Post Processor Training Guide
Post Processor Training Guide
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
1 Introduction to Post Processors
1.1 Scope
This manual is intended for those who wish to make their own edits to existing post processors. The
scope of the manual covers everything you will need to get started; an introduction to the recommended
editor (Autodesk Fusion Post Processor Editor), a JavaScript overview (the language of Autodesk post
processors), in-depth coverage of the callback functions (onOpen, onSection, onLinear, etc.), and a lot
more information useful for working with the Autodesk post processor system.
It is expected that you have some programming experience and are knowledgeable in the requirements
of the machine tool that you will be creating a post processor for.
If you would like a bit more information on the G-code format the Fundamentals of CNC Machining
guide contains a lot of useful information including a further explanation of the G-code format in
Chapter 5 CNC Programming Language.
Though most controls recognize the G-code format the machine configuration can be different and some
codes could be supported on one machine and not another, or the codes could be interpreted differently,
for example one machine may support circular interpolation while another requires linear moves to cut
the circle, which is why you will probably need a separate post processor for each of your machine tools.
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1.3 Finding a Post Processor
The first step in creating a post processor is to find an existing post that comes close to matching your
requirements and start with that post processor as a seed. You will never create a post processor from
scratch. You will find all the generic posts created by Autodesk on our online Post Library. From here
you can search for the machine you are looking for by the machine type, the manufacturer of the
machine or control, or by post processor name.
Other places to check for a post processor include the HSM Post Processor Forum or HSM Post
Processor Ideas.
It is possible that Autodesk has already created a post processor for your machine, but has not officially
released it yet. These posts are considered to be in Beta mode and are awaiting testing from the
community before placing into production. You can visit the HSM Post Processor Ideas site and search
for your post here. This site contains post processor requests from users and links to the posts that are in
Beta mode. You can search for your machine and/or controller to see if there is a post processor
available.
If your post processor is not found, then you should search the HSM Post Processor Forum using the
same method you used on the HSM Post Processor Ideas site. The Post Processor Forum is used by the
HSM community to ask questions and help each other out. It is possible that another user has created a
post to run your machine.
You should always take care when running output from a post processor for the first time on your
machine, no matter where the post processor comes from. Even though the post processor refers to
your exact name, it may be setup for options that your machine does not have or the output may not be
in the exact format that you are used to running on the machine.
When using Fusion it is recommended that you enable cloud posts and place it in your Asset Library.
This way post processors, tool libraries, and templates will be synched across devices and users at a
company.
Once you have uploaded your post(s) to the Cloud Library you can access these from Fusion. You do
this by pressing the Setup button in the Post Process dialog and selecting your post from the dropdown
menu.
Field Description
Use machine configuration Check this box to assign a Machine Definition to the post
processor. Typically, you would assign a Machine Definition to
the Manufacturing Setup in Fusion. If a machine is assigned to
the Manufacturing Setup, then this box will be checked and the
Machine Definition will be displayed below this field.
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Field Description
Post Specifies the post processor you want to run. The dropdown
arrow in this field will display a list of recently used post
processors. Pressing the button will open a popup dialog that
includes a list of linked folders and available posts that you can
select from. The button allows you to edit the post processor.
Use cascading post Used to select a cascading post. A cascading post is usually a 3rd
party post processor or verification program that is run after the
Fusion post processor.
Name or number The name/number of the program. This name/number will
usually be output as the first line of the NC file, usually as an
Oxxxx code when a number is required or as a comment (xxxx)
if a name is allowed. The post processor controls whether an
alphanumeric name is allowed in this field or if a number must
be entered. This is defined by the programNameIsInteger =
true; statement in the post processor and can be set to either true
(number required) or false (alphanumeric name allowed).
File name The output NC file name. This will default to the program
name/number.
Comment The program comment, which is usually output as a comment at
the top of the NC file.
Output folder Specifies the folder for the output NC file. Pressing the
button will open this folder in a File Explorer window. Pressing
the button opens a folder browser window to select the folder
for the NC file.
Post to Fusion Team Saves the output file to the cloud. The Fusion Team output
folder field will be displayed if this box is checked, allowing you
to select the cloud folder to post to.
NC extension Contains the default file extension for the output NC file as
defined in the post processor. You cannot override the file
extension.
Unit Controls the output units of the NC file. This is usually set to
use the same units as the model, but can be overridden to output
in either Inch or Millimeters.
Open NC file in editor Check this box if you want to open the output NC file in an
editor after post processing is finished. The editor used is
defined in your Fusion Preferences dialog in the General-
>Manufacture-> External editor field.
Create in browser Check this box if you want an NC Program automatically
created with the operations you are posting against. Be
forewarned, if this box remains checked each time you post
process outside of an NC Program, then you will continue to get
new NC Programs added to the list.
Property Table Displays the properties defined in the post processor and allows
you to modify these properties. Please see the Property Table
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Field Description
section in this manual for a full description of post processor
properties.
Fusion Post Process Dialog Fields
You select the folder for the post processor and the post processor itself by pressing the button next
to the Post field. You can right click on the Linked menu in the Post Library dialog to add a new folder
to select post processors from. The new folder will be displayed in the Linked menu.
Field Description
Configuration Folder Specifies the folder location of the post processor you want to
run. You can press the button to open a folder browser
window to select the post processor. This field is only displayed
in the legacy dialog, but you can select the folder in the NC
Programs dialog by pressing the button next to the Post field.
Setup Used to select preinstalled post processor libraries or to select a
cascading post. A cascading post is usually a 3rd party post
processor or verification program that is run after the HSM post
processor. This field is only displayed in the legacy dialog.
Post Configuration Defines the post processor you want to run. The available posts
are listed in a dropdown menu. There are filters that will limit
the post processors listed, including a Search Text field,
Capabilities (milling, turning, etc.), and Vendors.
Output folder Specifies the folder for the output NC file. Pressing the
button opens a folder browser window to select the folder for the
NC file. The Open folder button opens a file browser in this
folder.
NC extension Contains the default file extension for the output NC file as
defined in the post processor. You can override the file
extension in this field.
1.5.2 NC Programs
NC Programs are supported in Fusion and allow you to group operations together and assign a post
processor that is used for these operations. You create an NC Program by pressing the NC Program
menu or right clicking on a (group of) operation(s) and selecting Create NC Program from the list.
Pressing the Post Process button will bring up the NC Program dialog where you can create an NC
Program from the selected operations when the Post or OK button are pressed. It is important to note
that pressing the OK button will NOT post process the NC Program but will only save it.
The NC Program dialog contains two tabs, Settings and Operations. This is the same dialog that is
displayed when Post Processing from the menus.
You will also notice that when you post process against an NC Program that the NC Program dialog is
displayed. If you want to change any settings for post processing when using an NC Program, you must
edit the NC Program to make changes.
1. Allows a single generic post processor to be used for multiple machines with different
kinematics.
2. The post processor is assigned directly to the Machine Definition.
3. The NC output folder is defined in the Machine Definition.
4. Defines the unique multi-axis features for the machine.
5. Required for Machine Simulation.
6. Required for Operation Properties.
You can determine if a post processor supports a Machine Definition by checking for the
activateMachine function inside of the post processor. If this function is not present, then the post
processor will most likely not accept or fully support a Machine Definition. There are a number of post
processors that support Machine Definitions, such as the Fanuc, Haas Next Generation, Heidenhain,
Hurco, Siemens, and Tormach posts.
You assign a Machine Definition to a CAM Setup when creating or editing the Setup and pressing the
Select… button. This will bring up the Machine Library dialog that allows you to select a machine from
the available configurations.
Once you find the Machine Definition you want to use you can copy it into your Local folder or a
Linked Folder. You can do this by dragging the definition onto the desired My machines folder or by
The latest versions of Machine Definitions are available on our online Post Library. From here you can
search for the machine by the machine type, the manufacturer of the machine, or by machine name.
Once a Machine Definition is selected, you can edit it by pressing the Edit... button in the Setup dialog.
The areas of the Machine Definition that are important for post processing are the General, Kinematics,
Post Processing, and Multi-Axis settings. The information in the other areas can be accessed by the post
processor, but not all are used by the library post processors as of this writing.
Area Description
General Describes the manufacture, machine model, and description of the configuration.
Kinematics Defines the machine kinematics of the moving axes. You can define up to 3 linear axes,
2 rotary axes, a single spindle, and a table. You can add and axis by pressing the
icon. When you add an axis, it will be added after the highlighted component. An axis
can be deleted by highlighting it and pressing the icon.
The definition of the selected axis is displayed in the right pane of the dialog, including
the name, home position, feedrates, preference, and TCP setting.
The rotation vector (orientation) and range of the axis is defined below the kinematics
diagram.
The rotary axis pivot location (Offset) and initial location at the start of an operation
(Reset) are located under the Advanced settings tab.
These fields apply directly to the parameters of the createAxis function as described in
the Multi-Axis Post Processors chapter.
Post This is where you will select the location of the post processor, the post processor itself,
Processing and the output folder for the NC file. These will become the defaults when post
processing and for NC Programs.
Multi-Axis Defines the multi-axis capabilities of the control, along with how retract/reconfigure
operations are handled, and singularity settings. These capabilities are described in the
Multi-Axis Post Processors chapter.
Machine Definitin Post Processor Settings
1. Make the modifications yourself using this manual as a guide and by asking for assistance from
the HSM community on the HSM Post Processor Forum.
2. Visit HSM Post Processor Ideas and create a request for a post processor for your machine.
Other users can vote for your request for Autodesk to create and add your post to our library.
3. Contact one of our CAM partners who offer post customization services. These partners can be
found on the HSM Post Processor Forum at the top of the page.
No matter which method you decide to use to create your post processor, you should have enough
information available to define the requirements, which includes as much of the following as you can
gather.
• Milling
• Turning and Mill/Turn
• Stock Transfers
• Waterjet-Laser-Plasma
• Probing
• 2D
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• Drilling
• Coolant codes
• Manual NC commands
• 3+2 5-axis
• 5-axis simultaneous
• Waterjet
• Laser
• Plasma
• Lead in/out
• Radius compensation
• Color coding
• Automatic closing and matching of parenthesis and brackets
• Automatic indentation
• Intelligent code completion
• Automatic syntax checking
• Function List
• Run the post processor directly from editor
• Match the output NC file line to the post processor command that created it
This link will take you to the Visual Studio Code installation page. Select the correct version for your
operating system.
This will download an installation program that you can run to do the actual install. Left click on the
installation program to execute it.
After installing the Autodesk Fusion Post Processor Utility extension you will want to exit the VSC
editor and then restart it so that the extension is initialized. You are now ready to start editing Autodesk
post processors.
There is a description that explains the setting making it easy for you to make the changes.
The following table provides a list of some of the more common settings and their descriptions.
Setting Description
Editor > Minimap Controls if the minimap is shown. The
minimap is a small representation of the entire
file displayed on the right side of the window
and allows you to easily scroll through the file.
Editor: Font Size Size of the editor font.
Editor: Font Weight Weight (thickness) of the editor font.
Editor: Detect Indentation Automatically detects the editor.tabSize and
editor.insertSpaces settings when opening a
file.
Editor: Insert Spaces When checked, spaces will be inserted into the
file when the tab key is pressed.
Editor: Tab Size Sets the number of spaces a tab is equal to. The
standard setting for Autodesk post processors is
2.
Editor > Parameter Hints Enables a pop-up that shows parameter
documentation and style information as you
type.
Editor: Auto Closing Brackets Controls if the editor should automatically close
brackets after opening them.
Extensions: Auto Check Update or Auto Updates Automatically (check for) update extensions.
Files: Associations Associates file types with a programming
language. This must have "*.cps": "javascript"
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Setting Description
set in it to enable the automatic features of the
editor in Autodesk post processors.
Workbench: Color Theme Defines the color theme for the editor. This
setting can be changed using the File-
>Preferences->Color theme menu.
HSMPost Utility: Auto Update Function List Updates the function list automatically, without
the need for refreshing.
HSMPost Utility: Sort Function List Alphabetically When checked the function list will be sorted.
Unchecked will display the function names in
the order that they are defined.
HSMPost Utility: Color Output When checked, rapid, feedrate, and circular
blocks will be displayed in color.
HSMPost Utility: Rapid Color Color for rapid move blocks.
HSMPost Utility: Linear Color Color for feedrate move blocks.
HSMPost Utility: Circular Color Color for circular move blocks.
HSMPost Utility: Enable Auto Line Selection Enables the automatic selection of the line in
the post processor that generated the selected
line in the output NC file.
HSMPost Utility: Output Units Sets the desired output units when post
processing
HSMPost Utility: Shorten Output Code Limits the number of blocks output when
posting, making it easier to navigate.
HSMPost Utility: Post On CNCSelection When checked, post processing will occur as
soon as a CNC file is selected.
HSMPost Utility: Post On Save Automatically run the post processor when it is
saved, only if the NC output file window is
open.
Commonly Changed User Settings
The Explorer flyout contains expandable lists that are used to display the open editors, folders, variables,
functions, and CNC selector. The arrow ► at the left of each entry is used to expand or collapse the list.
List Description
OPEN EDITORS Lists the files that are open in this instance of the
VSC editor. Any files that have been changed,
but not been saved will be marked with a bullet
(•). The number of changed files that have not
been saved is displayed in the Explorer icon.
NO FOLDERS OPEN You can open a folder for quick access to all of
the post processors in the folder. Expanding the
folders will display the Open Folder button that
can be used to open a folder. Clicking on a file in
the open folder will automatically open it in the
editor. Take note that if a folder is opened, then
all opened files in the editor will first be closed
and you will be prompted to save any that have
been changed.
OUTLINE Lists the functions defined in the post processor
and the variables defined in each function.
Expanding the function by pressing the arrow ►
to the left of the function name will display the
variables defined in the function. You can select
any of the variables to go to the line where it is
defined.
You can search for a text string in the current file or in all of the opened files. To search for the text
string in the current file you should use the Find popup window accessed by pressing the Ctrl+F keys.
Ctrl+F Find Popup – Search for a Text String in the Current File
As you type in a text string the editor will automatically display and highlight the next occurrence of the
text in the file. The number of occurrences of the text string in the file will be displayed to the right of
the text field. You can use the Enter key to search for the next occurrence of the string or press the
arrow keys to search forwards → and backwards ← through the file. If you use the Enter key, then the
keyboard focus must be in the Find field.
Entering a text string to search for and then pressing the Enter key will display the files that contain the
text string and the number of instances of the text string in each file. You can expand the file in the list
by pressing the arrow key ► and each instance of the text string found in the selected file will be
displayed. Clicking on one of the instances causes the editor to go to that line in the file and
automatically open the file if it is not already opened. If you don't make any changes to the file and then
select the text string in another file, then the first file will be closed before opening the next file. An
unchanged file opened from the Search flyout will have its name italicized in the editor window.
There are options that are available when searching for text strings. These options are controlled using
the icons in the Search dialog and Find popup.
Icon Description
When enabled, the case of the search string must be the same as the matching text
string in the file.
When enabled, the entire word of the matching text string in the file must be the
same as search string. When disabled, it will search for the occurrence of the search
string within words.
Okay, so the Bookmarks flyout is actually a Breakpoints flyout, but since JavaScript does not have an
interactive debugger we are going to use it for adding bookmarks to the opened files. Placing the cursor
to the left of the line number where you want to set a bookmark will display a red circle and then
clicking at this position will add the bookmark.
To see the active bookmarks you can open the Bookmarks flyout and expand the BreakPoints window.
You can then go directly to a line that is bookmarked by selecting that line in the Bookmarks flyout.
Bookmarks set in all opened files will be displayed in the flyout and the file that the bookmark is set in
will automatically be made the active window when the bookmark is selected.
Visual Studio Code is an open-source editor and there are many extensions that have been added to it by
the community. For example, the Autodesk Fusion Post Processor Utility is an extension to this editor.
By opening the Extensions flyout you can see what extensions you have installed and what extensions
have updates waiting for them.
If there is an Update button displayed with the extension you can press this button to install the latest
version of the associated extension.
You can search the Visual Studio Marketplace for extensions that are beneficial for your editing style by
typing in a name in the Search Extensions in Marketplace field. For example, if you want a more
dedicated way to set bookmarks you can type in bookmark in this field and all extensions dealing with
adding bookmarks will be displayed. You can press the green Install button to install the extension.
