrag]

HAAS machines are awesome. How the heck do you have one in your garage. Aren't even the smallest ones like 20 Grand?

PS - I've gotten to use the VF-4. Oh, what a machine.

[Dima]

Yes there is software called Visual Mill by Mechsoft

http://www.mecsoft.com/Mec/

I use it at work, expencive but REALLY good. Loads a part file from say Solidworks or Rhino3D and you go from there, when done it output G-code

[P-Dog]

Is this Visual Mill software just like a 3d modeler where you could output the file as a list of coordinates, and then put in the G-codes? What I am looking for is something that can take an already complete code in a text file, with G-codes, and have my computer display the graph of where the cutter would go. Im trying to input code, and get graph, not input model, and get code. Can Visual Mill do that? It sounds like it might require some special software from Haas, since it is using their G-code system, but if Visual Mill could do that then great.

If there isn't any such program for the computer, then any of you hardcore C programmer 1337 people hacker types out there wanna make me one?

And yeah, sanddrag, they are very expensive. Mine was about 30 thousand or so. Worth every cent.

[joker]

GibbCAM or MasterCam and the get the posts from haas. When you post, it will give you all the G code. We have a fadal cnc mill at our school and we use GibbCAM for all our machining, easy and fast to use, save us lot of time.

[GregT]

Originally Posted by P-Dog

Is this Visual Mill software just like a 3d modeler where you could output the file as a list of coordinates, and then put in the G-codes? What I am looking for is something that can take an already complete code in a text file, with G-codes, and have my computer display the graph of where the cutter would go. Im trying to input code, and get graph, not input model, and get code. Can Visual Mill do that? It sounds like it might require some special software from Haas, since it is using their G-code system, but if Visual Mill could do that then great.

If there isn't any such program for the computer, then any of you hardcore C programmer 1337 people hacker types out there wanna make me one?

And yeah, sanddrag, they are very expensive. Mine was about 30 thousand or so. Worth every cent.

In CAM software, you typically import a solid model (though most let you create them in-program) then layout toolpaths. There are tools to make a tool piece follow a contour on geometry, cut out a pocket, face, just about any milling operation you could want. You can then output to a NC file using a specific plug-in for your specific mill. The NC code generated will even contain the tool switch codes (if your mill has a tool changer).

Of course CAM packages are expensive, which makes sense considering industry's reliance on them. If I bought a $30k mill, I probably wouldn't mind spending 2 or $3k more on a piece of software to make that mill really useful.

Greg

[P-Dog]

Ah, well thanks anyways. Call me crazy, but I usually find it easier to just type the code into a text document, looking at a drawing of the part. Really I want to get the model fom the code, not visa versa. This CAM Software does seem useful though. I'll have to try it out sometime.

Thanks a bundle

[Dima]

hmmm reading the manual to the newer version 4.0 of Visual Mill I came across this:

"Reverse Post Milling (Not available in VisualMill Basic)

The Reverse Post Milling operation is used to read in APT CL files and ISO standard G Code files. Users can also use these toolpath motions to project the cutter to surfaces underneath. This is also useful in reading older toolpaths and verifying and or simulating them using VisualMill's cut material simulation.
"

Is this what you would like to do?Try downloading the demo, it might be possible to use that function in it. If that doesnt work then maybe you can send me one of your files and i'll test it for you so you dont have to buy the software.

EDIT: hmmm maybe this is more like it?
http://www.intelitek.com/products/pr...1&pid=5&did=27
http://www.sti-sl.es/tecnologias/des...onal-tutor.pdf

[rolnroc182]

One of the best CAM packages for beginners that I have come across is FeatureCAM. Its pretty straightforward and pretty powerful once you get good at it. You can check it out and download an evaluation version @ www.featurecam.com Unfortunately, while you can make programs and simulate, you cannot access the G code. If you try it and like it though you can buy it. Its not cheap though. As for G code specific to Haas machines, there are only slight variations between the codes for different machines, and you can easily set up your software with postprocessor plug-ins that are specific to a certain type of machine, or controller i.e. fanuc or whatever. I think the evaluation version of featurecam comes with a ton of postprocessors, your mini mill will be in there.
Good Luck