setup the post processor for 4 axis rotary CNC

[mona.alhashimi]

Hello . I'm trying to create a post processor to launch my Rotary CNC Roland 540, but I'm having this error

Information: Configuration: Roland RML

Information: Vendor: Roland DG

Information: Posting intermediate data to 'C:\Users\In5Design-05\Downloads\1001.prn'

Error: Failed to post process. See below for details.

...

Code page changed to '1252  (ANSI - Latin I)'

Start time: Friday, November 4, 2022 12:35:41 PM

Code page changed to '20127 (US-ASCII)'

Post processor engine: 4.5911.0

Configuration path: C:/Users/In5Design-05/AppData/Roaming/Autodesk/Fusion 360 CAM/Posts/roland rml.cps

Security level: 1000

Include paths: C:/Users/In5Design-05/AppData/Roaming/Autodesk/Fusion 360 CAM/Posts

Configuration modification date: Friday, November 4, 2022 11:55:03 AM

Output path: C:\Users\In5Design-05\Downloads\1001.prn

Checksum of intermediate NC data: 041e67e1cba288280f01888a449fc850

Checksum of configuration: f7891b626c1594f58b497868be175073

Vendor url: http://www.rolanddg.com

Legal: Copyright (C) 2012-2021 by Autodesk, Inc.

Generated by: Fusion 360 CAM 2.0.14567

...

###############################################################################

Error: Multi-axis simultaneous toolpath is not supported by the post.

Error in operation: 'Rotary2'

Failed while processing onRapid5D() for record 367.

###############################################################################

Error: Failed to execute configuration.

Stop time: Friday, November 4, 2022 12:35:41 PM

Post processing failed.

[serge.quiblier]

Hi @mona.alhashimi 

actually the roland rml post does not support rotary axes.

It is strictly limited to 3 axis toolpaths.

As I am not an expert in the RML specific format, so, I can't tell if it's a limitation in this mode.

Regards.

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[mona.alhashimi]

Thank you for your reply, so how do I customize or create a post processor that can work with Roland 4 axis Rotary then ?

[serge.quiblier]

Hi @mona.alhashimi 

the roland iso/nc code mode version is prepared to support multi axis machine.

A machine configuration can be defined in the onOpen function to support up to 5 axis.

Regards

[mona.alhashimi]

Thanks a lot for your support and help, so I download Roland ISO post processor and I did the changes needed for 4 axis Rotary CNC as the follow....

function onOpen() {
if (getProperty("useRadius")) {
maximumCircularSweep = toRad(90); // avoid potential center calculation errors for CNC
}

if (true) { // note: setup your machine here
var aAxis = createAxis({coordinate:0, table:false, axis:[0, 0, 1], range:[-360, 360], preference:1});
//var cAxis = createAxis({coordinate:2, table:false, axis:[0, 0, 1], range:[-360, 360], preference:1});
machineConfiguration = new MachineConfiguration(aAxis);

setMachineConfiguration(machineConfiguration);
optimizeMachineAngles2(0); // map tip mode
}

if (!machineConfiguration.isMachineCoordinate(0)) {
aOutput.disable();
}
if (!machineConfiguration.isMachineCoordinate(1)) {
bOutput.disable();
}
if (!machineConfiguration.isMachineCoordinate(2)) {
cOutput.disable();
}

if (!getProperty("separateWordsWithSpace")) {
setWordSeparator("");
}

I'm following the instruction Here for how to set up 4/5 axis machine  https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autodesk-hsm/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How...

But I'm getting this Error

"Direction is not supported for machine configuration " 

I did change it to var aAxis = createAxis({coordinate:0, table:false, axis:[0, 0, -1], range:[-360, 360], preference:1});

but still the same error, I think I'm misunderstanding something in the instruction above.

FYI I'm using Roland 540 CNC with Rotary axis.

[serge.quiblier]

Hi @mona.alhashimi 

You have to change some parameters and fix the axis definition.

Your 4th axis rotary table is rotating around which axis ?

Around X : axis:[1, 0, 0]

Around Y : axis:[0, 1, 0]

Around Z : axis:[0, 0, 1]

If the axis needs to be inverted replace 1 by -1

If the axis is rotating the part table:true, if it's rotating the tool table:false.

As it's a 4th axis machine, it will probably not support tcp, so this line must be changed :

optimizeMachineAngles2(1); // non tcp table or and head config

Regards.

______________________________________________________________

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[mona.alhashimi]

Hello again,

Thanks a lot for your effort, I did changed those in my code but I'm still getting the same error, I think my mistake in putting the correct values of the axis, Here is my Fusion Toolpath and My CNC, I'm using the option Rotary in the multi-axis bar in order to create the toolpath.

Thanks,

[serge.quiblier]

Hi @mona.alhashimi 

I am not able to find and fix the error just by looking at the pictures.

Can you share your post processor, and the Fusion file, please?

You can either share a link to your Fusion file. See:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-t...
or you can save an archive (f3d, or f3z) and share it on the forum
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How...

[mona.alhashimi]

Hello again, yes sure, Here is my Fusion file https://a360.co/3tHkoKu and the Post Processor that I'm using in the attachment.

hope we can figure out the mistake

Thanks again for your help.

[serge.quiblier]

Hi @mona.alhashimi 

Lots of things were wrong.

Let start from the beginning. Usually a milling machine have axis configured and named specifically.

The tool rotational axis is the Z axis, as shown in blue in the picture. Then, the X axis is frequently the longuest one, going from left to right on the machine. The Y axis is the last one, following the right hand convention. (X is the thumb, Y is the index, Z is the third finger)

Then, in Fusion, you should orient the wcs axis in the same way. In your example the part is aligned along X.

But your first definition was along Z!

So I fixed it this way:

Changing the wcs orientation, we now need to correct the rotary axis definition in the toolpath.

To avoid a warning with the wcs defintion , Using G54 instead, it can be fixed by selecting the first wcs.

I fixed the axis definition, and loosened it.

Initially the axis definition was

var aAxis = createAxis({coordinate:0, table:true, axis:[0, 0, 1], range:[-360, 360], preference:1});

The direction is wrong, it should be along X, and the range is "limiting" the number of turn the machine can do.

So, the following defintion is fixing issue one, and relaxing the second one.

var aAxis = createAxis({coordinate:0, table:true, axis:[1, 0, 0], preference:1});

Your axis is not really unlimited, but 360 degree is too restrictive, and I am not sure if the machine uses a cyclic axis.

For information, your toolpath require 43 rotations approximately. So expect a "lengthy" rewind at the end of the program, when going back to G0 A0.

Regards.

PS Find in attachment the fixed elements
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[engineguy]

@mona.alhashimi 

Try the attached modified Fusion f3d file using the attached modified Roland Post Processor, see image below for the PP modifications, I have assumed that the Left/Right axis of your machine is the X Axis so your Rotary is rotating around the X Axis. The generated G Code looks OK but I don`t know if it will run correctly at your CNC so take great care when testing this stuff 🙂 🙂 🙂

The Roland PP does not have the "Rewind" ability so I just put a large value in for the range and that allows the A Axis to keep revolving, a bit of a crude workaround but that`s all I have for now 🙂

@serge.quiblier 

Can you perhaps code this PP to have the "Rewind" capability? Reckon it would all work OK then 🙂 🙂

[engineguy]

@serge.quiblier 

Ah, OK, I see you have done it while I was working on it, better way than mine 🙂 🙂

[mona.alhashimi]

Thanks a lot for your effort and help, I was feeling that the problem is in my understanding of the 3 axis and their position, The machine is running perfect now.

Thanks again