You can also search for extensions online at the Visual Studio Marketplace.
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Viewing Extensions in the Online Marketplace
This section will go over some of the more commonly used features. You are sure to discover other
features as you use the editor.
If the Editor: Parameter Hints setting is set to true, then when you type in the name of a function,
including the opening parenthesis, you will be supplied the names of the function's arguments for
reference.
You can close the window by pressing on the X in the window footer or the X at the top right of the
Problems window.
Matching Parenthesis
Go to Line Number
The format of the keystrokes that represent a single Shortcut is defined in the following table.
Running a Command
Command Description
Post Utility Displays a menu where you can post process the
selected intermediate (CNC) file against the open
post processor, select a new CNC file, or display
the Autodesk Post Help window. You can also
use the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+G to run the post
processor.
Change post executable Sets the location of the post processor engine
executable.
Show debugged code Displays the entry functions that are called and
the line numbers that generated the block in the
output NC file. This is the same output that is
displayed when you call the setWriteStack(true)
and setWriteInvocations(true) functions.
Delete CNC file This command cannot be run from the
Commands menu. Right clicking on a CNC file
in the CNC Selection list and selecting Delete
CNC File will delete the file and remove it from
the list.
Disable auto line selection Disables the feature of automatically displaying
the line in the post processor that generated the
selected line in the NC output file.
If you add a new property to the post or for some reason the properties don’t display, you can press the
yellow refresh symbol in the Post Properties header to refresh the displayed properties.
You can also select the CNC file from the Post Utility menu.
Select the CNC File or Post Processor Using the Post Utility Command
If running a post processor for the first time in the editor it is possible that the location of the post engine
executable (post.exe) is not known. In this case you will see the following message displayed.
You can press the Browse… button to search for post.exe. The executable will be in one of the
following locations depending on the version of HSM being run.
username is your username that you logged in as. (id) is a unique and long name that changes
depending on the version of Fusion that you have installed. You will usually select the folder
with the latest date.
Inventor C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor CAM yyyy
Once you have posted against the CNC file, the output NC file or Log file will be displayed in the right
panel of the split screen. When the HSMPostUtility: Enable Auto Line Selection setting is true, then
clicking twice on a line in the output NC file will highlight the line in the post processor that generated
the output. The second click must be on a different character on the same output line to highlight the
line. Then, by clicking on a different character in the same line you will be walked through the stack of
functions that were called in the generation of the output.
Output NC File, Click Twice on Output Line to See Code that Generated Output
The Export CNC file to Visual Studio Code post processor from the Fusion Post Processor Library is
used to create external CNC intermediate files that can be used from within the Visual Studio Code
editor. You can download this post in the same manner as you download any post processor from
within Fusion.
Follow the directions in the Downloading and Installing a Post Processor section for installing a post
processor on your system.
Once the post processor is installed you will want to post process the operations you want to use for
testing. The CNC exporting post processor is run just like any other Autodesk post processor, except it
will not generate NC code, but will rather create a copy of the CNC file from the Autodesk CAM system
in a folder within the CNC Selector. The CNC file will be stored in the Custom folder by default, but
you can create your own private folder(s) by typing the custom folder name into the CNC output folder
field when post processing.
Most posts use a number for the output file name, it is recommended that you give the CNC file a
unique name that describes the operations that were used to generate it.
Once you click the yellow refresh button you should see the CNC file in the selected folder of the CNC
Selector list and can use it when post processing from the VSC editor. If you decide that you no longer
need a custom CNC intermediate file you can delete it by right clicking on the CNC file and select
Delete CNC File.
Using a Custom CNC Intermediate File Deleting a Custom CNC Intermediate File
3 JavaScript Overview
3.1 Overview
Autodesk post processors are written using the JavaScript language. It resembles the C, C++, and Java
programming languages, is interpreted rather than being a compiled language, and is object-orientated.
JavaScript as it is used for developing post processors is fairly simple to learn and understand, but still
retains its complex nature for more advanced programmers.
This chapter covers the basics of the JavaScript language and conventions used by Autodesk post
processors. There are many web sites that document the JavaScript language. The ELOQUENT
JAVASCRIPT site has a nicely laid out format. If you prefer a hard copy JavaScript guide, then the
JavaScript the Definitive Guide, Author: David Flanagan, Publisher: O’Reilly is recommended.
Whichever manual you use, you will want to focus on the core syntax of JavaScript and ignore the
browser and client-side aspects of the language.
currentCoolant = 7;
currentCoolant = 8;
currentcoolant = 9;
Case Sensitive Definition of 3 Different Variables
JavaScript ignores spaces and new lines between variables, operators, names, and delimiting characters.
Variable and function names cannot have spaces in them, as this would create separate entities.
Commands can be continued onto multiple lines and are terminated with a semicolon (;) to mark the end
of the logical command. If you are defining a string literal within quotes, then the literal should be
defined on a single line and not on multiple lines. If a text string is too long for a single line, then it
should be concatenated using an operation.
There are two methods of defining comments in JavaScript. You can either enclose comments between
the /* and */ characters, which will treat all text between these delimiters as a comment, or place the //
characters prior to the comment text.
The /* comment */ format is typically used as the descriptive header of a function or to block out
multiple lines of code. Any characters on the line that follow the // characters are treated as a comment,
so you can have a single comment line or add a comment to the end of a JavaScript statement.
/**
Output a comment.
*/
function writeComment(text) {
writeln(formatComment(text)); // write out comment line
}
..
/*
switch (unit) {
case IN:
writeBlock(gUnitModal.format(20));
break;
case MM:
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writeBlock(gUnitModal.format(21));
break;
}
*/
Comment Lines
Using indentation for function contents, if blocks, loops and continuation lines is recommended as this
makes it easier to visualize the code. Tab characters, though supported by JavaScript, are discouraged
from being used. It is preferred to use virtual tab stops of two spaces for indenting code in post
processor code. Most editors, including the Autodesk Post Processor Editor can be setup to
automatically convert tab characters to spaces that will align each indent at two spaces. Please refer to
the Post Processor Editor chapter for an explanation on how to setup the Autodesk recommended editor.
3.3 Variables
Variables are simply names associated with a value. The value can be a number, string, boolean, array,
or object. Variables in JavaScript are untyped, meaning that they are defined by the value that they have
assigned to them and the value type can change throughout the program. For example, you can assign a
number to a variable and later in the program you can assign the same variable a string value. The var
keyword is used to define a variable.
If a variable is not assigned a value, then it will be assigned the special value of undefined.
While you can include multiple variable declarations on the same var line, this is against the standard
used for post processors and is not recommended. You can also implicitly create a variable simply by
assigning a value to the variable name without using the var keyword, but is also not recommended.
When declaring a new variable, be sure to not use the same name as a JavaScript or Post Kernel
keyword, for example do not name it var, for, cycle, currentSection, etc. Refer to the appropriate
documentation for a list of keywords/variables allocated in JavaScript or the Post Kernel.
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JavaScript supports both global variables and local variables. A global variable is defined outside the
scope of a function, for example at the top of the file prior to defining any functions. Global variables
are accessible to all functions within the program and will have the same value from function to
function. Local variables are only accessible from within the function that they are defined. You can
use the same name for local variables in multiple functions and they will each have their own unique
value in the separate functions. Unlike the C and C++ languages, local variables defined within an if
block or loop are accessible to the entire function and are not local to the block that they are defined in.
3.3.1 Numbers
Besides containing a standard numeric value, a variable assigned to a number creates a Number object.
For this discussion, we will consider an object a variable with associated functions. These functions are
specific to numbers and are listed in the following table.
var a = 12.12345;
b = a.toExponential(2); // b = "1.21e+1"
b = a.toFixed(3); // b = "12.123"
b = a.toString(); // b = "12.12345"
Sample Number Output
The JavaScript built-in Math object contains functions and constants that apply to numbers. The
following table lists the Math functions and constants that are most likely to be used in a post processor.
All Math functions return a value.
a = Math.sqrt(4); // a = 2
a = Math.round(4.59); // a = 5
a = Math.floor(4.59); // a = 4
a = Math.PI; // a = 3.14159
a = Math.cos(toRad(45)); // a = .7071
a = toDeg(Math.acos(.866)); // a = 60
Sample Math Object Output
The Math trigonometric functions all work in radians. As a matter of fact, most functions that pass
angles in the post processor work in radians. There are kernel supplied functions that are available for
converting between radians and degrees. toDeg(x) returns the degree equivalent of the radian value x
and conversely the toRad(x) function returns the radian equivalent of the degree value x.
There are also standalone numeric functions that are not part of the Number of Math objects. These are
listed in the following table.
3.3.2 Strings
Variables assigned a text string will create a String object, which contain a full complement of functions
that can be used to manipulate the string. These functions are specific to strings and are listed in the
following table. The table details the basic usage of these functions as you would use them in a post
processor. Some of the functions accept a RegExp object which is not covered in this manual, please
refer to dedicated JavaScript manual for a description of this object.
3.3.3 Booleans
Booleans are the simplest of the variable types. They contain a value of either true of false, which are
JavaScript keywords.
3.3.4 Arrays
An array is a composite data type that stores values in consecutive order. Each value stored in the array
is considered an element of the array and the position within an array is called an index. Each element
of an array can be any variable type and each element can have a different variable type than the other
elements in the array.
An array, like numbers and strings, are considered an object with functions associated with it. You can
define an array using two different methods, as an empty array using a new Array object, or by creating
an array literal with defined values for the array. You can specify the initial size of the array when
defining an Array object. The initial size of an array defined with values is the number of values
contained in the initialization.
var a = new Array(); // creates a blank array, all values are assigned undefined
var a = new Array(10); // creates a blank array with 10 elements
var a = [true, "a", 3.17]; // creates an array with the first 3 elements assigned
var a = [{x:1, y:2}, {x:3, y:4}, {x:5, y:6}]; // creates an array of 3 xy objects
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Array Definitions
You can access an array element by using the [ ] brackets. The name of the array will appear to the left
of the brackets and the index to the element within the array inside of the brackets. The index can be a
simple number or an equation.
The Array object has the following functions associated with it.
3.3.5 Objects
An Object is similar to an array in that it stores multiple values within a single variable. The difference
is that objects use a name for each sub-entity rather than relying on an index pointer into an array. The
properties table in a post processor is an object. You can define an object using two different methods,
explicitly using the Object keyword, or implicitly by creating an object literal with defined names and
values for the object. Each named entity within an object can be any type of variable, number, string,
array, boolean, and another object. Objects can also be stored in an array.
Objects can be expanded to include additional named elements at any time and are not limited to the
named elements when they are created. You can reference the elements within an object using either the
name of the element (object.element) or by using a text string or variable (object["element"]) as the
name of the element. The following examples all reference the moveTime element of the status object.
The following tables describe the attributes and functions contained in the Vector object. Since an
attribute is simply a value contained in the Vector object, it does not have an argument.
Attribute Description
abs Contains the absolute coordinates of
the vector
length Contains the length of the vector
length2
negated Contains the negated vector
normalized Contains the normalized/unit vector
x Contains the X-component
y Contains the Y component
z Contains the Z component
Vector Attributes
You can directly modify an attribute of a vector, but if you do then the remaining attributes will not be
updated. For example, if you directly store a value in the x attribute, vec.x = .707, the length attribute of
the vector will not be updated. You should use the vec.setX(.707) method instead.
If the Returns column in the following table has Implicit, then there is no return value, rather the Vector
object associated with the function is modified implicitly. For this reason, if you are going to nest a
Vector function within an expression, do not use the Implicit function, but rather the equivalent function
that returns a vector.
Certain post processor variables are stored as matrices, such as the workPlane variable, and some
functions require matrices as input. A Matrix object has functions that can be used when creating the
matrix and are not dependent on working with an existing matrix.
The following tables describe the attributes and functions contained in the Matrix object. Since an
attribute is simply a value contained in the Matrix object, it does not have an argument.
Attribute Description
forward Contains the forward vector
n1 Contains the length of the row vectors
of this matrix
n2 Contains the square root of this matrix
vector lengths
Negated Contains the negated matrix
right Contains the right vector
transposed Contains the inverse matrix
up Contains the up vector
Matrix Attributes
You can directly modify an attribute of a matrix, but if you do then the remaining attributes will not be
updated. For example, if you directly store a vector in the forward attribute, the other attributes will not
be updated to reflect this modification. You should use the matrix.setForward(vector) method instead.
If the Returns column in the following table has Implicit, then there is no return value, rather the Matrix
object associated with the function is modified implicitly. For this reason, if you are going to nest a
Matrix function within an expression, do not use the Implicit function, but rather the equivalent function
that returns a matrix.
The way that deferred variables work is by using text substitution in the output NC file. The initial text
string output to the NC file will include the name of the deferred variable enclosed by the defined
separator for defined variables, for example ##id##. After all processing is finished, the post engine will
scan the output NC file for the deferred variable text and replace it with the value stored in the deferred
variable. It is important to know this procedure, since deferred variables cannot be accessed before they
are defined in the post processor, the same as any other variable, except for when they are output to the
NC file.
Deferred variables are stored in the DeferredVariables object, which has the following properties. The
deferred variable properties are referenced as DeferredVariables.property.
The following sample code will calculate the cutting time for each tool for linear, circular, and canned
cycle moves. It will output these times in the tool list located in the header of the NC file.
// collected state
var toolTime = new Array(); // define an array to store the tool cutting times.
Define the Tool Times Array
function onOpen() {
DeferredVariables.separator = "^&^"; // define a unique marker for deferred variables
…
var tools = getToolTable();
if (tools.getNumberOfTools() > 0) {
for (var i = 0; i < tools.getNumberOfTools(); ++i) {
var tool = tools.getTool(i);
var comment = "T" + toolFormat.format(tool.number) + " " +
"D=" + xyzFormat.format(tool.diameter) + " " +
localize("CR") + "=" + xyzFormat.format(tool.cornerRadius);
if ((tool.taperAngle > 0) && (tool.taperAngle < Math.PI)) {
comment += " " + localize("TAPER") + "=" + taperFormat.format(tool.taperAngle) +
localize("deg");
}
if (zRanges[tool.number]) {
comment += " - " + localize("ZMIN") + "=" +
xyzFormat.format(zRanges[tool.number].getMinimum());
}
comment += " - " + localize("TIME") + "=" +
DeferredVariables.get("tool" + tool.number, xyzFormat); // Output cutting time for tool
comment += " - " + getToolTypeName(tool.type);
writeComment(comment);
}
}
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Output Tool Cutting Times in onOpen
function onSection() {
…
writeToolBlock("T" + toolFormat.format(tool.number), mFormat.format(6));
if (tool.comment) {
writeComment(tool.comment);
}
// initialize the cutting time if not previously defined
toolTime[tool.number] = toolTime[tool.number] ? toolTime[tool.number] : 0;
function moveIsCutting() {
return movement == MOVEMENT_CUTTING ||
movement == MOVEMENT_FINISH_CUTTING ||
movement == MOVEMENT_REDUCED;
}
Determine if this Move is a Cutting Move
function onCyclePoint(x, y, z) {
…
// calculate the canned cycle cutting time
if (!cycleExpanded) {
toolTime[tool.number] += Math.abs(cycle.bottom - cycle.stock) / cycle.feedrate;
}
}
Calculate the Canned Cycle Cutting Time in onCyclePoint
3.4 Expressions
Variables can be assigned a simple value or text string or can be more complex in nature containing a
list of variables or literals and operators that perform operations on the values contained in the
expression. The following table lists the common operators supported by JavaScript. and provides
samples using the operators. The operator precedence is also listed (column P), where the operators
with a higher precedence number are performed prior to the operators of a lower precedence number.
Operators with the same precedence number will calculate in the order that they appear in the
expression.
Unary operators only require a single operand instead of two. For example, y = x++ will increment the
variable x after it is assigned to the variable y.
This section describes the conditional statements and functions used when developing a post processor.
Some of the conditionals are supported by JavaScript and others are inherent in the post processor
kernel.
As with all commands that affect a body of code, if statements can be nested inside of other if bodies and
loops.
