Saturday, 12 December 2020

Fusion post processor add-in - fixed??

What up?

In a previous post I described my attempt to use Tim Paterson's add-in for the Fusion post processor to get around their annoying changes to the free version. This removes rapids and replaces them with feed rates. Tim's add-in aims to replace the slow feeds with rapids again. 

He replied quickly with a convincing explanation:

Yes, the problem is the machine is being put in incremental mode and left there.

At the bottom of the project description is a section called "Compatibility" with a table listing a few post processors. One of the columns in the table is labeled "Tool change". You should copy the text from that column for Centroid and paste it into the "G-code to precede tool change" box in the Post Process All dialog. This uses G90 to change the machine back to absolute mode at the start of each operation. It appears from the G-code you posted that this entry in the dialog is currently blank.

Let me know if this solves the problem. The tool change G-code has not been tested and could need refinement. I would really to know what works so I can keep the compatibility table up-to-date.

To which my reply:

Ah, that one passed me by. I dismissed this because there's no tool change happening. As often as not I post each toolpath into separate files and on this first road test I thought I'd keep it simple anyway. Here I had several operations all using the same tool.

Sounds as if that should do the trick. I'll try it next time I run the machine and let you know.

Might be worth highlighting the need to paste the tool change code regardless of whether tool changes are likely.

Seems that I need to paste the extra lines into the dialogue box after all. I think the confusion is understandable.

Bugger:

That didn't work either. I am way out of my depth here, so can only offer dumb testing effort. Hopefully Tim can suggest other things to try out....

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