Inserting Post-Processor Instructions

You can insert Post-Processor (PP) instructions either from a dedicated command or from a tab in the dialog box of other commands. The command processes PP instructions with more than 100 lines. Depending on the number of lines and on the line length, scrolling bars appear in the dialog box.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Check that you have assigned a PP word table to the NC machine in the Part Operation. See Creating a Generic Machine and Managing Its Parameters for more information.

Using the PP Words Selection Assistant

You can enter PP instructions with the Post-Processor Instruction command.

  1. Click Post-Processor Instruction from Programming then select an activity in the Activities Process Tree.
    The Post-Processor Instruction dialog box is displayed and the PP instruction is added after the selected activity.
  2. Alternatively, select the PP Word Syntaxes tab of the dialog box you are working with.
  3. When relevant, select a position (setup) from the list.
  4. Click Select PP Words .
    The PP Words Selection Assistant dialog box appears and shows the content of a PP words table. Its content varies with the PP words table.
  5. Optional: Edit the proposed name.
  6. Optional: Enter a comment.
  7. Click the type of Major Words from the list:
    • Major words with parameters
    • Major words with text
    • Major words without parameters
    The lists of Major Words and Minor Words is updated accordingly.
  8. Select a Major Word.
    • If a syntax is available, select the one required and follow the instructions that dialog box displays, if any.
    • If no syntax is available, complete the instruction with a Minor Word or a text that you enter under Current Selection.

      Apply becomes available once the PP instruction is complete.

    • Click Apply in the PP Words Selection Assistant.

      The PP instruction is added in the Post-Processor Instruction dialog box.

    • Repeat for each instruction you want to insert.

      They are listed in the Post-Processor Instruction dialog box. Example: 

      COOLNT/ON
PPRINT CHECK TOOL GAGE
CUTCOM/LEFT,RADIUS,5
  9. Click OK in the Post-Processor Instruction dialog box to insert the PP instructions in the Manufacturing Program and exit the dialog box.
  10. Double-click the PP Instruction or the activity that contains PP Words to edit the PP Words.

Insert User Parameters in PP Instructions

You can define a PP instruction that references user parameters created in the design part, and output the result in the APT source during the PP instruction processing.

  1. Open the Post-Processor instruction dialog box or tab as explained above.
  2. Enter the PP instruction directly in the dialog box.
    Note: You could use any syntax, example, 
    INSERT GLengthZHeight

    However, for an easier identification of the user parameter, you must be consistent with the other NC parameters. You can do so using the %( characters to identify the beginning of the parameter and the ) character to identify the end of the parameter. 

    INSERT G%(LENGTH)Z%(HEIGHT)
  3. Click OK to create the PP instruction in the Manufacturing Program.
    When you process the PP instruction during the APT code generation:
    • The execution program retrieves the parameters that it must process.
    • Then the program searches the design parts related to the Part Operation that it is processing to find the user parameters and corresponding values.
    • These values are output in the APT source file. The APT source file corresponding to this example (if Length is 80.5mm and Height 75.8mm) is as follows: 
      PPRINT OPERATION NAME : 
         Post-Processor Instruction.1
         $$ Start generation of : Post-Processor Instruction.1
         INSERT G80.5 Z75.8
         $$ End of generation of : Post-Processor Instruction.1
    Notes:
    • The name of the parameter the program retrieves during the processing is the name of the parameter that it created or displayed with the f(x) function.
    • In the case of a product referencing several parts, Part1 Length identifies the parameter Length of Part1.
    • Use this name in the PP instruction definition.
    • The advantage of this is that the command adds the user parameters in the PP table to reuse them later, or in other NC commands.

Customize the PP Word Table

You can customize the syntaxes associated to NC commands and sequences of PP word syntaxes associated to NC Instruction.

  1. Open \Startup\Manufacturing\PPTables\PPTableSample.pptable ( found in the installation path) with a text editor.
  2. Edit and customize the syntaxes as required.
    See PP Tables and Word Syntaxes - PP Word Tables.
  3. Save the PP Word Table you have created under the same directory, with the name of your choice.
    The new PP Word Table appears in the Post Processor words table list of the Numerical Control tab of the NC machine.

Merging PP Instructions

You can merge PP instructions, for example when the import of a V4 Model or an APT file has generated hundreds of post processor (PP) instructions. You can merge PP Instructions even if some of them contain more than one line of PP Words.

  1. Click Merge PP Instructions and select several PP Instructions in the Activities Process Tree.
    Alternatively, select and right-click several PP Instructions in the Activities Process Tree and select Merge PP Instructions in the context menu.
    Note: The PP Instructions do not need to be sequential. The PP instructions are merged into the first PP Instruction.
  2. Click Merge PP Instructions and select a Manufacturing Program in the Activities Process Tree.
    Alternatively, right-click a Manufacturing Program in theActivities Process Tree and select Merge PP Instructions in the context menu.

    For each group of PP Instructions, the PP Instructions are merged into the first one.