The syntax of if statements should follow the Autodesk standard of always including the {} brackets
around each body of code, specifying the opening bracket ({) on the conditional line, and the closing
bracket (}) at the start of the line following the body of code for each section as shown in the following
examples.
if (conditional1) {
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// execute code if conditional1 is true
}
if (conditional1) {
// execute code if conditional1 is true
} else {
// execute code if conditional1 is false
}
if (conditional1) {
// execute code if conditional1 is true
} else if (conditional2) {
// execute code if conditional1 is false and conditional2 is true
} else {
// execute code if all conditionals are false
}
If Statement Syntax
if (hasParameter("operation-comment")) {
comment = getParameter("operation-comment");
}
if (isProbeOperation()) {
var workOffset = probeOutputWorkOffset ? probeOutputWorkOffset : currentWorkOffset;
if (workOffset > 99) {
error(localize("Work offset is out of range."));
return;
} else if (workOffset > 6) {
probeWorkOffsetCode = probe100Format.format(workOffset - 6 + 100);
} else {
probeWorkOffsetCode = workOffset + "."; // G54->G59
}
}
Sample If Statements
The syntax of switch bodies will contain a single switch statement with a variable whose value
determines the code to be executed. case statements will be included in the switch body, with each one
containing the value that causes its body of code to be executed. The end of each case body of code
must have a break statement so that the next case body of code is not executed. A default statement can
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be defined that contains code that will be executed if the switch variable does not match any of the case
values.
case statements should follow the Autodesk standard of always including specifying the opening bracket
({) on the switch line, and the closing bracket (}) at the start of the line at the end of the body of code for
each section. The case statements will be aligned with the switch statement and all code within each
case body will be indented.
switch (variable) {
case value1:
// execute if variable = value1
break;
case value2:
// execute if variable = value2
case value3:
// execute if variable = value3
default:
// execute if variable does not equal value1, value2, or value3
break;
}
switch (coolant) {
case COOLANT_FLOOD:
m = 8;
break;
case COOLANT_THROUGH_TOOL:
m = 88;
break;
case COOLANT_AIR:
m = 51;
break;
default:
onUnsupportedCoolant(coolant);
}
}
Sample Switch Blocks
In the above syntax, a will be assigned true_value if the conditional is true, or false_value if it is false.
The typeof operator is followed by a single operand name, i.e. "typeof variable". It can return the
following string values.
conditional(expression, true_value)
conditional Syntax
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gAbsIncModal.format(90), gCycleModal.format(82),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract),
conditional(P > 0, "P" + milliFormat.format(P)), //optional
feedOutput.format(F)
);
conditional Usage
Since conditional is a function, any function calls contained in the arguments will be processed even if
the expression equates to false. This means that if a modal is used to format a value, the value will be
formatted prior to evaluating the expression and the modal’s current value will be set using this value,
even if the value is not output.
try {
// code that may generate an exception
} catch (e) { // e is a local variable that contains the exception object or value that was thrown
// code to perform if an exception is encountered
}
try/catch Syntax
try {
programId = getAsInt(programName);
} catch(e) {
error(localize("Program name must be a number."));
return;
}
try/catch Usage
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3.5.7 The validate Function
The validate function tests an expression and raises an exception if the expression is false. The post
processor will typically output an error if an exception is raised, so in essence, the validate function
determines if an expression is true or false and outputs an error using the provided message if it is false.
validate(expression, error_message)
validate Syntax
validate(retracted, "Cannot cancel length compensation if the machine is not fully retracted.");
Sample validate Code
var a = 3.141592654;
var b = 3.141593174;
// simple comparison
if (a == b) { // false
for (var i = 0; i < getNumberOfSections(); ++i) { // loop for the number of sections in intermediate file
if (getSection(i).workOffset > 0) {
error(localize("Using multiple work offsets is not possible if the initial work offset is 0."));
return;
}
}
for (i = 0, j = ary.length - 1 ; i < ary.length / 2; ++i, --j) { // reverse the order of an array
var tl = ary[i];
ary[i] = ary[j];
ary[j] = tl;
}
Sample for Loops
for(variable in object) {
// body of loop
}
for/in Loop Syntax
while (expression) {
// body of loop
}
while Loop Syntax
do {
// body of loop
} while (expression)
do/while Loop Syntax
var i = 0;
var found = false;
do {
if (mtype[i++] == "Start") {
found = true;
}
} while (!found && i < mtype.length);
Sample do/while Loop
break is pretty much mandatory with switch statements. For loops, break can be used to get out of the
loop when an error is encountered, or when a defined pattern is found within an array.
3.7 Functions
Functions in JavaScript behave in the same manner as functions in other high-level programming
languages. In a post processor all code, except for the global settings at the top of the file, is contained
in functions, either entry functions (onOpen, onSection, etc.) or helper functions (writeBlock,
setWorkPlane, etc.). The code in a function will not be processed until that function is called from
within another routine (for the sake of clarity the calling function will be referred to as a 'routine' in this
section). Here are the main reasons for placing code in a separate function rather than programming it in
the upper level routine that calls the function.
1. The same code is executed in different areas of the code, either from the same function or in
multiple functions. Placing the common code in its own function eliminates duplicate code from
the file, making it easier to understand and maintain.
2. To logically separate logic and make it easier to understand. Separating code into its own
function can keep the calling routine from becoming too large and harder to follow, even if the
function is only called one time.
The argument list is optional and contains identifiers that are passed into the function by the calling
routine. The arguments passed to the function are considered read-only as far as the calling routine is
concerned, meaning that any changes to these variables will be kept local to the called function and not
propagated to the calling routine. You use the return statement to return value(s) to the calling routine.
function writeComment(text) {
writeln(formatComment(text)); // text is accepted as an argument and passed to formatComment
}
Sample function Definition
Arguments accepted by a function can either be named identifiers as shown in the previous example, or
you can use the arguments array to reference the function arguments. The arguments array is built-in to
JavaScript and is treated as any other Array object, meaning that it has the length property and access to
the Array attributes and functions.
transferType = parseChoice(getProperty("transferType"),"PHASE","SPEED","STOP");
…
function parseChoice() {
for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; ++i) {
if (String(arguments[0]).toUpperCase() == String(arguments[i]).toUpperCase()) {
return i - 1;
}
}
return -1;
}
Sample Usage of arguments Array
return [expression]
return Statement Syntax
The return value can be any valid variable type; a number, string, object, or array. If you want to return
multiple values from a function, then you must return either an object or an array. You can also
propagate the JavaScript this object which will be automatically returned to the calling routine when the
end of the function is reached or when processing a return statement without an expression. If the this
object is used, then the function will be used to create a new object and you will need to define the
function call as if you were creating any other type of object as shown in the following example.
function writeComment(text) {
writeln(formatComment(text));
} // implicit return
function parseChoice() {
for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; ++i) {
if (String(arguments[0]).toUpperCase() == String(arguments[i]).toUpperCase()) {
return i - 1; // return the matching choice
}
}
return -1; // return choice not found
}
var feedContext = new FeedContext(id, "Cutting", feedCutting); // create new FeedContext object
Sample return Usage
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4 Post Processor Settings
Many of Autodesk’s post processors contain common content that is shared between post processors.
When a post processor uses common content, you will see the settings variable defined in the global
section, just after the output variable definitions. These settings control the behavior of the post
processor and can be modified to match the requirements of your machine.
var settings = {
coolant: { …
smoothing: { …
retract: { …
parametricFeeds: { …
unwind: { …
machineAngles: { …
workPlaneMethod: { …
subprograms: { …
comments: { …
probing: { …
}
Settings Object in Posts Utilizing Common Content
The settings are defined in the post processor and usually do not require changing from the interface like
Post Properties do, though logic can be added that will modify a setting based on a Post Property as
shown in the following sample code.
The coolant settings define the supported coolant modes and associate on/off codes as well as the output
style (single/multiple line) for the coolant codes.
Defines the smoothing levels, tolerances, and criteria for enabling smoothing on the control. The
smoothing settings are only required when the post supports smoothing control.
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4.2.1 Smoothing Properties
The useSmoothing Post Property must also be defined. It allows you to choose between disabling
smoothing, enabling smoothing in automatic mode, or enabling smoothing at a specific level for each
operation.
function setSmoothing(mode) {
if (mode == smoothing.isActive && (!mode || !smoothing.isDifferent) && !smoothing.force) {
return; // return if smoothing is already active or is not different
}
if (typeof lengthCompensationActive != "undefined" && smoothingSettings.cancelCompensation) {
validate(!lengthCompensationActive, "Length compensation is active while trying to update
smoothing.");
}
if (mode) { // enable smoothing
writeBlock(
gFormat.format(187),
"P" + smoothing.level,
conditional((smoothingSettings.differenceCriteria != "level"), "E" +
xyzFormat.format(smoothing.tolerance))
);
A call to initalizeSmoothing must be made in onSection to define the smoothing control and level for the
current operation. A call to setSmoothing must also be added in the proper location in the onSection
function.
function onSection() {
…
initializeSmoothing(); // initialize smoothing mode
…
setSmoothing(smoothing.isAllowed); // writes the required smoothing codes
Initialize Smoothing at each Operation
Parametric feeds will define parameters for the feedrates representing each movement type at the
beginning of an operation. The feedrates for the cutting moves will then reference these parameters on
the motion blocks.
The unwind settings determine if and how a rotary axis that is output on a linear scale can be reset to be
within 0-360 degrees between operations if it is wound up outside of this range during an operation.
The unwindABC function must be included in the post processor for the unwind settings to have any
affect.
The rotary axis will be repositioned within the 0-360 degree range with minimum or no movement
depending on the method defined, instead of unwinding the axis the total number of degrees of its
current value.
G00 C13200
G92 C240 (Reposition C-axis to within 0-360 degrees with no movement)
G91 G28 C0 (Reposition C-axis to 0 degrees. It will move 120 degrees to get to C0)
Repositioning the C-axis to within 0-360 degrees
The machineAngles settings directly correlate to the parameters supported by the getABCByPreference
command.
The workPlaneMethod settings control how 3+2 operations are output, including support for a tilted
work plane block and how the coordinates are adjusted. The getWorkPlaneMachineABC and
setWorkPlane functions use these settings, along with multi-axis prepositioning.
• files.prefix
• startBlock.files
• startBlock.embedded
• endBlock.files
• endBlock.embedded
• callBlock.files
• callBloc,embedded
The subprogram number will either be appended to the end of the generated string or it can be placed
anywhere in the string by using the %currentSubprogram placeholder within the string.
properties.useSubroutines = {
title : "Use subroutines",
description: "Select your desired subroutine option.
group : "preferences",
type : "enum",
values : [
{title:"No", id:"none"},
{title:"All Operations", id:"allOperations"},
{title:"All Operations & Patterns", id:"allPatterns"},
{title:"Cycles", id:"cycles"},
{title:"Operations, Patterns, Cycles", id:"all"},
{title:"Patterns", id:"patterns"}
],
value: "none",
scope: "post"
};
useSubroutines Post Property
The useFilesForSubprograms post property can be defined if external subprogram files are supported.
properties.useFilesForSubprograms = {
title : "Use files for subroutines",
description: "Subroutines will be saved as individual files.",
group : "preferences",
type : "boolean",
value : false,
scope : "post"
};
useFilesForSubprograms Post Property
The subprogram support functions and properties can be included into your post by copying the
following code from another post that already supports subprograms, such as the fanuc.cps post
processor.
function onSection() {
…
if (subprogramsAreSupported()) {
subprogramDefine(initialPosition, abc); // define subprogram
}
}
Add this Code to the End of onSection
In onCycleEnd add the following code where the canned cycle is cancelled.
function onCycleEnd() {
…
if (subprogramsAreSupported() && subprogramState.cycleSubprogramIsActive) {
subprogramEnd();
}
if (!cycleExpanded) {
writeBlock(gCycleModal.format(80));
zOutput.reset();
}
}
Add this Code to the onCycleEnd
function onSectionEnd() {
…
if (subprogramsAreSupported()) {
subprogramEnd();
}
}
Add this Code to the End of onSectionEnd
And finally add the following code to the end of the onClose function.
function onClose() {
…
if (subprogramsAreSupported()) {
writeSubprograms();
}
writeln("%");
}
Add this Code to the End of onClose
Optional settings do not need to be defined in the post processor and will take on their corresponding
default value if they are not defined. The getSetting function is used to return the value for an optional
setting, either returning its defined value or its default value if it is not defined.
5 Entry Functions
The post processor Entry functions are the interface between the kernel and the post processor. An
Entry function will be called for each record in the intermediate file. Which Entry function is called is
determined by the intermediate file record type. All Entry functions have the 'on' prefix, so it is
recommended that you do not use this prefix with any functions that you add to the post processor.
Here is a list of the supported Entry functions and when they are called. The following sections in this
Chapter provide more detailed documentation for the most common of the Entry functions.
While the global section is typically located at the top of the post processor, any variables defined
outside of a function are in the global section and accessible by all functions, even the functions defined
before the variable. You may notice global variables being defined in the middle of the post processor
code just before a function. This allows for a group of functions to be easily cut-and-pasted from one
post to another post, including the required global variables.
Setting Description
allowedCircularPlanes Defines the allowed circular planes. This setting is described in
the onCircular section.
allowFeedPerRevolutionDrilling Set to true if the post processor supports feed-per-revolution (FPR)
feed rates in drilling cycles. This setting is described in the
onCyclePoint section.
allowHelicalMoves Specifies whether helical moves are allowed. This setting is
described in the onCircular section.
allowSpiralMoves Specifies whether spiral moves are allowed. This setting is
described in the onCircular section.
capabilities Defines the capabilities of the post processor. The capabilities can
be CAPABILITY_MILLING, CAPABILITY_TURNING,
CAPABILITY_JET, CAPABILITY_SETUP_SHEET,
CAPABILITY_INTERMEDIATE, and
CAPABILITY_MACHINE_SIMULATION. Multiple capabilities
can be enabled by using the logical OR operator.
capabilities = CAPABILITY_MILLING |
CAPABILITY_TURNING;
certificationLevel Certification level of the post configuration used to determine if
the post processor is certified to run against the post engine. This
value rarely changes.
circularInputTolerance The tolerance to use when determining if a spiral or helical move
should be converted to a circular record. This setting is described
in the onCircular section.
mapToWCS = true;
mapToWCS = false;
mapWorkOrigin Specifies whether the coordinates are mapped to the work plane
origin. When disabled the post is responsible for handling the work
plane origin. This variable must be defined using the following
syntax and can only be defined in the global section. Any
deviation from this format, including adding extra spaces, will
cause this command to be ignored.
mapWorkOrigin = true;
mapWorkOrigin = false;
maximumCircularRadius Specifies the maximum radius of circular moves that can be output
as circular interpolation and can be changed dynamically in the
Property table when running the post processor. This setting is
described in the onCircular section.
longDescription = "Generic post for the RS-274D format. Most CNCs will use a format very similar
to RS-274D. When making a post for a new CNC control this post will often serve as the basis.";
extension = "nc";
setCodePage("ascii");
The properties can be displayed in multiple areas of HSM; when you use the Post Process dialog to run
the post processor, in an NC Program, under the Post Processing tab in the Machine Definition, and in
the Post Process tab of an operation. When you Post Process from HSM or edit an NC Program you
may be presented with a dialog that allows you to select the post processor to execute, the output file
path, and other settings. The Property Table will also be displayed in the dialog allowing you to
override settings within the post processor each time it is run.
The Property Table is defined in the post processor so you have full control over the information
displayed in it, with the exception of the Built-in properties, which are displayed with every post
processor and define the post kernel variables described previously. The properties object defined in the
post processor defines the property names as they are used in the post processor, the titles displayed in
the Property Table, the accepted input types, the default values assigned to each property, and settings
controlling the display attributes of the property in the property table.
// user-defined properties
properties = {
writeMachine: {
title: "Write machine",
The following table describes the supported members in the properties object. It is important that the
format of the properties object follows the above example, where the name of the variable is first,
followed by a colon (:), and the members enclosed in braces ({}). The values property is an array and
its members must be enclosed in brackets ([]).
Property Description
title Description of the property displayed in the User Interface within the
Property column.
description A description of the property displayed as a tool tip when the mouse is
positioned over this property.
group The group name that this property belongs to. All properties with the same
group name will be displayed together in the User Interface. The groups are
defined by the groupDefinitions object discussed further in this chapter.
type Defines the input type. The input types are described in the following table.
value The default value for this property.
range The minimum and maximum allowable values for a numeric property
specified as an array ([-1000, 1000]).
values Contains a list (array) of choices for the enum, integer, or boolean input
types. It is not valid with any other input type. For boolean values, it should
be an array of 2 strings, with the first entry representing true and the second
representing false.
