Procedures for Generating CUTCOM Syntaxes

You can generate cutter compensation (CUTCOM) instructions for Profile Contouring, Pocketing, and Circular Milling operations.

The activation/deactivation of cutter compensation is possible by using NC macros on these operations:

For Profile Contouring operations, compensation is defined on Approach, Retract, Return to finish pass, and Return between levels macros for each pass.
For Circular Milling operations, compensation is defined on Approach, Retract, and Return between levels macros for each pass.
For Pocketing operations, compensation is defined on Retract, Return to finish pass, and Return between levels macros on the side finish pass only.

Compensation is possible by inserting a dedicated PP Word instruction in a macro tool path. In the generated APT source, CUTCOM syntaxes are inserted as follows:

CUTCOM/LEFT or CUTCOM/RIGHT (from point where CUTCOM is activated). The system automatically defines the valuation LEFT or RIGHT to respect the machining side.
CUTCOM/OFF (from point where CUTCOM is deactivated).

The stages in this procedure are as follows:

Select the Compensation Output Option
Select Position in Macro for Cutter Compensation
Insert CUTCOM PP Word in the Macro
Complete the Machining Operation Definition
Related Topics

Select the Compensation Output Option

The Compensation output allows you to manage the generation of CUTCOM instructions in the NC data output.

Go to the Strategy tab of the machining operation and set Compensation output to None.

The other options are:

2D Radial profile: both the tool tip and cutter profile display during tool path simulation. The system automatically generates cutter compensation instructions in the NC data output.
2D Radial tip: the tool tip is visualized during tool path replay. The system automatically generates cutter compensation instructions in the NC data output.

For both these options, define Approach and Retract macros with motion in the plane normal to the tool axis. When you do this, you apply or cancel the radial compensation offset on a nonaxial motion.

With None, the cutter compensation instructions are not generated automatically in the NC data output. The procedure below describes how to manage the cutter compensation manually.

Select Position in Macro for Cutter Compensation

This procedure describes you how to select a position in macro for cutter compensation

Go to the Macro tab

of the machining operation dialog box.

See Defining Macros

In the Macro Management frame, right-click the Approach line and select the Activate context menu.
In the Current Macro Toolbox frame, select the mode.
A sensitive icon representing this approach motion appears.
Right-click the point (green cross) where the cutter compensation is to be inserted in the macro path and select PPword list. The contextual window appears with the choices, Deactivate or PPword list

Insert CUTCOM PP Word in the Macro

This procedure describes you how to insert configured PP word in macro tool path.

In the PP Word Selection dialog box, click PP Word to access the PP word table.

Note: This command is accessible only if the part operation defines a machine and an associated PP table.

The PP Word Selection Assistant appears.
Select the major word CUTCOM in the list (Major words with parameters).
See Inserting Post-Processor Instructions.
Select the appropriate NC_CUTCOM syntax, then click Apply to add the syntax and Close to exit the dialog box.
- NC_CUTCOM_ON activates the cutter compensation. CUTCOM/LEFT or CUTCOM/RIGHT is generated in the APT source. The system automatically defines the valuation LEFT/RIGHT to respect the machining side.
- NC_CUTCOM_OFF deactivates the cutter compensation. CUTCOM/OFF is generated in the APT source.
The PP Words Selection dialog box appears again with NC_CUTCOM_ON.
Click OK to insert the NC_CUTCOM_ON PP word in macro tool path.

Complete the Machining Operation Definition

You can define the other parameters of the operation (geometry, tool, and machining strategy).

Click OK to validate the machining operation and exit the dialog box.

Generated APT Source

Here is an example of the type of APT source that can be obtained for a Profile Contouring operation. In this case, a NC_CUTCOM_ON word was inserted in the approach macro and a NC_CUTCOM_OFF word was inserted in the retract macro.