Clearplanes

[#2#]

All, I use mostly move points but I do use clearplanes on occasion. I have noticed a strange thing happening every so often. So far this hasn't caused any crashes - knock on wood. I am just curious if anyone else experiences this.

At the beginning of the program there are manual features to be measured to "find" the part. After these are measured there is a basic alignment, the dcc mode is turned on and then the clearplane is set. The next feature is then measured.

What happens is this... the features are measured and when it goes dcc it moves to the clearplane but rather than moving straight up (z-plus clearplane) it will move up at some angle. After this initial clearplane move all others occur normally (parallel to z-axis).

As I said, It hasn't caused any crashes but I'd like to figure out why it does this before it does crash.

[cmmguy]

I dont use clearplanes because in 3.7 they dont seem to work right if you change them in a program

[craiger_ny]

Clearplanes have always behaved funny depending on where you declare and modify them. I use them sucessfuly in 3.2063 and 3.7 but I use them to a limited degree. I have never seen it do what you have going on. Is it because of the placement of the clearplane relative to an alignment? That shouldn't do it but like I said they are known to do what you did not expect them to do. It is annoying and why I use them only a limited amount. Like you I use move points.

Craig

[bw_bob]

Was taught the software using those **** things. Once i figured out move points have never gone back. I my opinion a waste of time ,thinking & energy.....I lack all 3 so i need to save what i got.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

All, I use mostly move points but I do use clearplanes on occasion. I have noticed a strange thing happening every so often. So far this hasn't caused any crashes - knock on wood. I am just curious if anyone else experiences this.

At the beginning of the program there are manual features to be measured to "find" the part. After these are measured there is a basic alignment, the dcc mode is turned on and then the clearplane is set. The next feature is then measured.

What happens is this... the features are measured and when it goes dcc it moves to the clearplane but rather than moving straight up (z-plus clearplane) it will move up at some angle. After this initial clearplane move all others occur normally (parallel to z-axis).

As I said, It hasn't caused any crashes but I'd like to figure out why it does this before it does crash.

Sounds like V3.5 to me, I bit ched about this a long time ago. What it is doing, WATCH IT CLOSELY, is it is 'ignoring' the 'up' move of the clearance plane, but going to the location when it wants to start the DOWN move of the clearance plane, and it is moving on as straight a line as it can to that point. Lets say you are currently at X0 Y0 Z100 and you go into DCC, set the clearance plane to 250 and want to measure a point at X125, Y300, Z75. It will move in a straight line from X0 Y0 Z100 to X125, Y300, Z250, 'skipping' over the move to X0 Y0 Z250. Sweet, eh? I would also guess that you have a Sharpe32 controller on your machine. Now, go figure THIS out, if you press the run/hold button so that the machine can NOT move, then end the last manual feature and wait just a second or two, you can then de-press the run/hold button and it will move the clearance plane just fine. ALSO, if it crashes on the bogus move and you tell it to continue, it will GO TO WHERE IT SHOULD have gone to begin with! In this case, no matter where it was when it crashed, if you tell it to continue, it will go to X0 Y0 Z250, just like it SHOULD have done to begin with!!!!!

Ah, ya gotta freaking LOVE this software!

[Peter Warcholyk]

With all the odd ball problems and glitches that I've seen others complain about, I've stuck with move points.

They've always worked great for me. I can keep move distances shorter between features, and I'm able to run in fly mode.


ZydecoPete

[Wes Cisco]

I do use clearplanes, but only for very limited applications. Usually a hole pattern in a plane. For almost all else it is move points for me. Might take a tad longer to program, but no crashes.

[JoeRZ]

Same here...very limited apps because it gets confusing when you have several work planes to work with ie., Active then Pass through when changing work planes.

I stick with move points - easier to just type it in during learn mode plus I know exactly where my probe is going to end up.

JRZ

Off on a tangent here - Does anybody remember MOVE/ALL command - Used it lot during AVAIL years but have not seen it forever - Good thing for a scare...

[JamesMannes]

I use move/clearplane almost exclusively. I use a move point in between module changes. Move/all is available via the pull down menu as of 3.7. I don't use it because one of our retrofit machines can't figure out what to do with the command.

[#2#]

V3.7MR3 BTW

I really only use them for the first feature or two. There is no way to know where the probe will be left after the manual features. It is the safest way for me to get to that first feature without a crash.

I think I nailed it down. It seems to happen when I don't level something to z-plus. Usually I try to make as few manual hits as possible. To that end I usually have the part visually squared to the table and then just enough hits to locate the orgin - hits for rotation are then done dcc. I assumed it would use the machine's z-plus for the clearplane but maybe not.

If I do a manual 3D feature and use it to level the clearplane acts as expected.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

V3.7MR3 BTW

I really only use them for the first feature or two. There is no way to know where the probe will be left after the manual features. It is the safest way for me to get to that first feature without a crash.

I think I nailed it down. It seems to happen when I don't level something to z-plus. Usually I try to make as few manual hits as possible. To that end I usually have the part visually squared to the table and then just enough hits to locate the orgin - hits for rotation are then done dcc. I assumed it would use the machine's z-plus for the clearplane but maybe not.

If I do a manual 3D feature and use it to level the clearplane acts as expected.

Another option, and one that works QUITE well (I used it with the V3.5 issue) is to put in an INCREMENT move point before anything else, right after you go into DCC mode. It's not too hard to figure out WHICH direction to make it move, and as long as it does not hit a limit, it works like a charm.

[#2#]

Another option, and one that works QUITE well (I used it with the V3.5 issue) is to put in an INCREMENT move point before anything else, right after you go into DCC mode. It's not too hard to figure out WHICH direction to make it move, and as long as it does not hit a limit, it works like a charm.

I will have to try that. Thanks Matt!

[JamesMannes]

You are aware that that is not the correct way to set up a part to be as precise as possible? At least in my book anyway. Unless you do multiple alignments of the dcc alignment stuff.

[#2#]

You are aware that that is not the correct way to set up a part to be as precise as possible? At least in my book anyway. Unless you do multiple alignments of the dcc alignment stuff.

Yes, I do realize that and I do do multiple dcc alignments.

[rangerboat72]

I use clearance planes and incremental moves in all my programs. Can't say I've noticed any problems with them in 3.7 or 4.1 (yet)...