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Property Description
presentation Defines how a boolean will be displayed in the property table. Valid settings
are defined as a text string and can be “yesno” (Yes/No), “truefalse”
(True/False), “onoff” (On/Off), and “10” (1/0).
scope Tells the post which dialogs will display this property. Supported settings are
post, machine, and operation. The setting must be specified as a text string.
scope can be a single value or an array of the supported dialogs. Examples:
scope: “post”, scope: [“post”, “machine”]. There are caveats when
enabling a property in more than one dialog type as described in the
Property Scopes section of this chapter.
enabled Specifies the operation type where this property will be displayed in the HSM
operation dialog. This property only applies to operation properties and has
no effect on post and machine properties. The setting must be specified as a
text string or an array of text strings. Valid settings are “milling”, “turning”,
“drilling”, “probing”, “inspection”, and “additive”.
visible Defines whether a property is visible in the NC Program and Operation
dialogs. This setting has no effect on the Machine Definition or legacy Post
Process dialogs. It can be set to true or false.
Properties Settings
Therefore, if a property is defined as a post and an operation property, then the setting made in the Post
Process, and NC Program dialogs will be ignored by the post processor, only the setting made in each
separate operation will be used by the post processor. The only place you would be able to query the
Post Process property setting is in onOpen when using the getProperty function. For these reasons it is
highly recommended that operation properties are not defined in the post or machine scopes.
When specifying a property as a machine and post property, the setting made to the property in the
Machine Definition dialog will become the default setting for the post property displayed in the
corresponding dialogs. If the property setting is changed in the post dialog, then this value will override
the machine property setting.
gotChipConveyor: {
title : "Use chip transport",
description: "Enable to turn on the chip transport for this operation.”,
group : "configuration",
type : "boolean",
value : false,
scope : "operation", // Only displayed in the Operation dialog
enabled : "milling" // Only displayed for milling operations
},
useHood: {
title : "Use vacuum hood",
description: "Enable to turn on the vacuum hood.",
group : "preferences",
type : "boolean",
value : true,
scope : ["post", "operation"], // Displayed in Post and Operation dialogs
disabled : "drilling" // Not displayed for drilling operations
}
Defining an Operation Property
When the scope is set to "operation" only, then the single property will be displayed in the Operation
dialog as shown with the Use chip transport property. When the scope includes another dialog to
display the property in, a checkbox with the property name will be displayed in the Operation dialog. If
this checkbox remains unchecked, then the post property value defined in either the Post Process or
Machine Definition dialog will be used for this operation. You can change the value of
post/machine/operation properties on an operation-by-operation basis by checking the box next to the
property and then changing the value of the property itself as shown with the useHood property.
To display operation properties in Fusion or Inventor CAM it is required that a Machine Definition be
assigned to the Manufacturing Setup. The reason is that the Machine Definition has a post processor
assigned to it and the operation properties are obtained from this known post processor.
The enabled parameter in the property definition specifies the operation type where this property will be
displayed in the HSM Operation dialog. The disabled parameter will not display the property for the
specified operation type(s). These parameters only applies to operation properties and have no effect on
post and machine properties. The setting must be specified as a text string or an array of text strings.
The post processor has a number of built-in property groups as defined in the following table. You can
reference these groups in the property definition without creating the group in the groupDefinition
object.
If a property does not fit into a predefined group, you can add to the built-in groups by defining these
groups within the groupDefinitions object. In the following example, the subSpindle group will be
displayed after the built-in configuration group and the looping group will be displayed after the built-in
preferences group. This is determined by the value assigned to the order property.
The following table describes the supported properties in the groupDefinitions object. It is important
that the format of the groupDefnitions object follows the above example, where the name of the group is
first, followed by a colon (:), and the properties enclosed in braces ({}).
Each group referenced in the properties definition and not one of the built-in property groups should be
defined in groupDefinitions.
Property Description
title Title of the group displayed in the Post properties table. The title is not
displayed in the legacy Post Process dialog.
description A description of the group displayed as a tool tip when the mouse is
positioned over this group name.
order A number defining the displayed placement of the group in the Post
properties table. For example, a value of less than 10 will be displayed first,
25 will display between the preferences and homePositions groups, and a
value of 70 will be displayed after the probing group.
collapsed Defines whether the group will be collapsed or expanded by default in the
Post properties table. true collapses the group and false expands the group.
Group Definition Settings
Property Groups
The getProperty function is used to obtain the value of a post processor property.
showSequenceNumbers = getProperty(“showSequenceNumbers”);
if (getProperty(properties.showSequenceNumbers) {
var smooth = section.getProperty(“useSmoothing”, false);
Sample getProperty Calls
Arguments Description
property The property you want to set the value of. It can be specified as a text string
(“useSmoothing”) or as a direct reference to the property
(properties.useSmoothing). It is recommended to use the text string syntax.
value The value to set the property to.
The setProperty function is used to set the value of a post processor property.
setProperty("showSequenceNumbers", true);
setProperty(properties.showSequenceNumbers, true);
Sample setProperty Calls
To mark a property as a unit-based number the type parameter must be set to string and the kind
parameter set to spatial. The value must be entered as a string containing the number and followed by in
or mm.
When entering a value in a unit-based property it is required that the units string be attached to the
number, otherwise an error will be generated.
The parseSpatialProperties function can be implemented by copying it from another post processor that
supports unit-based properties, such as the Creality family (creality.cps) post.
You will need to call parseSpatialProperties from the onOpen function to convert the unit-based
numeric string to a number in the output units.
function onOpen() {
…
if (typeof parseSpatialProperties == "function") { // convert unit-based properties
parseSpatialProperties();
}
}
Convert Unit-Based Properties to Output Unit Values
The createFormat command defines how codes are formatted before being output to the NC file. It can
be used to create a complete format for an output code, including the letter prefix, or to create a primary
format that is referenced with the output definitions. It has the following syntax.
The specifiers must be enclosed in braces ({}) and contain the specifier name followed by a colon (:)
and then by a value. Multiple specifiers are separated by commas.
Specifier Value
base The base increment of the output value. For example, a value of .002 will
only output values on a .002 increment (.002, .004, .010, etc.). The default
is 0.
decimals Defines the number digits to the right of the decimal point to output. The
default is 6.
forceSign When set to true will force the output of a plus (+) sign on positive
numbers. The default is false.
inherit Inherits all properties from an existing FormatNumber.
minDigitsLeft The minimum number of digits to the left of the decimal point to output.
The default is 1.
minDigitsRight The maximum number of digits to the right of the decimal point to output.
The default is 0.
maximum The unsigned maximum value that can be output. Formatted positive values
will not be greater than this value and formatted negative values will not be
less than the negative value. For example, defining a maximum value of
9999.99 will limit the output values to -9999.99 through 9999.99. The
default is unlimited.
minimum The unsigned minimum value that can be output. Formatted positive values
will not be less than this value and formatted negative values will not be
greater than the negative value. For example, defining a minimum value of
0.001 will limit the output values to less than -0.001 or greater than 0.001.
The default is 0.
offset Defines a number to add to the value prior to formatting it for output. The
default is 0.
prefix Defines the prefix of the output value as a text string. The prefix should
only be defined if this is a standalone format and is not used for multiple
output definitions. The default is "".
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Specifier Value
scale Defines a scale factor to multiply the value by prior to formatting it for
output. scale can be a number or a number designator, such as DEG. The
default is 1.
separator Defines the character to use as the decimal point. The default is '.'.
suffix Defines the suffix of the output value as a text string. The suffix should
only be defined if this is a standalone format and is not used for multiple
output definitions. The default is "".
type Defines the format of the number. Can be one of the following.
• FORMAT_INTEGER – whole numbers do not contain a decimal
point, fractional numbers contain a decimal point.
• FORMAT_REAL – all numbers contain a decimal point.
• FORMAT_LZS – Leading Zero Suppression. The decimal point is
omitted and leading zeros are removed, including leading zeros in
the fractional portion of the number if the value is less than 1.
• FORMAT_TZS – Trailing Zero Suppression. The decimal point is
omitted and trailing zeros are removed, including trailing zeros in
the whole number if the fractional part is set to 0.
The createFormat function creates a FormatNumber object. Once a FormatNumber is created, it can be
used to create a formatted text string of a value that matches the properties in the defined format. The
following table describes the functions defined in the FormatNumber object.
Function Description
areDifferent(a, b) Returns true if the input values are different after being formatted.
format(value) Returns the formatted text string representation of the number.
getBase() Returns the base increment of the format.
getDecimalSymbol() Returns the character used as the decimal point symbol.
getError(value) Returns the inverse of the remaining portion of the value that is not
formatted for the number. For example, if the formatted value of
4.5005 is "4.500", then the value returned from getError will be -
0.0005.
getForceSign() Returns true if the + sign is output in the formatted number.
getMaximum() Returns the maximum value that can be output.
getMinDigitsLeft() Returns the minimum number of digits to output to the left of the
decimal point.
getMinDigitsRight() Returns the minimum number of digits to output to the right of the
decimal point.
getMinimum() Returns the minimum value that can be output.
getMinimumValue() Returns the minimum value that can be formatted using this format,
for example, 1 for decimals:0, .1 for decimals:1, etc.
The following table shows how a value of 0 could be formatted depending on the format type and
settings for the minimum digits to the left and right of the decimal point.
Specifier Value
decimals Defines the number digits to the right of the decimal point to output. The
default is 6.
forceDecimal When set to true the decimal point will always be included with the
formatted number. false will remove the decimal point for integer values.
forceSign When set to true will force the output of a plus (+) sign on positive
numbers. The default is false.
inherit Inherits all properties from an existing FormatNumber.
offset Defines a number to add to the value prior to formatting it for output. The
default is 0.
prefix Defines the prefix of the output value as a text string. The prefix should
only be defined if this is a standalone format and is not used for multiple
output definitions. The default is "".
scale Defines a scale factor to multiply the value by prior to formatting it for
output. scale can be a number or a number designator, such as DEG. The
default is 1.
separator Defines the character to use as the decimal point. The default is '.'.
suffix Defines the suffix of the output value as a text string. The suffix should
only be defined if this is a standalone format and is not used for multiple
output definitions. The default is "".
The createOutputVariable function creates OutputVariable objects that are used to control the output of
a code. The codes can be output only when they are changed, as an absolute value, as an incremental
value, or as a directional value where the sign of the number determines a movement direction.
You can use the FormatNumber object, created from the createFormat function, for codes/registers that
should be output whenever they are encountered in the post, just be sure to add the prefix to the
definition.
The specifiers must be enclosed in braces ({}) and contain the specifier name followed by a colon (:)
and then by a value. Multiple specifiers are separated by commas. A FormatNumber object is provided
as the second parameter. Supported specifiers are listed in the following table.
Specifier Value
control Determines when a formatted variable will be output. CONTROL_CHANGED
will format the number when it has changed from the previously formatted
value, CONTROL_FORCE will format the number each time, and
The onchange property defines a function that is called whenever the formatting of the variable results
in an output text string, such as when the value changes or is forced out. The following example will
force out the gMotionModal code whenever the plane code is changed.
Once an output variable is created, it can be used to create a formatted text string for output. The
following table describes the functions assigned to the output variable objects. The functions are
properties of the defined OutputVariable object.
Function Description
disable() Disables this variable from being output. Will cause the return value
from the format function to always be a blank string ("").
The following table lists the specifiers supported by the deprecated output variable definitions. Some of
the specifiers are common to all three objects and some to a particular object.
The following table describes the functions assigned to the deprecated output variable objects. The
functions are properties of the Variable object(s) as listed.
The specifiers must be enclosed in braces ({}) and contain the specifier name followed by a colon (:)
and then by a value. Multiple specifiers are separated by commas. A format object is provided as the
third parameter. The specifiers are listed in the following table.
The code groups are defined as arrays of codes within an array. Each individual group is treated similar
to as if it was defined as a separate Modal variable.
Once a modal group is created, it can be used to create a formatted text string for output. The following
table describes the functions assigned to the modal group object. Group numbers are based on 0, so the
first group is referenced as 0, the second as 1, etc. The functions are properties of the defined
ModalGroup object and are prefixed by the name of the group, for example mClampModal.disable().
Function Description
addCode(group, code) Adds the specified code to the given group.
createGroup Adds a group to the end of the groups.
disable () Disables all defined groups in this modal from being output.
Will cause the return value from the format function to always
be a blank string ("").
enable() Enables all defined groups in this modal for output. This is the
default condition when the modal is created.
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Function Description
format(code) Returns the formatted text string representation of the number.
Can return a blank string if the value is the same as the stored
value in the ModalGroup object. If the code does not belong to
a defined group, then it will always be output if the
ModalGroup was defined with strict:false, or an error will be
output if strict mode is enabled.
getActiveCode (group) Returns the value currently stored in the specified group.
getGroup(code) Returns the group id for the specified code. If the code does not
belong to a group returns a very large number.
getNumberOfCodes() Returns the combined number of codes in all groups.
getNumberOfCodesInGroup(group) Returns the number of codes in the specified group.
getNumberOfGroups() Returns the number of defined groups.
hasActiveCode(group) Returns true if the specified group has a valid code. Returns
false if a code has not been formatted in this group or if the
group has been reset.
inSameGroup(code1, code2) Returns true if the two codes are in the same group.
isActiveCode(code) Returns true if the code is active within its group.
isCodeDefined(code) Returns true if the code is defined in any of the groups.
isEnabled() Returns true if this modal group is enabled for output.
isGroup(group) Returns true if the specified group id is defined.
makeActiveCode(code) Marks the specified code as the active code within its group.
removeCode(code) Removes the specified code from its group.
reset () Resets all groups and forces the output of the formatted text
string on the next call to format, overriding the rules for not
outputting a value.
resetGroup(group) Resets the specified group and forces the output of the
formatted text string on the next call to format, overriding the
rules for not outputting a value.
setAutoReset(flag) Sets the auto-reset mode. When set to true, all groups are reset
when a code that is not defined in any group is output. Strict
mode must be disabled to output an undefined code.
setForce(force) Forces the output of all group codes when enabled, even if the
code value is the same as the active code value.
setFormatNumber(format) Overrides the format variable assigned to the modal group.
setPrefix(prefix-text) Defines the prefix of all groups. If a prefix is defined in the
format assigned to the modal group, then the format prefix will
be appended to this prefix.
setSuffix(suffix-text) Defines the suffix of all groups. If a suffix is defined in the
format assigned to the modal group, then the modal group
suffix will be appended to the format suffix.
ModalGroup Functions
case COMMAND_LOCK_MULTI_AXIS:
if (machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration() &&
(machineConfiguration.getNumberOfAxes() >= 4)) {
writeBlock(mClampModal.format(10)); // unlock 4th-axis motion
if (machineConfiguration.getNumberOfAxes() == 5) {
writeBlock(mClampModal.format(12)); // unlock 5th-axis motion
}
}
return;
case COMMAND_UNLOCK_MULTI_AXIS:
if (machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration() &&
(machineConfiguration.getNumberOfAxes() >= 4)) {
writeBlock(mClampModal.format(11)); // unlock 4th-axis motion
if (machineConfiguration.getNumberOfAxes() == 5) {
writeBlock(mClampModal.format(13)); // unlock 5th-axis motion
}
}
Sample Modal Group Code
// fixed settings
var firstFeedParameter = 500;
var useMultiAxisFeatures = false;
var forceMultiAxisIndexing = false; // force multi-axis indexing for 3D programs
var maximumLineLength = 80; // the maximum number of characters allowed in a line
var minimumCyclePoints = 5; // min number of points in cycle operation to consider for subprogram
var WARNING_WORK_OFFSET = 0;
var ANGLE_PROBE_NOT_SUPPORTED = 0;
var ANGLE_PROBE_USE_ROTATION = 1;
var ANGLE_PROBE_USE_CAXIS = 2;
Sample Fixed Settings Code
// collected state
var sequenceNumber;
var currentWorkOffset;
Sample Collected State Code
5.2 onOpen
function onOpen() {
The onOpen function is called at start of each CAM operation and can be used to define settings used in
the post processor and output the startup blocks.
