NC Data Options

This section gives a summary of the options that are used when generating NC data output in the various formats. NC Data can be generated either in interactive or batch mode .

NC Data Option APT Clfile NC Code CATProduct
Circular Interpolation...
Circular interpolation
Specifies the type of circles to be processed if circular interpolation is required:
- From machine: uses the values specified by the part operation's machine
- None: circular interpolation is not required
- Z-axis circles: only circles whose axis is parallel to the z-axis of the machining axis system are processed
- Any axis circles: all circle types are processed.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *CIR		 Yes Yes Yes From
machine
Circle radius limits
Specifies how circles are to be processed for circular interpolation:
- From machine: the values specified by the part operation's machine are used
- Value: user-defined values are used for minimum and maximum radius constraints.		 Yes Yes Yes No
Minimum radius
Specifies the value to be used for the minimum radius constraint for circular interpolation.
If From machine was selected for the Circular interpolation option, the minimum radius value of the part operation's machine is used.		 Yes Yes Yes No
Maximum radius
Specifies the value to be used for the maximum radius constraint for circular interpolation.
If From machine was selected for the Circular interpolation option, the maximum radius value of the part operation's machine is used.		 Yes Yes Yes No
Circular record type
Specifies the type of record to be generated on the clfile if circular interpolation is requested:
- 3000 and 5000
- 15000.		 No Yes No No
Tool motions...
Home Point strategy
You can choose to include Home Point information in the NC data output by means of this option. In this case GOTO or FROM information defined on the part operation's machine is used.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *HPM		 Yes Yes Yes No
Include GOTO for tool change
- Check box selected: a GOTO statement will be included before each tool change.
- Check box not selected: a GOTO statement will not be included before each tool change.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *RMT		 Yes Yes Yes No
Output CYCLE syntax
- Check box selected: the PP word syntax specified in the PP word table will be output for axial machining operations .
- Check box not selected: GOTO statements will be generated in the NC data output.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *STX		 Yes Yes Yes No
Remove GOTO before cycles
For axial machining operations using SYNTAX output mode (CYCLE), you can now choose whether or not to output GOTO statements corresponding to Jump and Clearance motions.
- Check box selected: the following points are removed:
points that were added by the clearance approach distance
points that were added by the jump distance.
- Check box not selected: the points are not removed.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *GBC 1 		Yes Yes Yes No
Process Copy and Tracut operations
Specifies whether any Copy or Tracut instructions in the program are to be processed.
- Check box selected: Copy and/or Tracut instructions will be processed. In this case there will be no Copy or Tracut statements remaining in the generated APT source.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *APT 2
- Check box not selected: Copy and/or Tracut instructions will not be processed. In this case there will be Copy or Tracut statements remaining in the generated APT source.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *APT 1		 Yes No No No
Remove double points after PP commands
You can choose to keep or remove points that are repeated after PP statements.
- Check box selected: First point after PP command or user syntax is not kept if the previous one is a coincident point.
- Check box not selected: First point after PP command or user syntax is always kept.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PAC 1 		Yes Yes Yes No
Remove aligned points
- Check box selected: one or more points that are aligned between two other points will not be output.
- Check box not selected: one or more points that are aligned between two other points will be output.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *ALP 1 		Yes Yes Yes No
Feedrates...
Use rapid feedrate value instead of RAPID syntax
Defines the formatting for rapid motions.
- Check box selected: rapid motions will be preceded by a FEEDRATE syntax whose value is the Rapid feedrate specified on the machine.
- Check box not selected: rapid motions will be preceded by a RAPID syntax.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *RAP		 Yes Yes Yes No
Set Rapid feedrate at start of operations
- Check box selected: a RAPID statement will be included at the start of each operation. However, if a Clearance macro is defined on an operation, the macro definition will be taken into account.
- Check box not selected: a RAPID statement will not be included at the start of each operation.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *SRP		 Yes Yes Yes No
Statements...
Tool motion statement
Defines the format describing tool motion statements on the NC data output:
- From machine: the output format defined the part operation's machine is used.
- Point: tool point coordinates (x,y,z) are output.
A TLAXIS statement is given at the start of the generated APT source.
A fixed-axis clfile record 9000 is given at the start of the generated clfile.
- Axis: tool point coordinates and tool axis components (x,y,z,i,j,k) are output.
A MULTAX statement is given at the start of the generated APT source.
A MULTAX clfile record 9000 is given at the start of the generated clfile.
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *FGO		 Yes Yes Yes No
General information
Defines how information such as tool names and operation sequence numbers will be generated.
- None: not generated
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR 2xx
- PPRINT: generated with the PPRINT word
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR 1xx
- $$: generated as a comment (not available for clfile).
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR 3xx
where x is a number between 1 and 3 depending on other desired information ( see example ).

Note: Tool change operation keywords TOOLCHANGEBEGINNING and TOOLCHANGEEND printed in NC data output are not affected by the selection of None, PPRINT or $$.
These keywords are required for tagging tool change related information and are used during NC data file import.
This is not applicable to NC code generation.

 Yes Yes
except $$		 Yes
except $$		 No
Part operation comments
Defines how part operation comments will be generated.
- None: not generated
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR x2x
- PPRINT: generated with the PPRINT word
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR x1x
- $$: generated as a comment (not available for clfile)
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR x3x
where x is a number between 1 and 3 depending on other desired information ( see example ) . 		Yes Yes
except $$		 Yes
except $$		 No
Machining operation names
Defines how machining operation names will be generated.
- None: not generated
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR xx2
- PPRINT: generated with the PPRINT word
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR xx1
- $$: generated as a comment (not available for clfile)
Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *PPR xx3
where x is a number between 1 and 3 depending on other desired information ( see example ) . 		Yes Yes
except $$		 Yes
except $$		 No
Format for point coordinates...
Allows you to define other formats for NC data statements allowing better accuracy for large parts.
Number of digits (N)
Specifies the total number of digits for each point coordinate.

Digits after decimal (D)
Specifies the number of digits after the decimal point for each point coordinate.

Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *NDX N.D

Yes No Yes No
Format for axial components...
Number of digits (N)
Specifies the total number of digits for tool axis vector component.

Digits after decimal (D)
Specifies the number of digits after the decimal point for tool axis vector component.

Equivalent keyword for MfgBatch is *NDI N.D

Yes No Yes No