Creating Machine Rotations

You can add Machine Rotation to a Manufacturing Program either manually or automatically.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: When a machining operations requires a Machine Rotation, it is inserted as follows:
  • If the previous activity is neither a Tool Change nor a PP instruction:
    • If it is an axis change, the Machine Rotation is inserted before the axis change
    • If it is not an axis change, the Machine Rotation is inserted before the current Machine Rotation
  • Make sure the machine assigned supports rotations.

Create Machine Rotations Manually

You can add Machine Rotation manually in the Manufacturing Program.

  1. Click Machine Rotation from Setup.
  2. Select an activity in the Activities Process Tree.
    The Machine Rotation is added after this activity.
  3. In the Strategy Parameters tab, select Manual, in the Definition list and specify the Rotary angle.
  4. Alternatively, select Selection in the Definition list.
    The elements in the sensitive icon turn red.
  5. In the sensitive icon, define the rotary angle:
    1. Click the axis symbol, and select an axis system in the work area.
    2. Click the vector symbol, and select a line or cylinder in the work area.
      The value of Rotary angle is defined by the absolute value of the angle formed by the z-axis of the selected axis system and the line or cylinder axis.
    3. Alternatively, click the point symbol, and select a point in the work area.
      The value of Rotary angle is defined by the absolute value of the angle formed by the z-axis of the selected axis system and the line going through the selected point and the axis system origin.
    The machine table is rotated by this angle around the rotary axis (A, B or C). This rotary axis is defined in the NC machine. See Edit the Rotary Table Parameters
  6. Select a Rotary direction from the list ( Clockwise, Counter-clockwise, Shortest).
  7. Select the PP Word Syntax tab .
    1. Select the Initialize from PP words table check box to consult the Machine Rotation syntax defined in the PP table referenced by the Part Operation.
    2. Or enter PP Words as explained in Inserting Post-Processor Instructions.
  8. Click OK to validate and exit the dialog box.

Generate Machine Rotations Automatically

You can add machine rotations automatically in the Manufacturing Program.

  1. Right-click the Manufacturing Program in the Activities Process Tree.
  2. Select Generate Machine Rotations in the context menu.
    The Generate Machine Rotations menu item is available under the Manufacturing Program and the required machine rotations are added.
  3. Right-click the Manufacturing Program and select Delete Generated Machine Rotations to delete them.