Some of the variables that may be defined here are the maximum circular sweep, starting sequence
number, formats, properties that can be changed using a Manual NC command, etc.
if (getProperty("useRadius")) {
maximumCircularSweep = toRad(90); // avoid potential center calculation errors for CNC
}
The majority of machines on the market today accept input in both inches and millimeters. It is possible
that your machine must be programmed in only one unit. If this is the case, then you can define the unit
variable in the onOpen function to force the output of all relevant information in inches or millimeters.
Some machines don't use a program number and accept the program name as a comment.
The program header can consist of the output filename, version numbers, the run date and time, the
description of the machine, the list of tools used in the program, and setup notes.
In the above code sample, the machine information is retrieved from the Machine Definition , but a
Machine Definition file is not always available to the post processor, so it is possible to hard code the
machine description.
machineConfiguration.setVendor("Doosan");
machineConfiguration.setModel("Lynx");
machineConfiguration.setDescription(description);
Defining the Machine Information
The getToolList function is used to obtain the list of tools used in the program based on the arguments
passed to the function. It returns an array of objects that define the tool, Z-levels, and operations that
each individual tool is used in.
getToolList(arguments, flag);
Arguments Description
arguments Any number of string arguments, which are the comparison criteria for
determining if a tool is different from a previously found tool. These can be
"number", "description", "lengthCompensation", or any other property in the
tool object. The tool number is checked if there are no arguments.
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Arguments Description
flag A bitwise of SORT or NOSORT and DUPLICATES or NODUPLICATES.
For example, SORT | NODUPLICATES (which is the default setting). Sorting
is based on the first property passed in arguments. If the first property matches
during a sort, then the tools will be listed in the order that they are used.
The following code is used to output the notes from the first setup. The property showNotes is defined
in the properties, see the Operation Comments and Notes section to see how to define this property.
If your post needs to output the notes from multiple setups, then additional code outside of onOpen
needs to be added.
First, define the firstNote property in the collected state section of the post.
// collected state
…
var firstNote; // handles output of notes from multiple setups
Define the firstNote Global Variable
In the onParameter function define the logic to process the job-notes parameter.
And finally, implement the writeText function. It can be placed in front of the onParameter function.
This function can also be used to output the text from the Pass through Manual NC command.
if (false) { // set to true to check for duplicate tool numbers w/different cutter geometry
// check for duplicate tool number
for (var i = 0; i < getNumberOfSections(); ++i) {
var sectioni = getSection(i);
var tooli = sectioni.getTool();
for (var j = i + 1; j < getNumberOfSections(); ++j) {
var sectionj = getSection(j);
var toolj = sectionj.getTool();
if (tooli.number == toolj.number) {
if (xyzFormat.areDifferent(tooli.diameter, toolj.diameter) ||
xyzFormat.areDifferent(tooli.cornerRadius, toolj.cornerRadius) ||
abcFormat.areDifferent(tooli.taperAngle, toolj.taperAngle) ||
(tooli.numberOfFlutes != toolj.numberOfFlutes)) {
error(
subst(
localize("Using the same tool number for different cutter geometry for operation '%1' and
'%2'."),
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sectioni.hasParameter("operation-comment") ?
sectioni.getParameter("operation-comment") : ("#" + (i + 1)),
sectionj.hasParameter("operation-comment") ?
sectionj.getParameter("operation-comment") : ("#" + (j + 1))
)
);
return;
}
}
}
}
}
Check for Duplicate Tool Numbers using Different Cutter Geometry
// don't allow WCS 0 unless it is the only WCS used in the program
if ((getNumberOfSections() > 0) && (getSection(0).workOffset == 0)) {
for (var i = 0; i < getNumberOfSections(); ++i) {
if (getSection(i).workOffset > 0) {
error(localize("Using multiple work offsets is not possible if the initial work offset is 0."));
return;
}
}
}
Check for Work Offset 0 when Multiple Work Offsets are Used in Program
The onSection function is called at start of each CAM operation and controls the output of the following
blocks.
The first part of onSection determines if there is a change in the tool being used and if the Work
Coordinate System offset or Work Plane is different from the previous section. These settings determine
the output required between operations.
The code to retract the tool can vary from post to post, depending on the controller model and the
machine configuration. It can output an absolute move to the machine home position, for example using
G53, or move to a clearance plane relevant to the current work offset, for example G00 Z5.0.
The onSectionEnd section has an example of ending the operation when not done in the onSection
function.
The output of the operation notes is normally handled by the post processor property showNotes.
// user-defined properties
properties = {
…
showNotes: {
title : "Show notes",
description: "Writes setup and operation notes as comments in the output code.",
type : "boolean",
value : false,
scope : "post"
},
…
}
Define the showNotes Property
The Length Offset value is usually output with the Initial Position as described further in this chapter.
The Diameter Offset value is output with a motion block in onLinear. All other tool parameters are
output in the tool change code.
if (insertToolCall) {
…
if (tool.number > numberOfToolSlots) {
warning(localize("Tool number exceeds maximum value."));
}
You will have to change the setting of showToolZMin to true if you want the lower Z-limit comment
output at a tool change.
The selection of the next tool is optional and is controlled by the post processor property preloadTool.
// user-defined properties
properties = {
…
preloadTool: {
title : "Preload tool",
description: "Preloads the next tool at a tool change (if any).",
type : "boolean",
value : true,
scope : "post"
}
}
Define the preloadTool Property
The first tool will be loaded on the last operation of the program.
The spindle codes will be output with a tool change and if the spindle speed changes.
if (insertToolCall ||
isFirstSection() ||
(rpmFormat.areDifferent(tool.spindleRPM, sOutput.getCurrent())) ||
(tool.clockwise != getPreviousSection().getTool().clockwise)) {
if (tool.spindleRPM < 1) {
error(localize("Spindle speed out of range."));
return;
}
if (tool.spindleRPM > 99999) {
warning(localize("Spindle speed exceeds maximum value."));
}
writeBlock(
sOutput.format(tool.spindleRPM), mFormat.format(tool.clockwise ? 3 : 4)
);
}
Output Spindle Codes
You will find different methods of outputting the coolant codes in the various posts. The latest method
uses a table to define the coolant on and off codes. The table is defined just after the properties table at
the top of the post processor. You can define a single code for each coolant mode or multiple codes
using an array. When adding or changing the coolant codes supported by your machine, this is the only
area of the code that needs to be changed.
var singleLineCoolant = false; // specifies to output multiple coolant codes in one line rather than in
separate lines
// samples:
// {id: COOLANT_THROUGH_TOOL, on: 88, off: 89}
// {id: COOLANT_THROUGH_TOOL, on: [8, 88], off: [9, 89]}
var coolants = [
{id: COOLANT_FLOOD, on: 8},
{id: COOLANT_MIST},
{id: COOLANT_THROUGH_TOOL, on: 88, off: 89},
{id: COOLANT_AIR},
{id: COOLANT_AIR_THROUGH_TOOL},
{id: COOLANT_SUCTION},
{id: COOLANT_FLOOD_MIST},
{id: COOLANT_FLOOD_THROUGH_TOOL, on: [8, 88], off: [9, 89]},
{id: COOLANT_OFF, off: 9}
];
Coolant Definition Table
The setCoolant function will output each coolant code in separate blocks. It does this by calling the
getCoolantCodes function to obtain the coolant code(s) and using writeBlock to output each individual
coolant code. Both of these functions are generic in nature and should not have to be modified.
It may be that you want to output the coolant codes(s) in a block with other codes, such as the initial
position or the spindle speed. In this case you can call getCoolantCodes directly in the onSection
function and add the output of the coolant codes to the appropriate block. The following example will
output the coolant codes with the initial position of the operation.
If a CAM Machine Definition is defined the WCS can be selected using the number as expected by the
machine control. When a CAM Machine Definition is not defined, then a simple value will be displayed.
WCS codes are output when a new tool is used for the operation or when the WCS offset number used is
changed. WCS offsets are typically controlled using the G54 to G59 codes and possibly an extended
syntax for handling work offsets past 6.
wcsDefinitions is defined just after the coolants table at the top of the post processor.
var wcsDefinitions = {
useZeroOffset: false, // set to 'true' to allow for workoffset 0, 'false' treats 0 as 1
wcs :[
{name:"Standard", format:"G", range:[54, 59]}, // standard WCS, output as G54-G59
{name:"Extended", format:"G59.#", range:[1, 64]} // extended WCS, output as G59.7, etc.
// {name:"Extended", format:"G54 P#", range:[1, 64]} // extended WCS, output as G54 P7, etc.
]
};
Parameters Description
useZeroOffset Set to true to enable a work offset value of 0. Setting it to false will treat a
work offset of 0 as 1.
wcs Contains the definitions of the supported WCS formats.
name The name of the WCS output format. This will usually be Standard or
Extended. The name is displayed in the Format field of the Machine WCS
frame.
format The output format of the WCS. This is a text string that has an optional #
character that defines where the offset value will be placed. If # is not
specified, then the offset value will be placed at the end of the string. You can
also use multiple consecutive # characters to define the number of digits to
output with the WCS value, for example P## will output P01. Specifying $#
will place a # character in the output.
range Defines the valid range of work offsets for the defined format.
The post processor kernel will format the output WCS code based on the format defined in
wcsDefinitions. Both a string and number is available to the post processor in the section object.
Variable Description
section.wcs The output code of the work offset (G54, G51 P1, etc.).
section.workOffset The work offset number.
// wcs
if (insertToolCall) { // force work offset when changing tool
currentWorkOffset = undefined;
}
if (currentSection.workOffset != currentWorkOffset) {
writeBlock(currentSection.wcs);
currentWorkOffset = currentSection.workOffset;
}
Output the Work Coordinate System Offset Number
The output for a Work Plane will either be the rotary axes positions or the definition of the Work Plane
itself as Euler angles. For machine controls that support both formats the useMultiAxisFeatures variable
determines the Work Plane method to use. This variable, along with other variables that control 3+2
operations, is defined with the machine configuration settings and functions towards the top of the post
processor.
Check the Programming Manual for your machine to determine if Euler angles are supported and the
order of rotations. The _R (rotated) variants of the Euler angles will use the modified orientation after
each rotation for each axis. The _S (static) variants will use the original coordinate system for all
rotations and is sometimes referred to as pitch, row, yaw.
The useMultiAxisFeatures and useABCPrepositioning variables can be controlled from the post
processor properties, simply adding a property with the same name. The activateMachine function
automatically checks for this property and will use it if it is defined.
properties = {
…
useMultiAxisFeatures: {
title: "Use G68.2",
description: "Enable to output G68.2 blocks for 3+2 operations, disable to output rotary angles.",
type: "boolean,
value: true,
scope:["machine", "post"],
group:"multiaxis"},
useABCPrepositioning: {
title: "Preposition rotaries",
description: "Enable to preposition rotary axes prior to G68.2 blocks.",
scope: ["machine", "post"],
group: "multiaxis",
type: "boolean",
value: true
},
…
Defining useMultiAxisFeatures and useABCPrepositioning as Properties
The code handling 3+2 operations is usually found in the defineWorkPlane function but can also be
defined as inline code within the onSection function. The preferred method is using the
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defineWorkPlane function, which controls the calculation and output of the rotary angles for multi-axis
and 3+2 operations. defineWorkPlane will be called from onSection.
The defineWorkPlane function is defined as follows and returns the initial rotary positions for multi-axis
and 3+2 operations.
defineWorkPlane(_section, _setWorkPlane)
Arguments Description
_section The operation (section) used to calculate the rotary angles.
_setWorkPlane true = output the rotary angle positions and adjust the output coordinates for
the 3+2 rotation. false = don’t output the rotary angle positions. The rotary
angles will still be calculated and the output coordinates will be adjusted for
the 3+2 rotation.
The defineWorkPlane Function
The function getWorkPlaneMachineABC is used to calculate the rotary axes positions that satisfy the
Work Plane. It will return the calculated angles of either the rotary axis or tilted plane positions.
getWorkPlaneMachineABC(workPlane, rotate)
Arguments Description
workPlane The work plane matrix used to calculate the rotary-angles. This variable is
typically section.workPlane.
rotate Enable to adjust the output coordinates for the work plane orientation. Disable
to just calculate the rotary angles and not adjust the XYZ coordinates for the
axis rotations.
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The getWorkPlaneMachineABC Function
This function is standard from post to post, but there are a couple of areas that may need to be modified.
The first step is to calculate the rotary angles based on the work plane orientation by calling the
getABCByPreference function.
Arguments Description
machineConfiguration The machine configuration. This parameter is only specified with the
section.getABCByPreference version.
workPlane The work plane matrix used to calculate the rotary-angles. This variable is
typically section.workPlane.
current The current rotary angles. This is usually the ABC position returned by
getCurrentDirection. In the first operation this value is set to a tool axis, so
the current rotary angles are defined as 0,0,0 in this case.
controllingAxis The axis used to determine the preferred solution in conjunction with the type
argument. It can be A, B, or C for a single axis, or ABC to consider all
defined rotary axes.
type The preference type as described in the Preference Type table.
options Options used to control the solution as described in the Controlling Options
table.
The getABCByPreference Function
There are two variations of the getABCByPreference function, one in the machineConfiguration object
and the other in the section object. The only difference between the two is that the section function
supports the ENABLE_LIMITS option, while the machineConfiguration function does not. The
ENABLE_LIMITS works with rotary tables that are perpendicular to the spindle vector and will adjust
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the rotary table position to bring the linear XYZ coordinates within their defined limits if possible. If it
is not possible to bring the machine within its limits, then the calculated rotary axis positions will be the
same as if ENABLE_LIMITS was not specified.
You must define the limits of the linear axes in the machine configuration when using
ENABLE_LIMITS. The limits can be defined as part of an external Machine Definition or hardcoded
within the post processor if a Machine Definition is not used.
Since the getABCByPreference function will return a rotary axis position even if the machine is not
within the defined linear limits, you must call the doesToolPathFitWithinLimits function to determine if
the calculated rotary axis position will keep the machine within limits for this operation.
Arguments Description
machineConfiguration The machine configuration.
abc The rotary angle positions used to determine if the linear XYZ axes are
within their defined limits.
The doesToolpathFitWithinLimits Function
The 3+2 operation coordinates may need to be adjusted for the rotary axes. This is done by calling
section.optimize3DPositionsByMachine with the rotary axes and optimization type. Most posts will use
the Tool Control Point (TCP) setting for each axis by using the OPTIMIZE_AXIS setting.
if (!currentSection.isOptimizedForMachine()) {
machineConfiguration.setToolLength(addToolLength ? getBodyLength(tool)); // define the tool length for
head adjustments
currentSection.optimize3DPositionsByMachine(machineConfiguration, abc, OPTIMIZE_AXIS);
}
Adjust the Coordinates for the Rotary Axes
It is important to know that the XYZ coordinates provided to the post processor for 3+2 are in the work
plane coordinate system, meaning they are in the XY-plane defined by the work plane. This is fine for
machines that support multi-axis features such as G68.2, CYCLE800, etc., but could be incorrect for
machines that do not support these features.
Arguments Description
machineConfiguration The active machine configuration.
abc The current rotary axis positions passed as a Vector.
optimizeType Optimization type as described in the following table.
Optimize3DPositionsByMachine Arguments
optimizeType Description
OPTIMIZE_NONE The coordinates will be the tool tip position (TCP).
OPTIMIZE_BOTH The coordinates will be adjusted for the table and head rotations. The TCP
settings for the axes will be ignored.
OPTIMIZE_TABLES The coordinates will be adjusted for the rotary tables. The TCP settings for
the axes will be ignored
OPTIMIZE_HEADS The coordinates will be adjusted for the rotary heads. The TCP settings for
the axes will be ignored
If TCP positions are output in a 3+2 operation you will have to ensure that the TCP has been enabled for
this operation (G43.4, TRAORI, etc.).
The logic that controls the Work Plane calculation is typically located in the defineWorkPlane section,
but can be in the onSection function for legacy post processors
You should be aware that the X-axis direction of the Work Plane does affect the Euler angle calculation.
The typical method of defining the Work Plane is to keep the X-axis orientation pointing in the positive
direction as you look down the Z-axis, but on some table/table style machines this will cause the
machining to be on the back side of the table, so in this case you will want the X-axis pointing in the
negative direction.
