topic Re: Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting. in Fusion Manufacture Forum

Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting.

TinWhisperer — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 11:37:21 GMT

When I enter values into the tool cutting data, then select only that tool to developed toolpaths. Why does it not update the post properties in the NC program menu?

Seems odd that this disconnect exists.

Re: Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting.

ltomuta — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 18:54:30 GMT

Unless you have some really special post-processor there should be no link between a tool (one of many used in a program) and post's preferences.

Tool information (with its parameters) are passed to he post processor with the operation data and it is processed by the post subject to limits and conditions set by its properties).

Re: Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting.

TinWhisperer — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 12:54:54 GMT

@ltomuta wrote:
Unless you have some really special post-processor there should be no link between a tool (one of many used in a program) and post's preferences.

I am doing plasma cutting so it would be extremely rare to use more then one tool in a program.

I guess it is a special post processor it only works with Langmuir Systems FireControl.

https://assets.langmuirsystems.com/doc/Post+Processing+for+FireControl.pdf

https://assets.langmuirsystems.com/firecontrol/posts/FireControl-v1.6.cps

It would be convenient if I used a different tool in a different program that it would transfer this information post properties so I didn t have manually update it.

Re: Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting.

ltomuta — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:51:57 GMT

I'll have to look at this post processor sometime later today to see what it does and how. But it makes no sense for it to ask in properties for info that is provided already by Fusion through the post-processor API. The properties should be for info that Fusion itself does not have and through which machine-specific or user-specific preferences can be set.

If the info it wants is really tool specific then I would remove the preferences and read the tool values instead inside the post.

Re: Why does the Tool information not update the Post properties? Plasma cutting.

ltomuta — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 19:52:25 GMT

I think these cutting data properties for plasma tools are new, at least I remember that a couple of updates ago changes in this area broke one on my "plasma" tools I use for WireEDM.

As I don't need the cutting data I simply defined some random values there and ignored the area.

As is your options are:
- define the post preferences and used them as such, ignoring the cutting data at least until Autodesk or the machine vendor provides an implementation that takes them into account
- define a cutting data profile for your tool(s) and edit the post so that it uses these values instead of post's preferences

In the later case, you can do something like this in onSection:

switch (tool.type) { case TOOL_PLASMA_CUTTER: if(hasParameter("operation:tool_pierceTime")) { var pD = getParameter("operation:tool_pierceTime"); writeComment("From here onwards using pierceDelay value from tool"); properties.pierceDelay = pD; } break;

Note that the code overwrites the pierceDelay so its value is lost and the one set by the current tool is used until the end of the program or until some other tool comes with a different value... This can be avoided by defining a new variable and keeping the property untouched.