Creating a Machine Instruction

This procedure describes how to create a machine instruction activity.  A machine instruction activity is not created within NC Machine Tool Simulation; rather, it is created in one of the V5 machining workbenches and used by the NC Machine Tool Simulation workbench. 

The role of a machine instruction activity is to allow a parallel or peripheral axis machine to be used in a simulation.  You can lock one of the parallel axes and specify the other axes that can move freely.

For information on rationale for locking axes, see About Parallel or Peripheral Axis Machines within a Simulation.
Before creating a machine instruction, open the Process1.CATProcess file within any V5 machining workbench. Assign the ParallelAxisMachineSample.CATProduct to the Part Operation.
  1. On the PPR tree, select Machine Program.1, and click Machine Instruction in the Auxiliary Operation toolbar.

    The Machine Instruction command appears on the Auxiliary Operation toolbar only if you have a license for NC Machine Tool Simulation as well as a V5 machining workbench. 
    The Machine Instruction dialog box appears with the Properties tab on top. 
    When the dialog box first appears, none of the axes are selected. If you enter a subsequent machine instruction, the dialog box opens with the axis set as they were for the previous machine instruction activity.
  2. Select the axis to lock.

    Once selected, the axis remains locked during the simulation until another machine instruction is encountered.
  3. Select one or more axes to move freely.

  4. (Optional) Enter a comment in the Comment box.

  5. Select a Position for Initial Machine Placement.

    Possible positions are:
    • List of machine home positions
    • Previous Machine Instruction (if defined)
    • Last point of previous machine operation
    • First point of next machine operation
  6. Select a Configuration (if available).

    If one or more configurations is available for the machine position, you can select a configuration.
  7. Click OK.

    The machine instruction activity is added to the PPR tree.
    If a generated transition path appears after the machine instruction is inserted, click Update Transition Path.  Otherwise, the machine instruction data is not taken into account in the transition path.
The Syntax tab shows the following instructions:
 
  The contextual commands available when you select the Machine Instruction object are:
 
  Tool Path Replay is not available because no tool path is created.
  Each machine instruction activity is specific to a machine. If a new machine is assigned to the Part Operation, the change of machine does not generate a warning. After a machine change, if you edit the machine instruction activity, you receive warning messages about compatibility issues, should any apply.