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The setWorkPlane function does the actual output of the Work Plane and can vary from post processor
to post processor, depending on the requirements of the machine control. It will output the calculated
Euler angles or rotary axes positions, and in some cases, both. In the following code, G68.2 is used to
define the Work Plane using Euler angles.
function setWorkPlane(abc) {
if (is3D() && !machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration()) {
return;
}
// output tool length offset on tool change or if tool has been retracted
if (insertToolCall || retracted) {
var lengthOffset = tool.lengthOffset;
if (lengthOffset > numberOfToolSlots) {
error(localize("Length offset out of range."));
return;
}
gMotionModal.reset();
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17));
5.4.1 currentSection
The currentSection variable refers to the active section/operation. It is unspecified if used outside of the
scope of a section, for example in onOpen or onClose. In these functions you will need to access the
section directly using the getSection function.
5.4.2 getSection
value = getSection(sectionId)
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Arguments Description
sectionId The ID of the section to return. sectionId can be in the range of 0 through the
number of defined sections (getNumberOfSections).
Returns the section object associated with the specified section ID.
5.4.3 getNumberOfSections
value = getNumberOfSections()
5.4.4 getId
value = section.getId()
The getId function returns the ID of the provided section. It will be in the range of 0 through the number
of defined sections minus 1 (getNumberOfSections).
5.4.5 isToolChangeNeeded
value = isToolChangeNeeded([section], arguments)
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to test for a tool change. If section is not specified, then
currentSection is assumed.
arguments Specifies one or more of the Tool object variables to use as criteria to
determine if a tool change is needed. This list of criteria can be number,
description, lengthOffset, or any other member of the Tool object.
Returns true if a tool change is required for the specified section. The comparison criteria are passed as
a list of arguments to the function and can be any valid Tool object variable.
5.4.6 isNewWorkPlane
value = isNewWorkPlane([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to test for a Work Plane change. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
Returns true if the work plane changes for the specified section as compared to the previous section.
5.4.7 isNewWorkOffset
value = isNewWorkOffset([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to test for a Work Offset change. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
Returns true if the work offset changes for the specified section as compared to the previous section.
5.4.8 isSpindleSpeedDifferent
value = isSpindleSpeedDifferent([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to test for a change in the spindle speed or spindle mode.
If section is not specified, then currentSection is assumed.
Returns true if the spindle speed or spindle mode (RPM, SFM) differs from the previous section, false if
they are the same.
if (isSpindleSpeedDifferent ()) {
Determining if the Spindle Speed or Mode Changes Between Sections
5.4.9 isDrillingCycle
isDrillingCycle([section,] [checkBoringCycles])
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Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for a drilling cycle. If section is not specified,
then currentSection is assumed.
checkBoringCycles When set to false, boring cycles with a shift value will not be considered a
drilling cycle, otherwise if set to true or not specified shift boring cycles are
considered drilling cycles.
Returns true if the section is a drilling operation, otherwise returns false. Milling cycles are not
considered a drilling cycle.
5.4.10 isTappingCycle
isTappingCycle([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for a tapping cycle. If section is not specified,
then currentSection is assumed.
5.4.11 isAxialCenterDrilling
isAxialCenterDrilling([section,] [checkLiveTool])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for an axial drilling cycle. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
checkLiveTool When set to false, the live tool setting is ignored and will not be used in testing
for an axial center drilling operation, otherwise if set to true or not specified
operations using a live tool will not be considered as an axial center drilling
operation.
Returns true if the section is an axial drilling cycle, otherwise returns false. Axial drilling cycles are
considered drilling operations that are at X0 Y0 and are usually tested for on lathes.
5.4.12 isMillingCycle
isMillingCycle([section,] [checkBoringCycles])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for a milling cycle. If section is not specified,
then currentSection is assumed.
checkBoringCycles When set to true, boring cycles with a shift value will be considered a milling
cycle, otherwise if set to false or not specified shift boring cycles are not
considered milling cycles.
5.4.13 isProbeOperation
value = isProbeOperation([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for a probing operation. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
Returns true if the section is a probing operation, otherwise return false. You can also check if the tool
type is set to TOOL_PROBE to determine if probing is active for an operation.
5.4.14 isInspectionOperation
value = isInspectionOperation([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for an inspection operation. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
5.4.15 isDepositionOperation
value = isDepositionOperation([section])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to check for a deposition operation. If section is not
specified, then currentSection is assumed.
5.4.16 probeWorkOffset
value = section.probeWorkOffset
The probeWorkOffset variable contains the WCS number that is active during the probing operation. It
is the same as the probe-output-work-offset parameter.
5.4.17 getNextTool
tool = getNextTool([section,] [firstTool,] [arguments])
Arguments Description
section Specifies the section to use as the base tool. The next tool following the tool
used in this section will be returned. If section is not specified, then
currentSection is assumed.
firstTool Returns the first tool if the end of the program is reached when set to true.
Returns undefined if it is not specified or set to false and the end of the
program is reached.
arguments Specifies one or more of the Tool object variables to use as criteria to
determine the next tool. This list of criteria can be number, description,
lengthOffset, or any other member of the Tool object.
The getNextTool function returns the next tool used in the program based on the active tool in the
current section. You can pass number, description, diameter, or any other member of the tool object as
the criteria for determining if the tool is different than the current tool. This function will take any
var nextTool = getNextTool(true); // get next tool based on tool number, can return the first tool
var nextTool = getNextTool("description"); // get next tool based on tool description
Accessing the Next Tool
5.4.18 getFirstTool
tool = getFirstTool()
The getFirstTool function returns the first tool used in the program.
5.4.19 toolZRange
zRange = toolZRange()
The toolZRange function returns the Z-axis range for the active tool for the current and subsequent
sections that use this tool. It will return undefined if the tool orientation of the active section is not along
the Z-axis.
5.4.20 strategy
value = section.strategy;
The strategy variable is part of the section object and contains a string that represents the machining
strategy used for the section. It contains the same value as the operation-strategy parameter.
5.4.21 checkGroup
value = section.checkGroup(strategy-list)
Arguments Description
strategy-list A list of machining strategy groups to check, separated by commas.
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The checkGroup function returns true if the section machining strategy belongs to all of the strategy
groups specified in the strategy-list. The valid strategy groups are listed in the following table. Each of
these variables should be prefixed with STRATEGY_, for example STRATEGY_2D.
2D 3D ADDITIVE CHECKSURFACE
FINISHING HOLEMAKING INSPECTION JET
DRILLING MILLING MULTIAXIS PROBING
ROTARY ROUGHING SAMPLING SECONDARYSPINDLE
SURFACE THREAD TURNING
Strategy Groups (Prefixed with STRATEGY_)
5.5 onSectionEnd
function onSectionEnd() {
The onSectionEnd function can be used to define the end of an operation, but in most post processors
this is handled in the onSection function. The reason for this is that different output will be generated
depending on if there is a tool change, WCS change, or Work Plane change and this logic is handled in
the onSection function (see the insertToolCall variable), though it could be handled in the onSectionEnd
function if desired by referencing the getNextSection and isLastSection functions.
var retracted = false; // specifies that the tool has been retracted to the safe plane
var newWorkOffset = isLastSection() ||
(currentSection.workOffset != getNextSection().workOffset); // work offset changes
var newWorkPlane = isLastSection() ||
!isSameDirection(currentSection.getGlobalFinalToolAxis(),
getNextSection().getGlobalInitialToolAxis());
if (getProperty("optionalStop")) {
onCommand(COMMAND_OPTIONAL_STOP);
}
}
}
Ending the Operation in onSectionEnd
You will need to remove the similar code from the onSection function and probably the onClose
function, which will duplicate the session ending code if left intact.
One reason for ending the operation in the onSectionEnd function is if a Manual NC command is used
between operations. The Manual NC command will be processed prior to the onSection function and if
the previous operation is terminated in onSection, then the Manual NC command will be acted upon
prior to ending the previous operation.
The onSectionEnd function is pretty basic in most posts and will reset codes that may have been
changed in the operation and possibly some variables that are operation specific.
function onSectionEnd() {
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17));
forceAny();
}
Basic onSectionEnd Function
5.6 onClose
function onClose() {
The onClose function is called at the end of the last operation, after onSectionEnd. It is used to define
the end of an operation, if not handled in onSectionEnd, and to output the end-of-program codes.
function onClose() {
// end previous operation
writeln("");
optionalSection = false;
onCommand(COMMAND_COOLANT_OFF);
5.7 onTerminate
function onTerminate() {
The onTerminate function is called at the end of post processing, after onClose. It is called after all
output to the NC file is finished and the NC file is closed. It may be used to rename the output file(s)
after processing has finished, to automatically create a setup sheet, or to run another program against the
output NC file.
function onTerminate() {
var outputPath = getOutputPath();
var programFilename = FileSystem.getFilename(outputPath);
var programSize = FileSystem.getFileSize(outputPath);
var postPath = findFile("setup-sheet-excel-2007.cps");
var intermediatePath = getIntermediatePath();
var a = "--property unit " + ((unit == IN) ? "0" : "1"); // use 0 for inch and 1 for mm
if (programName) {
a += " --property programName \"'" + programName + "'\"";
}
if (programComment) {
a += " --property programComment \"'" + programComment + "'\"";
}
a += " --property programFilename \"'" + programFilename + "'\"";
a += " --property programSize \"" + programSize + "\"";
a += " --noeditor --log temp.log \"" + postPath + "\" \"" + intermediatePath + "\" \"" +
FileSystem.replaceExtension(outputPath, "xlsx") + "\"";
execute(getPostProcessorPath(), a, false, "");
executeNoWait("excel", "\"" + FileSystem.replaceExtension(outputPath, "xlsx") + "\"", false, "");
}
Create and Display Setup Sheet from onTerminate
Arguments Description
command Command to process.
The onCommand function can be called by a Manual NC command, directly from HSM, or from the
post processor.
Command Description
COMMAND_ACTIVATE_SPEED_FEED_SYNCHRONIZATION Activate threading mode
COMMAND_ALARM Alarm
COMMAND_ALERT Alert
COMMAND_BREAK_CONTROL Tool break control
COMMAND_CALIBRATE Run calibration cycle
COMMAN_CHANGE_PALLET Change pallet
COMMAND_CLEAN Run cleaning cycle
COMMAND_CLOSE_DOOR Close primary door
COMMAND_COOLANT_OFF Coolant off (M09)
COMMAND_COOLANT_ON Coolant on (M08)
COMMAND_DEACTIVATE_SPEED_FEED_SYNCHRONIZATION Deactivate threading mode
COMMAND_END Program end (M02)
COMMAND_EXACT_STOP Exact stop
COMMAND_LOAD_TOOL Tool change (M06)
COMMAND_LOCK_MULTI_AXIS Locks the rotary axes
COMMAND_MAIN_CHUCK_CLOSE Close main chuck
COMMAND_MAIN_CHUCK_OPEN Open main chuck
COMMAND_OPEN_DOOR Open primary door
COMMAND_OPTIONAL_STOP Optional program stop (M01)
COMMAND_ORIENTATE_SPINDLE Orientate spindle (M19)
COMMAND_POWER_OFF Power off
COMMAND_POWER_ON Power on
COMMAND_SECONDARY_CHUCK_CLOSE Close secondary chuck
COMMAND_SECONDARY_CHUCK_OPEN Open secondary chuck
COMMAND_SECONDARY_SPINDLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_ACTIVATE Activate spindle synchronization
COMMAND_SECONDARY_SPINDLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_DEACTIVATE Deactivate spindle synchronization
COMMAND_SPINDLE_CLOCKWISE Clockwise spindle direction (M03)
COMMAND_SPINDLE_COUNTERCLOCKWISE Counter-clockwise spindle direction
(M04)
COMMAND_START_CHIP_TRANSPORT Start chip conveyor
COMMAND_START_SPINDLE Start spindle in previous direction
COMMAND_STOP Program stop (M00)
COMMAND_STOP_CHIP_TRANSPORT Stop chip conveyor
COMMAND_STOP_SPINDLE Stop spindle (M05)
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Command Description
COMMAND_TOOL_MEASURE Measure tool
COMMAND_UNLOCK_MULTI_AXIS Unlocks the rotary axes
COMMAND_VERIFY Verify path/tool/machine integrity
Valid Commands
The Manual NC commands that call onCommand are described in the Manual NC Commands chapter.
Internal calls to onCommand are usually generated when expanding a cycle. The post processor itself
will call onCommand directly to perform simple functions, such as outputting a program stop, cancelling
coolant, opening the main door, turning on the chip conveyor, etc.
// stop spindle and cancel coolant before retract during tool change
if (insertToolCall && !isFirstSection()) {
onCommand(COMMAND_COOLANT_OFF);
onCommand(COMMAND_STOP_SPINDLE);
}
Calling onCommand Directly from Post Processor
The onImpliedCommand function changes the state of certain settings in the post engine without calling
onCommand and outputting the associated codes with the command. The state of certain parameters is
important when the post processor engine expands cycles.
onImpliedCommand(COMMAND_END);
onImpliedCommand(COMMAND_STOP_SPINDLE);
onImpliedCommand(COMMAND_COOLANT_OFF);
writeBlock(mFormat.format(30)); // stop program, spindle stop, coolant off
Using onImpliedCommand
5.9 onComment
function onComment(message) {
Arguments Description
message Text of comment to output.
The onComment function is called when the Manual NC command Comment is issued. It will format
and output the text of the comment to the NC file.
There are two other functions that are used to format and output comments, formatComment and
writeComment. These comment functions are standard in nature and do not typically have to be
modified, though the permittedCommentChars variable, defined at the top of the post, is used to define
the characters that are allowed in a comment and may have to be changed to match the control. The
formatComment function will remove any characters in the comment that are not specified in this
variable. Lowercase letters will be converted to uppercase by the formatComment function. If you want
to support lowercase letters, then they would have to be added to the permittedCommentChars variable
and the formatComment function would need to have the conversion to uppercase removed.
5.10 onDwell
function onDwell(seconds) {
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Arguments Description
seconds Dwell time in seconds.
The onDwell function can be called by a Manual NC command, directly from HSM, or from the post
processor. The Manual NC command that calls onDwell is described in the Manual NC Commands
chapter. Internal calls to onDwell are usually generated when expanding a cycle. The post processor
itself will call onDwell directly to output a dwell block.
function onDwell(seconds) {
if (seconds > 99999.999) {
warning(localize("Dwelling time is out of range."));
}
milliseconds = clamp(1, seconds * 1000, 99999999);
writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(94), gFormat.format(4), "P" +
milliFormat.format(milliseconds));
}
Output the Dwell Time in Milliseconds
onCommand(COMMAND_COOLANT_ON);
onDwell(1.0); // dwell 1 second after turning coolant on
Calling onDwell Directly from Post Processor
5.11 onParameter
function onParameter(name, value) {
Arguments Description
name Parameter name.
value Value stored in the parameter.
Almost all parameters used for creating a machining operation in HSM are passed to the post processor.
Common parameters are available using built in post processor variables (currentSection, tool, cycle,
etc.) as well as being made available as parameters. Other parameters are passed to the onParameter
function.
The name of the parameter along with its value is passed to the onParameter function. Some Manual
NC commands will call the onParameter function, these are described in the Manual NC Commands
chapter. You can see how to run and analyze the output from the dump.cps post processor in the
Debugging chapter.
Arguments Description
name Parameter name.
default The value to return if the requested parameter is not defined. If a default value
is not specified and the parameter is not defined, then undefined is returned.
You can retrieve operation parameters at any place in the post processor by calling the getParameter
function. Operation parameters are defined as parameters that are redefined for each machining
operation. There is a chance that a parameter does not exist so it is recommended that you check for the
parameter either by specifying a default value in the getParameter call or by using the hasParameter
function.
When scanning through the operations in the intermediate file it is possible to access the parameters for
that operation by using the section variant of the hasParameter and getParameter functions.
Arguments Description
name Parameter name.
default The value to return if the requested parameter is not defined. If a default value
is not specified and the parameter is not defined, then undefined is returned.
Some parameters are defined at the start of the intermediate file prior to the first operation. These
parameters are considered global and are accessed using the hasGlobalParameter and
getGlobalParameter functions. The same rules that apply to the operation parameters apply to global
parameters.
-1: onOpen()
0: onParameter('product-id', 'fusion360')
1: onParameter('generated-by', 'Fusion CAM 2.0.3803')
2: onParameter('generated-at', 'Saturday, March 24, 2018 4:34:36 PM')
3: onParameter('hostname', 'host')
4: onParameter('username', 'user')
5: onParameter('document-path', 'Water-Laser-Plasma v2')
6: onParameter('leads-supported', 1)
7: onParameter('job-description', 'Laser')
When processing multiple setups at the same time some of the global parameters will change from one
setup to the next. The getGlobalParameter function though will always reference the parameters of the
first setup, so if you want to access the parameters of the active setup then you will need to use the
onParameter function rather than the getGlobalParameter function.
