Product category:
Control systems, DROs, etc, for machine tools
News Release from: Heidenhain (GB) | Subject: ITNC 530 CNC control
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 November 2004
Plain language programming made even
easier
CNC system guides the machinist in an intuitive, self-explaining manner through the entire part programming process and allows the use of a new or 'conversational' system.
Heidenhain has announced the launch of its new operating mode for the iTNC 530 CNC control The new operating mode-christened smarT.NC-guides the machinist in an intuitive, self-explaining manner through the entire part programming process
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 24 May 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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But what makes it special is that smarT.NC can be used as an alternative to conversational programming.
This means that smarT.NC lets the machinist decide whether he wants to create and run a program on the conversational level or in the new operating mode.
In other words, all previous TNC programming features remain as available and functional as they've ever been.
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With smarT.NC, Heidenhain is abiding by its principle: the machinist need only learn those features that are really new-he does not have to relearn features that he has already mastered.
The benefit to the machinist becomes evident: even if a TNC program has been created with smarT.NC, it can be edited as before with the TNC (plain language) editor.
He can even insert 'genuine' plain language blocks between individual smarT.NC machining blocks.
Of course Heidenhain leaves it to the machinist to decide whether to edit in the conversational editor or in smarT.NC.
This procedure is possible because both smarT.NC and the conversational editor access one and the same file: the plain language program.
To allow beginners to learn quickly and without extensive schooling, smarT.NC supports the user during programming through easily understandable help graphics that illustrate all required input.
Also, easily understood graphical symbols are used in the forms so that types of input information are quickly recognized for different operations.
But smarT.NC offers more than just an alternative, and simpler, type of programming.
Many new features were integrated-for example the pattern generator.
This geometry function has something special about it.
Machining positions that are definable by regular or irregular patterns are especially easy to program with smarT.NC.
The new user interface provides a comprehensive selection of patterns.
This, too, is a special feature of smarT.NC: if certain predefined machining positions within a machining step are not required, they can be simply skipped during program and test run, or even deleted from the program.
Separately defined patterns can be combined with each other so that, for example, linear patterns can be superposed on patterns along circle segments or circles.
The individual patterns can be assigned to and machined at various heights.
smarT.NC has a split screen.
The left side is reserved for navigation within the structured working plan.
Opening the machining sequences provides more detailed information on individual machining steps.
On the right side, a well designed input form shows the defined machining parameters of the machining step selected at left.
The definition of contours is self-explanatory through graphically aided forms.
The individual contour elements are likewise displayed in the outline; the associated data are shown in a form.
The TNC saves the contour itself as a plain language program in a separate file.
Since these contour descriptions do not include tool radius compensation, they can be individually reused later for various operations.
The programming graphic immediately displays the contour element as it was entered.
TNC contouring controls are used most extensively in tool and die making.
They also play an important role in the educational field.
There are now more than 170,000 TNC controls in the field.
Introduced more than 25 years ago, plain-language is still the standard programming language for all TNC controls.
When you hear people talking about shop-floor programming, they very often mean plain-language conversational programming from Heidenhain.
Thanks to Heidenhain's consistent development efforts over many years, conversational programs written on earlier TNC contouring controls can also be run on the newest Heidenhain control, the iTNC 530. Request a free brochure from Heidenhain (GB) ...
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