Offline Programming Requirements

[afenner]

My company is planning to get an offline license in the near future and they have asked for my input. I'm the only programmer at our shop at this time. I'm going to need to program on a laptop because I will be traveling. I know what specs I want in the laptop, so I've got that covered.

However, I'm not sure what all is involved in offline programming. Do I need to get cad models for fixturing? I may need to assemble cad models, does anyone do that?

I'm looking for offline programmers to elaborate abit about the differences between online and offline programming and their personal preferences.

Thanks guys...(and gals)...er...are there gals in here?

[bw_bob]

I program off line on occasion. It is alot easier using cad. You just have to remember if you will need to fixture it (move points or clearplanes). The programs I have written have been easy to fix if any is required. I have also written without cad & that can be tricky because you have to visualize everything in your head. I like offline myself.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

My method of offline programming might not be concidered offline programming by anyone but me. I use no fixture data, I simply program AND dimension all the points I need. Then, when I get a fixture, I will set it up on the table and walk the program through, one point at a time. I figure this uses about 1/8 the table time (or less) than programming from scratch would take. You can get all the dimensions set and all that other garbage all before hitting the tbale. Then it is simply a matter of putting in your avoidance moves. But, even with CAD of a fixture, I would NOT trust teh the fixture was made accuratly to the cad model and would step the progrma through anyway. A little time is MUCH cheaper than a broken head.

[John Riggins]

You would be well served by this:
Write a program "offline" with one of your existing seats.
Just load up a program online, then start a new one while that is loaded.
You can have ONE offline program on an existing online seat.
This will give you some experience and you can develop questions this way.
Using CAD is the easiest way to program offline.

[Paul Sarrach]

I do like you Matt. Point by point.

[cmmguy]

You would be well served by this:
Write a program "offline" with one of your existing seats.
Just load up a program online, then start a new one while that is loaded.
You can have ONE offline program on an existing online seat.
This will give you some experience and you can develop questions this way.
Using CAD is the easiest way to program offline.

That is good advice. Especially to see if Offline programming is for you and what kind of info you will need from engineering to accomplish this task. Dont get sucked into writing programs at home or on the road at night unless they are paying you for it. If you use this time to learn then you will get better use from an offline seat before your company spends the money...

John - You should not have to load a program online first in order to start an offline program. There is a dropdown in the OPEN/NEW dialog box that lets you select the offline system. You still must be hooked up to a live CMM controller for it to work.

[John Riggins]

John - You should not have to load a program online first in order to start an offline program. There is a dropdown in the OPEN/NEW dialog box that lets you select the offline system. You still must be hooked up to a live CMM controller for it to work.

Yer right!
I just checked it out. Been doin this for 6 years and never knew that.
Thanks.
Now that I know that I guess I know it all.... no more to learn.

[dwade]

Running V3.7MR3 for now.

I program almost exclusively offline with and without CAD (majority with). Programming with CAD offline is the easiest programming I have ever done.

Biggest thing is to keep your mind open as to how you willset up the part on the CMM. I do not use fixture CAD models as we use Rayco set ups for almost everything, sometimes a vise or V blocks. Once I get the program written I run in offline mode to make sure all the moves and probe changes are correct. If you use "move-all" probe changes add the probe behind the move-all or the animation will not show the correct probe.

Keep track of your clearplanes and moves. I use "Before", "Both" and "After" moves in the feature dialog boxes a lot and try and stay away from having to use move points as much as possible and it makes the program look cleaner as easier to follow. I have gotten programs from customers that run like a sewing machine because they put "move/Clearplane" in front of everything. Takes a lot of extra time running a part that doesn't need to be there.

Duane

[JamesMannes]

Go HERE

This document may help you along the offline programming route.

[afenner]

Thanks for the tips fellas. I'll load up a program and experiment a bit with the offline mode.

James, my company's internet filter blocked your link...

[JamesMannes]

Thanks for the tips fellas. I'll load up a program and experiment a bit with the offline mode.

James, my company's internet filter blocked your link...

Email me and I will send it to you.

[email protected]

[jjewell]

Aaron and James,

I have been off line programming for many clients, all over North America. I have yet to find that using that "Program Mode" button is useful. It is a pain. Just use auto features for everything. I also recommend using iterative alignments in your programs. If you program to the fixture cad and the numbers are a bit different on the actual fixture, this is VERY easy to adjust later. Some programs you might find using clear planes, others move pts. I sometimes use move pts with a incremental moves works well. The only bad thing about incr moves, they don't create a path that is true, unless that has been fixed in the newer versions.

[JamesMannes]

Aaron and James,

I have been off line programming for many clients, all over North America. I have yet to find that using that "Program Mode" button is useful. It is a pain. Just use auto features for everything. I also recommend using iterative alignments in your programs. If you program to the fixture cad and the numbers are a bit different on the actual fixture, this is VERY easy to adjust later. Some programs you might find using clear planes, others move pts. I sometimes use move pts with a incremental moves works well. The only bad thing about incr moves, they don't create a path that is true, unless that has been fixed in the newer versions.

I would have to agree with you Jim. I used that document as an easy to uderstand introduction to offline programming. It does not cover all possible solutions.

[PowerJunkie]

Running V3.7MR3 for now.
If you use "move-all" probe changes add the probe behind the move-all or the animation will not show the correct probe.

Like....

MOVE/ALL,<X,Y,Z>,TIP=T5A45B-90,SHANK ....
TIP/T5A45B-90

?

It would be great if this fixes it, I'll use it next time.

[dwade]

Like....

MOVE/ALL,<X,Y,Z>,TIP=T5A45B-90,SHANK ....
TIP/T5A45B-90

?

It would be great if this fixes it, I'll use it next time.

It works. The majority of the programs BMT had a lot of MOVEALL statements in ithem and to watch them run offline was baffling. I do this in of the programs I write so when someone watches it run offline it look like the real McCoy.