5.12 onPassThrough
Function onPassThrough (value)
Arguments Description
value Text to be output to the NC file.
The onPassThrough function is called by the Pass through Manual NC command and is used to pass a
text string directly to the NC file without any processing by the post processor. This function is
described in the Manual NC Commands chapter.
5.13 onSpindleSpeed
function onSpindleSpeed(speed) {
Arguments Description
spindleSpeed The new spindle speed in RPM.
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The onSpindleSpeed function is used to output changes in the spindle speed during an operation,
typically from the post processor engine when expanding a cycle.
function onSpindleSpeed(spindleSpeed) {
writeBlock(sOutput.format(spindleSpeed));
}
Sample onSpindleSpeed Function
5.14 onOrientateSpindle
function onOrientateSpindle(angle) {
Arguments Description
angle Spindle orientation angle in radians.
The onOrientateSpindle function is not typically called. When a cycle that orientates the spindle is
expanded the onCommand(COMMAND_ORIENTATE_SPINDLE) function is called.
5.15 onRadiusCompensation
function onRadiusCompensation() {
The onRadiusCompensation function is called when the radius (cutter) compensation mode changes. It
will typically set the pending compensation mode, which will be handled in the motion functions
(onRapid, onLinear, onCircular, etc.). Radius compensation, when enabled in an operation, will be
enabled on the move approaching the part and disabled after moving off the part.
The state of radius compensation is stored in the global radiusCompensation variable and is not passed
to the onRadiusCompensation function. Radius compensation is defined when creating the machining
operation in HSM (1). The Sideways Compensation (2) setting determines the side of the part that the
tool will be on when cutting. It is based on the forward direction of the tool during the cutting operation.
function onRadiusCompensation() {
pendingRadiusCompensation = radiusCompensation;
}
Sample onRadiusCompensation Function
5.16 onMovement
function onMovement(movement) {
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Arguments Description
movement Movement type for the following motion(s).
onMovement is called whenever the movement type changes. It is used to tell the post when there is a
positioning, entry, exit, or cutting type move. There is also a movement global variable that contains the
movement setting. This variable can be referenced directly in other functions, such as onLinear, to
access the movement type without defining the onMovement function.
Movement types are used in defining parametric feedrates in some milling posts and for removing all
non-cutting moves for waterjet/plasma/laser machines that require only the cutting profile.
5.17 onRapid
function onRapid(_x, _y, _z) {
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
The onRapid function handles rapid positioning moves (G00) while in 3-axis mode. The tool position is
passed as the _x, _y, _z arguments. The format of the onRapid function is pretty basic, it will handle a
change in radius compensation, may determine if the rapid moves should be output at a high feedrate
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(due to the machine making dogleg moves while in rapid mode), and output the rapid move to the NC
file.
If the High feedrate mapping property is set to Always use high feed, then the onLinear function will be
called with the high feedrate passed in as the feedrate and the onRapid function will not be called.
Arguments Description
x, y, z The tool position.
It is possible that the post processor will need to generate rapid positioning moves during the processing
of the intermediate file. An example would be creating your own expanded drilling cycle. Instead of
calling onRapid with the post generated moves, it is recommended that invokeOnRapid be called
instead. This will ensure that the post engine is notified of the move and the current position is set.
invokeOnRapid will then call onRapid with the provided arguments.
5.19 onLinear
function onLinear(_x, _y, _z, feed) {
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
feed The feedrate.
The onLinear function handles linear moves (G01) at a feedrate while in 3-axis mode. The tool position
is passed as the _x, _y, _z arguments. The format of the onLinear function is pretty basic, it will handle
a change in radius compensation and outputs the linear move to the NC file.
5.20 invokeOnLinear
invokeOnLinear(x, y, z, feed);
Arguments Description
x, y, z The tool position.
feed The feedrate.
It is possible that the post processor will need to generate cutting moves during the processing of the
intermediate file. An example would be creating your own expanded drilling cycle. Instead of calling
onLinear with the post generated moves, it is recommended that invokeOnLinear be called instead. This
5.21 onRapid5D
function onRapid5D(_x, _y, _z, _a, _b, _c) {
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
_a, _b, _c The rotary angles if a machine configuration has been defined, otherwise the
tool axis vector is passed.
The onRapid5D function handles rapid positioning moves (G00) in multi-axis operations. The tool
position is passed as the _x, _y, _z arguments and the rotary angles as the _a, _b, _c arguments. If a
machine configuration has not been defined, then _a, _b, _c contains the tool axis vector. The
onRapid5D function will be called for all rapid moves in a multi-axis operation, even if the move is only
a 3-axis linear move without rotary movement.
Like the onRapid function, the onRapid5D function handles a change in radius compensation, may
determine if the rapid moves should be output at a high feedrate (due to the machine making dogleg
moves while in rapid mode), and outputs the rapid move to the NC file.
// Machine Configuration has been defined, output rotary angles with move
if (currentSection.isOptimizedForMachine()) {
var x = xOutput.format(_x);
var y = yOutput.format(_y);
var z = zOutput.format(_z);
var a = aOutput.format(_a);
var b = bOutput.format(_b);
var c = cOutput.format(_c);
Please refer to the Multi-Axis Post Processors chapter for a detailed explanation on supporting a multi-
axis machine.
5.22 invokeOnRapid5D
invokeOnRapid5D(x, y, z, a, b, c);
Arguments Description
x, y, z The tool position.
a, b, c The rotary angles if a machine configuration has been defined, otherwise the
tool axis vector is passed.
It is possible that the post processor will need to generate multi-axis rapid positioning moves during the
processing of the intermediate file. An example would be when handling the retract/reconfigure
procedure. Instead of calling onRapid5D with the post generated moves, it is recommended that
invokeOnRapid5D be called instead. This will ensure that the post engine is notified of the move and
the current position is set. invokeOnRapid5D will then call onRapid5D with the provided arguments.
5.23 onLinear5D
function onLinear5D(_x, _y, _z, _a, _b, _c, feed, feedMode) {
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
_a, _b, _c The rotary angles if a machine configuration has been defined, otherwise the
tool axis vector is passed.
feed The feedrate value calculated for the multi-axis feedrate mode.
feedMode The active multi-axis feedrate mode It can be FEED_FPM,
FEED_INVERSE_TIME, or FEED_DPM.
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
The onLinear5D function handles cutting moves (G01) in multi-axis operations. The tool position is
passed as the _x, _y, _z arguments and the rotary angles as the _a, _b, _c arguments. If a machine
configuration has not been defined, then _a, _b, _c contains the tool axis vector. The onLinear5D
function will be called for all cutting moves in a multi-axis operation, even if the move is only a 3-axis
linear move without rotary movement.
It is important to know that the feedMode argument will not be present if multi-axis feedrates are not
defined either in an external Machine Definition or within the post processor using the
setMultiAxisFeedrate function. The feed value will always be passed as the programmed feedrate in this
case.
Like the onLinear function, the onLinear5D function handles a change in radius compensation, and
outputs the cutting move to the NC file.
// Machine Configuration has been defined, output rotary angles with move
if (currentSection.isOptimizedForMachine()) {
var x = xOutput.format(_x);
var y = yOutput.format(_y);
var z = zOutput.format(_z);
var a = aOutput.format(_a);
var b = bOutput.format(_b);
var c = cOutput.format(_c);
// Machine Configuration has not been defined, output tool axis with move
} else {
forceXYZ();
var x = xOutput.format(_x);
var y = yOutput.format(_y);
var z = zOutput.format(_z);
var i = ijkFormat.format(_a);
var j = ijkFormat.format(_b);
var k = ijkFormat.format(_c);
var f = getFeed(feed);
Please refer to the Multi-Axis Post Processors chapter for a detailed explanation on supporting a multi-
axis machine.
5.24 invokeOnLinear5D
invokeOnLinear5D(x, y, z, a, b, c, feed);
Arguments Description
x, y, z The tool position.
It is possible that the post processor will need to generate multi-axis cutting moves during the processing
of the intermediate file. An example would be when handling the retract/reconfigure procedure. Instead
of calling onLinear5D with the post generated moves, it is recommended that invokeOnLinear5D be
called instead. This will ensure that the post engine is notified of the move and the current position is
set. invokeOnLinear5D will then call onLinear5D with the provided arguments.
The post engine will calculate the proper feedrate value and mode prior to calling onLinear5D.
5.25 onCircular
function onCircular(clockwise, cx, cy, cz, x, y, z, feed) {
Argument Description
clockwise Set to true if the circular direction is in the clockwise direction, false if
counter-clockwise.
cx, cy, cz Center coordinates of circle.
x, y, z Final point on circle
feed The feedrate.
The onCircular function is called whenever there is circular, helical, or spiral motion. The circular
move can be in any of the 3 standard planes, XY-plane, YZ-plane, or ZX-plane, it is up to the
onCircular function to determine which types of circular interpolation are valid for the machine and to
correctly format the output.
The structure of the onCircular function in most posts uses the following layout.
1. Test for radius compensation. Most controls do not allow radius compensation to be started on a
circular move.
2. Full circle output.
3. Center point (IJK) output.
4. Radius output.
Each of the different styles of output will individually handle the output of circular interpolation in each
of the planes and possibly 3-D circular interpolation if it is supported.
switch (getCircularPlane()) {
case PLANE_XY:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2 : 3),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
iOutput.format(cx - start.x, 0), jOutput.format(cy - start.y, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
case PLANE_ZX:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(18), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2 : 3),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
iOutput.format(cx - start.x, 0), kOutput.format(cz - start.z, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
case PLANE_YZ:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(19), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2 : 3),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
jOutput.format(cy - start.y, 0), kOutput.format(cz - start.z, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
default: // circular record is not in major plane
linearize(tolerance);
}
Circular Output Based on Plane
maximumCircularSweep Specifies the maximum angular sweep of circular moves that can be
output as circular interpolation and is specified in radians. Any circular
records whose delta angle exceeds this value will be linearized.
minimumChordLength Specifies the minimum delta movement allowed for circular interpolation
and can be changed dynamically in the Property table when running the
post processor. Any circular records whose delta linear movement is less
than this value will be linearized. This variable must be set in millimeters
(MM).
minimumCircularRadius Specifies the minimum radius of circular moves that can be output as
circular interpolation and can be changed dynamically in the Property
table when running the post processor. Any circular records whose radius
is less than this value will be linearized. This variable must be set in
millimeters (MM).
minimumCircularSweep Specifies the minimum angular sweep of circular moves that can be output
as circular interpolation and is specified in radians. Any circular records
whose delta angle is less than this value will be linearized.
tolerance Specifies the tolerance used to linearize circular moves that are expanded
into a series of linear moves. Circular interpolation records can be
linearized due to the conditions of the circular interpolation settings not
being met or by the linearize function being called. This variable must be
set in millimeters (MM).
Circular Interpolation Settings
Helical interpolation is typically output using the same format as circular interpolation with the addition
of the third axis and optionally a pitch value (incremental distance per 360 degrees) for the third axis.
Most stock post processors are already setup to output the third axis with circular interpolation (it won't
be output for a 2-D circular move).
case PLANE_XY:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2 : 3),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
iOutput.format(cx-start.x, 0), jOutput.format(cy-start.y, 0), kOutput.format(getHelicalPitch()),
feedOutput.format(feed));
break;
Helical Interpolation with Pitch Output
Spiral interpolation when supported on a control is typically specified with a G-code different than the
standard G02/G03 circular interpolation G-codes. Most stock post processors do not support spiral
interpolation.
if (isSpiral()) {
var startRadius = getCircularStartRadius();
var endRadius = getCircularRadius();
var dr = Math.abs(endRadius - startRadius);
if (dr > maximumCircularRadiiDifference) { // maximum limit
if (isHelical()) { // not supported
linearize(tolerance);
return;
}
switch (getCircularPlane()) {
case PLANE_XY:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2.1 : 3.1),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
iOutput.format(cx - start.x, 0), jOutput.format(cy - start.y, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
case PLANE_ZX:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(18), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2.1 : 3.1),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
iOutput.format(cx - start.x, 0), kOutput.format(cz - start.z, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
case PLANE_YZ:
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(19), gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2.1 : 3.1),
xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z),
jOutput.format(cy - start.y, 0), kOutput.format(cz - start.z, 0), getFeed(feed));
break;
default:
linearize(tolerance);
}
return;
}
}
3-D circular interpolation when supported on a control is typically specified with a G-code different than
the standard G02/G03 circular interpolation G-codes and must contain either the mid-point of the
circular move and/or the normal vector of the circle. Most stock post processors do not support 3-D
circular interpolation.
default:
if (getProperty("allow3DArcs")) { // a post property is used to enable support of 3-D circular
// make sure maximumCircularSweep is well below 360deg
var ip = getPositionU(0.5); // calculate mid-point of circle
writeBlock(gMotionModal.format(clockwise ? 2.4 : 3.4), // 3-D circular direction G-codes
xOutput.format(ip.x), yOutput.format(ip.y), zOutput.format(ip.z), // output mid-point of circle
getFeed(feed));
writeBlock(xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y), zOutput.format(z)); // output end-point
} else {
linearize(tolerance);
}
}
3-D Circular Interpolation Output
5.26 invokeOnCircular
invokeOnCircular(clockwise, cx, cy, cz, x, y, z, i, j, k, feed);
Arguments Description
clockwise Set to true if the direction of the circular is in the clockwise direction, false if it
is counter-clockwise.
cx, cy, cz The center of the circle.
x, y, z The tool position.
i, j, k The normal vector of the circle.
feed The feedrate.
It is possible that the post processor will need to generate circular arcs during the processing of the
intermediate file. To do this invokeOnCircular can be called. Calling invokeOnCircular ensures that
the post engine is notified of the arc move and the current position is set. invokeOnCircular will then
call onCircular with the provided arguments and setting the proper circular variables.
5.27 onCycle
function onCycle() {
function onCycle() {
writeBlock(gPlaneModal.format(17));
}
Sample onCycle Function
Mill/Turn post processors will usually handle the stock transfer sequence in the onCycle function. Logic
for the Mill/Turn post processors will be discussed in a dedicated chapter.
5.28 onCyclePoint
function onCyclePoint(x, y, z) {
Argument Description
x, y, z Hole bottom location.
Canned cycle output is handled in the onCyclePoint function, which includes positioning to the
clearance plane, formatting of the cycle block, calculating the cycle parameters, discerning if the canned
cycle is supported on the machine or should be expanded, and probing cycles which will not be
discussed in this chapter.
The location of the hole bottom for the cycle is passed in as the x, y, z arguments to the onCyclePoint
function. All other parameters are available in the cycle object or through cycle specific function calls.
The flow of outputting canned cycles usually follows the following logic.
The actual output of the cycle blocks is handled in a switch block, with a separate case for each of the
supported cycles.
switch (cycleType) {
case "drilling":
If a cycle is not supported and needs to be expanded by the post engine, then you can either remove the
entire case block for this cycle and it will be handled in the default block, or you can specifically expand
the cycle. The second method is handy when the canned cycle does not support all of the parameters
available in HSM, for example if a dwell is not supported for a deep drilling cycle on the machine, but
you want to be able to use a dwell.
case "deep-drilling":
if (P > 0) { // the machine does not support a dwell code, so expand the cycle
expandCyclePoint(x, y, z);
} else {
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gAbsIncModal.format(90), gCycleModal.format(83),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract),
"Q" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.incrementalDepth),
feedOutput.format(F)
);
}
break;
Expanding a Cycle When a Feature is not Support on the Machine
The 2nd through the nth locations in a cycle operation are typically output using simple XY moves
without any of the cycle definition codes. Expanded cycles still need to be expanded at these locations.
cycleType Description
drilling Feed in to depth and rapid out (G81)
counter-boring Feed in to depth, dwell, and rapid out (G82)
chip-breaking Multiple pecks with periodic partial retract to clear chips (G73)
deep-drilling Peck drilling with full retraction at end of each peck (G83)
break-through-drilling Allows for reduced speed and feed before breaking through hole
(expanded)
gun-drilling Guided deep drilling allows for a change in spindle speed for
positioning (expanded)
tapping Feed in to depth, reverse spindle, optional dwell, and feed out.
