Can you use machine definitions to adjust spindle speed in toolpaths?

[podging]

I work in a shop with multiple machines. Some of the machines have 10k rpm spindles and some have 18k rpm spindles. What I want to do is to be able to just change the machine definition of a setup and then have the spindle speeds be limited by the max speed in the kinematics and feed adjusted accordingly. As it stands it will give a warning for each toolpath that exceeds the limit, but that still requires me to go through and edit each affected toolpath manually.

It seems like it should be a really obvious and easy thing to do. I just need a reference parameter for the setup's machine definition max spindle speed, but I can't find it.

[a.laasW8M6T · Accepted solution]

Hi

You cannot limit the toolpath RPM with the Machine definition, you just get the warning unfortunately.

The Machine information is available to the post processor though so you could modify your posts to limit the speeds and feeds.

Limiting the RPM is fairly simple, scaling the feed appropriately would be more complicated.

[podging]

Dang it. That's not something I really want in my post processor, but thanks.

[podging]

I found a solution that I think is clumsy, but workable. I'm going to create a user parameter for the spindle speed and reference that. It's a couple of extra steps and it might create some confusion for anyone else updating my programs, but it should be better than what I have now.

Seriously, it does not make any sense that I can't directly reference machine definition parameters.

[a.laasW8M6T]

I think as Machine Definitions/ simulation becomes more mature we may see stuff like this implemented, we do get more and more features over time but they do take a while to develop.

[podging]

Can't be done. The spindle speed is taking directly from the tool. Any attempts to adjust the toolpath's spindle speed by referencing the tool's spindle speed becomes a self referential error.

I did find the parameter and it should have been as easy as

tool_spindleSpeed > machine.spindleMaxSpeed ? machine.spindleMaxSpeed : tool_spindleSpeed

but it just doesn't work.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Ahh that's interesting

The machine.    parameters don't come up in the search but they do when you type them in an expression.

If you have the same ramp spindle speed as the Spindle speed you could do this:

but if they are different as they often are then this won't work.

[WillL84]

This is desperately needed honestly. The Fusion default for lathes is 5000 RPM. Our lathe maxes at 2500. Why can't I set the max spindle RPM under the machine setup section?

[programming2C78B]

its in your post settings AND the toolpaths, like mentioned before on your thread.

[seth.madore]

You should be able to create a toolpath, set your desired Max Spindle Speed and then right-click on the three-dot menu to the right. Select "Save as User Default" and it will (should) retain your desired max RPM.

 

[programming2C78B]

This of course doesnt fix OP's issue of posting out a program from a faster machine onto a slower one (We have one ugly duckling machine with only 4k on the millhead while everything else is 8k+)


If it was going 6000rpm on machine 1, and now 2500 on machine 2 there would have to be a feedrate change unless you program off of inch per rev!