5-Axis post processor needed

[Battwell]

maybe i shouldnt mention this here but there is a lowish cost controller available with full rtcp.
i watched all its development. a very talented programmer. (nearly as good as cncdrive)
good luck with hardware backup though.
google cyclmotion

[Precision Composites]

Which is exactly what my original post is asking for…..a suitable post processor

[Doncis]

Post processors is unique for each diy 5 axis cnc, you need to create or modify according you machine kinematic, if you want to have rtcp

[cncdrive]

Yes, thats the problem, that you have to define the machine kinematics anyways.
In the CAM software or in the UCCNC.
This is why it is hard to implement this, because for a CNC controller like UCCNC it has to be done generalized, otherwise it would only work with some machines and our experience is that if something is not done generalized then there will be always users who need that function differently, because their machine is built up differently from the exact implementation.
So, this is the reason why we did not start implenent this function yet.
But I'm pretty sure that big CAM software vendors like Autodesk sure has this already impemented in a general way, maybe you can ask them?

[Chaz]

Hello,

Currently, our 5 axis machine (with AXBB-E and running UCCNC software) can cut 3 axis with no issue and "potentially" 3+2. 5-axis simultaneous is a problem though.
C axis is along Z
B axis along Y

(Using Fusion 360 for CAD/CAM.)

Here's the problem:
3 axis can be done easily with UCCNC post processor (found in F360). Win! (However,.....it doesn't seem to be fully written to support 5-axis.)

3+2 axis can be potentially done using 5-axis maker post processor (found in F360) with modifications as follows:

// fixed settings
var pivotDistance = toPreciseUnit(6.1055, IN); // distance to pivot point along B-axis
var cAxisOffset = toPreciseUnit(3.2813, IN); // distance from B-axis CL to C-axis CL
var headOffset = pivotDistance; // can have the tool length added to it

if (true) {
var bAxis = createAxis({coordinate:1, table:false, axis:[0, -1, 0], range:[-120.001, 120.001]});
var cAxis = createAxis({coordinate:2, table:false, axis:[0, 0, -1], offset:[cAxisOffset, 0, 0], range:[-181.000, 181.000], cyclic:false});

If doing 3+2, C & B axis swing in all the correct directions and look close to where they should be in relative space while cutting in air with a reference point on the bed.

If the toolpath is generated as a 5-axis simultaneous, it looks good in Fusion, but when post processed, the actual movments on the machine (and the display screen in UCCNC) are in another galaxy. The movement is also not smooth.

If I use the Thermwood 5-axis post processor (with same relative mods above), the displayed toolpath in UCCNC is about right, movement is smoother (not perfect) and alignment is a bit off.

I had to use the Thermwood post processor to get the kinematics figured out in the above mod for 5axis Maker PP. It took a bit of work just to get to that point plus making sure everything set up in Fusion was the same as the PP.

Hoping someone has got this figured out by now. Seems like there hasn't been much movement in past threads. Maybe there is now a 3-axis and a 5-axis versions available like Thermwood has?

Im struggling to get proper 5 axis working, using the UCCNC or other Post Processors. Mainly the issue is the offset of the A table when it rotates and impacts the Y distances....were you able to solve this? In your code changes recommended above, is this in the default UCCNC Post Processor?

[Chaz]

We have customers who doing car frames, Mercedes AMG frames from polycarbonate.
It can be done with UCCNC, but you will need a suitable post processor which calculates the RPTC for you.

Could we (as your clients) be helped with this suitable post processor please? If you look at my post from last week, this has remained unanswered. It seems such a simple issue to fix yet I cant work it out in Fusion or in a suitable PP.

Thanks

[cncdrive]

Chaz, I don't know how to fix it, because I'm not familiar with the Fusion360 post processors.
Maybe you can aks the Autodesk developers.
The UCCNC supports the same things as e.g. Mach3, it does not support RPTC, so the CAM software has to calculate it and post it in the g-code file.

[Chaz]

Chaz, I don't know how to fix it, because I'm not familiar with the Fusion360 post processors.
Maybe you can aks the Autodesk developers.
The UCCNC supports the same things as e.g. Mach3, it does not support RPTC, so the CAM software has to calculate it and post it in the g-code file.

Thanks. I might have got it working, using a Mazak post. Just testing. Y seems to offset now, not sure if its correct yet, nor do I know if tool offsets etc work, one step at a time.

What is UCCNC based on? I see Fanuc references in the UCCNC Post Processor.

Fusion is a very popular CAM / CAD, likely the most common due to where it sits in the price / support point. Autodesk are helping, one of their team are looking but not yet being looked at by a PP developer.

They have a guide here - https://cam.autodesk.com/posts/posts/gu ... 0Guide.pdf. Who wrote the original UCCNC PP? I'm not a programmer however I can make sense of some of this and how I've managed to modify the Mazak one I'm using.

Thanks

[Chaz]

Im trying a newer Mazak PP and got some progress but it outputs IJK code. The UCCNC software doesnt like this, its marked as Red yet ive seen others using I Code. Is there something I need to enable to use IJK? I'm trying to switch it off in the PP but struggling.

Thanks

[Precision Composites]

n it rotates and impacts the Y distances....were you able to solve this? In your code changes recommended above, is this in the default UCCNC Post Processor?

Hi Chaz,

I got another UCCNC modded PP that someone had done using a table/table setup. I made the appropriate changes to it, but with the current B/C offset I have, it's a nightmare and seems too slow. Once I redo my whole Z section on the machine with my new design, I'll no longer have the offset. I may switch over to RosettaCNC's motion controller for this machine and reuse the UCCNC controller for my smaller 3 axis.