CNCTRAIN OVERVIEW

© CNC Simulation Systems 1995 2008

© CNC Simulation Systems 1995 2008

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Table of Contents
Getting Started 4
Select a control system 5
Setting the Best Screen Layout 6
Loading Cnc Files 7
Simulation Modes 9
Running the Simulation 11
CNCteach Interactive Lessons 13
Setting billet size 15
Create Tooling Library 16
Enter a New CNC Program 17
CNCwrite programming Wizard 18

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Getting Started

Click on the OK button to continue.

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Select a Control System

CNCtrain simulates several CNC control types. To select the control that you would like to
simulate click on the 'Control Type' menu at the top of the screen and choose any of the
active listed controls.

CNCtrain will remember the last control that was selected when the software is re-run.

The above example shows the Fanuc0M Milling control has been selected.

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Setting the Best Screen Layout

CNCtrain allows you to customise the layout of the screen to suit your own system. This can
be helpful when using different screen resolutions or when the CNC lines are long.
You can choose to have the CNC editor to the left of the screen or at the bottom of the screen.

To adjust the size of the CNC editor in relation to the simulation screen
either click on and drag the vertical or horizontal red line to resize.

Any new layout will be stored and reloaded when CNCtrain is re-run.

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Loading Cnc Files

Select Load Cnc program from the 'File' menu.

All CNC Files are stored in a

seperate folder. For example Fanuc0M milling files are stored in Cncfiles\Fanuc0M folder. It is
important not to mix different types of CNC programs in a single folder. Use the default
directories or create your own student directories if required.

Select from the list of CNC programs.

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Your CNC program will be loaded into the

editor.

All material type , billet size, tool offsets and tool library are stored with each CNC program
and these parameters will be loaded when load a new CNC program. After loading an
example, check the billet settings and the tool library to see the changes.

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Simulation Modes

Use the four Simulation modes from the toolbar at anytime during or before the
simulation.

Selects 3d Simulation.

In 3d mode you can rotate the billet.

Selects Plan View only.

Selects Toolpath, try selecting toolpath sim ulation after 3D or Plan View simulation to
superimpose the toolpath over the machined surface.

Selects Side View. Shows the spindle on and off with vertical axis movement.

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Running the Simulation

Press the Cycle Start button to begin a new simulation, to re-start the simulation after a
program stop and to re-start the simulation when 'single step' or 'step by step' is active.

Press the Cycle Stop button to cancel program execution.

Press the Pause Button to pause the simulation. Press the Pause button to re-start the
simulation.

use the single block and step by step options to simulate a cycle or step through
each line.

Use the speed bar to control the speed of the simulation.

Axis positions, feed, speed and tool numbers are displayed during the simulation.
A machining time is also shown.

Try zooming in or out of the simulation before simulating the CNC program. This will
always redraw the billet in full, even if you select this option during simulation.

If you zoom in too much the simulation may well slow down.

Use the 'Part Zoom' to see more detail. In Plan View or Side
View resize the rectangle using the bottom end corner of the red square and then drag the
rectangle after clicking inside.

Once the rectangle is the correct size and position, check the 'part Zoom' box. A new billet
will be drawn. Select 'Cycle Start' to simulate then part section.

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CNCteach Interactive Lessons

CNCteach is ideal for the beginner. Example programs covering all the cycles and
moves of the CNC control c an be selected and simulated with descriptive comments guiding
the student through the machining process.
Press the button to select. Select an example from the pull down menus at the top
of the screen.

Select a group from the left hand menu at the top of the screen.

Select an example from the list at the right hand menu at the top of
the screen.

The example will be displayed in the CNC

editor. press Cycle Start to continue. During the CNC lesson you can interact with the
simulation using the tool bar menu.

To return to Off Line programming mode click on the button.

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Setting Billet Size

Click on the 'Select Material' button to activate the Material Library.

Select a material and enter the billet sizes. If the datum is at the bottom left hand corner of
the billet and at the top surface of billet then leave the billet Shift values at Zero, otherwise
enter the shift values.

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Create Tooling Library

Click on the 'Select Tooling' button to crete a library of tools.

Tool library is listed in the left hand

c olumn.

To change the tool type or the diameter select the type of tool from the right hand list. Click
on the button. Enter the tool number followed by the cutter diameter. The
new tool will be updated in the left hand column.

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Enter a New CNC Program

To start a new CNC program select 'New CNC Program' from the File menu. If the
current program has changed and not been saved, follow the prompts to save or overwrite an
existing program Y/N?.

Once the CNC editor is empty you can start to enter a new CNC program.

Make sure you are in edit mode.

A full list of the G and M codes is available from the pull down menus.

Select a group from the left hand menu at the top of the screen.

Select from the list of codes from the right hand menu at the top of
the screen.

Clikc on the help button to display the help window.

Remember to use capital letters for all letter prefixes. Comments can be added to the CNC
program using the relevant character.

Example Fanuc : G00 X23.3 Y23.5 (Linear move along the X and Y axis at maximum feed.

You can Cycle Start and run the CNC part program at anytime. However if you are using
subroutines or loops make sure they are complete before simulating.
After pressing Cycle start from Edit Mode the system will automatically select Auto Mode and
start the simulation. Following completion of the simulation you will need to select edit Mode
to continue adding lines to your CNC part program.

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CNCwrite programming Wizard

CNCwrite is a powerful programming wizard that is available at anytime.

You must select CNCwrite to enter any CNC part program.

Select a command from the pull down menus.

Click on Enter data if the code starts on a new line and append
data to add to the current line.

Make sure the cursor is at the end of the previous line before selecting

You will prompted to enter all the parameters and the CNC code will be placed in the CNC
editor automatically for you.
Click on the 'enter data' button for each part of the CNC line.

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Index

-C-
CNCteach Interactive Lessons 13
CNCwrite programming Wizard 18
Create Tooling Library 16

-E-
Enter a New CNC Program 17

-G-
Getting Started 4

-L-
Loading Cnc Files 7

-R-
Running the Simulation 11

-S-
Select a control system 5
Setting billet size 15
Setting the Best Screen Layout 6
Simulation Modes 9

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