Automatically determines left or right tapping depending on the tool
selected. (G74/G84)
left-tapping Left-handed tapping (G74)
right-tapping Right-handed tapping (G84)
tapping-with-chip-breaking Tapping with multiple pecks. Automatically determines left or right
tapping depending on the tool selected. (expanded)
reaming Feed in to depth and feed out (G85)
boring Feed in to depth, dwell, and feed out (G86)
stop-boring Feed to depth, stop the spindle, and feed out (G87)
fine-boring Feed to depth, orientate the spindle, shift from wall, and rapid out
(G76)
back-boring Orientate the spindle, rapid to depth, start spindle, shift the tool to
wall, feed up to bore height, orientate spindle, shift from wall, and
rapid out (G77)
circular-pocket-milling Mills out a hole (expanded)
thread-milling Helical thread cutting (expanded)
Types of Drilling Cycles
Any of these cycles can be expanded if the machine control does not support the specific cycle. There
are some caveats, where the post (and machine) must support certain capabilities for the expanded cycle
to run correctly on the machine. The following table lists the commands that must be defined in the
onCommand function to support the expansion of these cycles. It is expected that the machine will
support these features if they are enabled in the post processor.
Certain cycles will use the following parameters when they are expanded.
machineParameters. Description
drillingSafeDistance Specifies the safety distance above the stock when repositioning into
the hole for the chip-breaking and deep-drilling cycles.
spindleOrientation The spindle orientation angle after orientating the spindle.
spindleSpeedDwell Dwell in seconds after the spindle speed changes during a cycle.
Parameters for Expanded Cycles
You define the expanded cycle parameters using the following syntaxes.
Parameter Description
accumulatedDepth The depth of the combined cuts before the tool will be fully retracted
during a chip-breaking cycle.
backBoreDistance The cutting distance of a back-boring cycle.
bottom The bottom of the hole.
breakThroughDistance The distance above the hole bottom to switch to the break-through
feedrate and spindle speed during a break-through-drilling cycle.
breakThroughFeedRate The feedrate used when breaking through the hole during a break-
through-drilling cycle.
breakThroughSpindleSpeed The spindle speed used when breaking through the hole during a
break-through-drilling cycle.
chipBreakDistance The distance to retract the tool to break the chip during a chip-
breaking cycle.
clearance Clearance plane where to tool will retract the tool to after drilling a
hole and position to the next hole.
compensation Radius compensation in effect for circular-pocket-milling and thread-
milling cycles. This value can be control, wear, and inverseWear.
HSM assumes that the tool will always be retracted to the Retract Height (cycle.clearance) between
holes, you will notice this in the simulation of the cycle in HSM. This is typically handled in the
machine control with a G98 (Retract to clearance plane) code. Of course this code can be different from
machine control to machine control and there are controls that will always retract to the Feed Height
(cycle.retract) at the end of a drilling operation. In this case it is up to the post processor to retract the
tool to the Retract Height.
You can cancel the cycle at the end of the onCyclePoint function and output a tool retract block to take
the tool back up to the Retract Height. When this method is used it is also mandatory that the full cycle
be output for every hole in the operation and not just the first cycle point. Some machines support a
retract plane to be specified with the cancel cycle code, i.e. G80 Rxxx.
function onCyclePoint(x, y, z) {
// if (isFirstCyclePoint()) {
if (true) { // output a full cycle block for every hole in the operation
repositionToCycleClearance(cycle, x, y, z);
...
...
default:
expandCyclePoint(x, y, z);
}
// retract tool (add at the end of the cycleType switch code)
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
gMotionModal.format.reset();
writeBlock(gCycleModal.format(80), gMotionModal.format(0), zOutput.format(cycle.clearance));
} else {
if (cycleExpanded) {
Retracting the Tool to the Retract Plane when Unsupported by Machine Control
Function Description
isFirstCyclePoint() Returns true if this is the first point in the cycle operation. It is
usually called to determine whether to output a full cycle block or
just the cycle location.
isLastCyclePoint() Returns true if this is the last point in the cycle operation. This
function is typically used for a lathe threading operation since
HSM sends a single pass to the onCyclePoint function and the full
depth of the thread is required to output a single threading block.
onCycleEnd is used to terminate a drilling cycle, so this function is
not typically used in drilling cycles.
isProbingCycle() Returns true if this is a probing cycle.
repositionToCycleClearance() Moves the tool to the Retract Height plane (cycle.clearance). This
function is typically called prior to outputting a full cycle block.
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, r) Formats the common cycle parameters (X, Y, Z, R) for output.
Common Cycle Functions
These functions are built into the post engine, except the getCommonCycle function, which is contained
in the post processor. It takes the cycle location (x, y, z) and the retract plane/distance (r) as arguments.
Some machines require that the retract value be programmed as a distance from the current location
rather than as an absolute position. There are two ways to accomplish this. You can pass in the distance
as the retract value.
function getCommonCycle(x, y, z, r) {
forceXYZ();
return [xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y),
zOutput.format(z),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(r)];
}
…
case "drilling":
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gAbsIncModal.format(90), gCycleModal.format(81),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract – cycle.clearance),
feedOutput.format(F)
Or you can pass the clearance plane in to the getCommonCycle function and have it calculate the
distance. This method is typically used in post processors that support subprograms that require a retract
plane while in absolute mode and a distance when in incremental mode.
function getCommonCycle(x, y, z, r, c) {
forceXYZ(); // force xyz on first drill hole of any cycle
if (incrementalMode) {
zOutput.format(c);
return [xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y),
"Z" + xyzFormat.format(z - r),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(r - c)];
} else {
return [xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y),
zOutput.format(z),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(r)];
}
}
…
case "drilling":
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gCycleModal.format(81),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract, cycle.clearance),
feedOutput.format(F)
);
break;
Pass Retract and Clearance Heights to getCommonCycle Function
Specify that Feed per Revolution Feedrates are to be used with Drilling Cycles
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
The post must inform the CAM system that FPR feedrates are supported and have logic in the post to
output the proper codes for FPR feedrates. Setting the allowFeedPerRevolutionDrilling variable to true
enables FPR feedrates in the post. If this variable is set to false, then drilling cycles that select FPR
feedrates will be output in feed per minute (FPM) mode.
A formatNumber must be defined to format FPR feedrate numbers. The format is defined at the top of
the post processor with the rest of the format definitions. Refer to the Format Defintions section.
The feedrate mode for the operation should be checked in the onSection function, the appropriate output
format assigned, and the code to enable the feedrate mode output.
Your post should now support FPR feedrates for drilling cycles.
case "tapping":
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gCycleModal.format((84),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract),
(conditional(P > 0, "P" + milliFormat.format(P)),
pitchOutput.format(tool.threadPitch)
);
forceFeed(); // force the feedrate to be output after a tapping cycle with pitch output
break;
Output the Thread Pitch on a Tapping Cycle
If the tapping cycle requires that the machine be placed in FPR mode, then you can also calculate the
pitch value by dividing the feedrate by the spindle speed. You will also need to output the FPR code
(G95) with the tapping cycle and reset it at the end of the tapping operation, usually in the onCycleEnd
function.
case "tapping":
var F = cycle.feedrate / spindleSpeed;
writeBlock(
gRetractModal.format(98), gFeedModeModal.format(95), gCycleModal.format((84),
getCommonCycle(x, y, z, cycle.retract),
(conditional(P > 0, "P" + milliFormat.format(P)),
pitchOutput.format(F)
);
forceFeed(); // force the feedrate to be output after a tapping cycle with pitch output
break;
Output the Feedrate as FPR on a Tapping Cycle
5.29 onCycleEnd
function onCycleEnd() {
The onCycleEnd function is called after all points in the cycle operation have been processed. The cycle
is cancelled in this function and the feedrate mode (FPM) is reset if it is a tapping operation that uses
FPR feedrates.
function onCycleEnd() {
if (!cycleExpanded) {
writeBlock(gCycleModal.format(80));
// writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(94)), gCycleModal.format(80)); // reset FPM mode
zOutput.reset();
}
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
}
onCycleEnd Function
5.30.1 writeln
writeln(text);
Arguments Description
text Text to output to the NC file
The writeln function is built into the post engine and is not defined in the post processor. It is used to
output text to the NC file without formatting it. Text can be a quoted text string or a text expression.
writeln is typically used for outputting text strings that don't require formatting, or debug messages.
5.30.2 writeBlock
function writeBlock(arguments) {
Arguments Description
arguments Comma separated list of codes/text to output.
The writeBlock function writes a block of codes to the output NC file. It will add a sequence number to
the block, if sequence numbers are enabled and add an optional skip character if this is an optional
operation. A list of formatted codes and/or text strings are passed to the writeBlock function. The code
list is separated by commas, so that each code is passed as an individual argument, which allows for the
codes to be separated by the word separator defined by the setWordSeparator function.
/**
Writes the specified block.
*/
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CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
function writeBlock() {
var text = formatWords(arguments);
if (!text) {
return;
}
if (getProperty("showSequenceNumbers")) { // add sequence numbers to output blocks
if (optionalSection) {
if (text) {
writeWords("/", "N" + sequenceNumber, text);
}
} else {
writeWords2("N" + sequenceNumber, text);
}
sequenceNumber += getProperty("sequenceNumberIncrement");
} else { // no sequence numbers
if (optionalSection) {
writeWords2("/", text);
} else {
writeWords(text);
}
}
}
Sample writeBlock Function
5.30.3 toPreciseUnit
toPreciseUnit(value, units);
Arguments Description
value The input value.
units The units that the value is given in, either MM or IN.
The toPreciseUnit function allows you to specify a value in a given units and that value will be returned
in the active units of the input intermediate CNC file. When developing a post processor, it is highly
recommended that any unit based hard coded numbers use the toPreciseUnit function when defining the
number.
5.30.4 force---
The force functions are used to force the output of the specified axes and/or feedrate the next time they
are supposed to be output, even if it has the same value as the previous value.
Function Description
forceXYZ Forces the output of the linear axes (X, Y, Z) on the next motion block.
forceABC Forces the output of the rotary axes (A, B, C) on the next motion block.
forceFeed Forces the output of the feedrate on the next motion block.
forceAny Forces all axes and the feedrate on the next motion block.
Force Functions
Arguments Description
arguments X, Y, and/or Z. Separated by commas when multiple axes are specified.
The writeRetract function is used to retract the Z-axis to its clearance plane and move the X and Y axes
to their home positions.
The writeRetract function can be called with one or more axes to move to their home position. The axes
are specified using their standard names of X, Y, Z, and are separated by commas if multiple axes are
specified in the call to writeRetract.
The writeRetract function is not generic in nature and may have to be changed to match your machine's
requirements. For example, some machines use a G28 to move an axis to its home position, some will
use a G53 with the home position, and some use a standard G00 block.
// special conditions
6 Manual NC Commands
Manual NC commands are used to control the behavior of individual operations when there is not a
setting in the operation form for controlling a specific feature of a control. You can use Manual NC
commands to display a message, insert codes into the output NC file, perform an optional stop, define a
setting, etc. The Manual NC menu is accessed from different areas of the ribbon menu depending on the
product you are running.
Once you select the Manual NC menu you will see a form displayed that is used to select the type of
Manual NC command that you want to pass to the post processor and optionally the parameter that will
be passed with the command.
If you use a Manual NC command in your part, then it is necessary that the post processor is equipped to
handle this command. Some of the commands are supported by the stock post processors, such as Stop,
Optional stop, and Dwell, while support would have to be added to the post processor to support other
Manual NC commands. If you use a Manual NC command that is not supported by the post, then it will
either generate an error or be ignored. The general rule is it will generate an error if the onCommand
function is called and will be ignored when another function is called.
Arguments Description
command The Manual NC command that invoked the function.
value The value entered with the command.
The expandManualNC command can also be used to process the Manual NC command using the
separate functions listed in the table. It is typically used as the default condition in the onManualNC
function to process commands where you do not care if they are entered as a Manual NC command or
from an internal call in the post processor.
The following table describes the Manual NC commands along with the function that will be called
when the command is processed when the onManualNC function does not exist or expandManualNC is
called.
For example, the following onManualNC function definition could be used to process comments entered
using the CAM Manual NC command differently than comments generated from the post processor. It
simply appends the text ‘MSG,’ prior to the comment for a Manual NC Display comment command. All
other Manual NC commands are processed normally.
/**
Buffer Manual NC commands for processing later
*/
var manualNC = [];
function onManualNC(command, value) {
manualNC.push({command:command, value:value});
}
/**
Processes the Manual NC commands
Pass the desired command to process or leave argument list blank to process all buffered
commands
*/
function executeManualNC(command) {
for (var i = 0; i < manualNC.length; ++i) {
if (!command || (command == manualNC[i].command)) {
switch(manualNC[i].command) {
case COMMAND_DISPLAY_MESSAGE:
writeComment("MSG, " + manualNC[i].value);
break;
default:
expandManualNC(manualNC[i].command, manualNC[i].value);
}
}
}
for (var i = manualNC.length -1; i >= 0; --i) {
if (!command || (command == manualNC[i].command)) {
manualNC.splice(i, 1);
}
}
}
Manual NC Commands Support Functions
The calls to process the Manual NC commands can be placed anywhere in the post processor. In the
following code example, the COMMAND_DISPLAY_MESSAGE command is processed just before
the tool change block is output and the rest of the Manual NC commands after the tool change block.
The following sections give a description of the functions that are called by the Manual NC commands
outside of the onManualNC function and samples on how they are handled in the functions. The
onComment and onDwell functions are described in the Entry Functions chapter, since they are simple
functions and behave in the same manner no matter how they are called.
6.2 onCommand
function onCommand(command) {
Arguments Description
command Command to process.
All Manual NC commands that do not require an associated parameter are passed to the onCommand
function and as you see from the Manual NC Commands table, this entails the majority of the
commands. The onCommand function also handles other commands that are not generated by a Manual
NC command and these are described in the onCommand section in the Entry Functions chapter.
function onCommand(command) {
switch (command) {
…
case COMMAND_BREAK_CONTROL: // handle the 'Tool break' command
if (!toolChecked) { // avoid duplicate COMMAND_BREAK_CONTROL
onCommand(COMMAND_STOP_SPINDLE);
onCommand(COMMAND_COOLANT_OFF);
writeBlock(
gFormat.format(65),
"P" + 9853,
"T" + toolFormat.format(tool.number),
"B" + xyzFormat.format(0),
"H" + xyzFormat.format(getProperty("toolBreakageTolerance"))
);
toolChecked = true;
}
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return;
case COMMAND_TOOL_MEASURE: // ignore tool measurements
return;
}
6.3 onParameter
function onParameter(name, value) {
Arguments Description
name Parameter name.
value Value stored in the parameter.
The onParameter function is not only called for all parameters defined in the intermediate file (see the
many calls to onParameter in the dump.cps post processor output) it also handles the Action, Call
program, Display message, and Print message Manual NC commands. It is passed both the name of the
parameter being defined and the text string associated with that parameter.
This section will describe how the Action command can be used, since this is the most commonly used
of these commands.
The Action command is typically used to define post processor settings, similar to the post properties
defined at the top of the post processor, except that the settings defined using this command typically
only apply to a single operation. Since the HSM operations are executed in the order that they are
defined in the CAM tree, the Manual NC command will always be processed prior to the operation that
they precede. You can also use the Action command to define a setting so that the command can be
It is the onParameter function's responsibility to parse the text string passed as part of the Action
command. The text string could be a value, list of values, command and value, etc. The following table
lists the Action commands that are supported by the sample post processor code used in this section.
These Action commands set variables that will be used elsewhere in the program.
In this example, the format for entering the Action Manual NC command is to specify the command
followed by the ':' separator which in turn is followed by the value, in the Action text field.
var smoothingType = 0;
var smoothingTolerance = .001;
function onParameter(name, value) {
var invalid = false;
switch (name) {
case "action":
var sText1 = String(value).toUpperCase();
var sText2 = new Array();
sText2 = sText1.split(":");
if (sText2.length != 2) {
error(localize("Invalid action command: ") + value);
return;
}
To make it easier to use custom Action Manual NC commands you can use the Template capabilities of
HSM. First you will create the Manual NC command that you will turn into a template using the
example in the Action Command Format picture shown above. Once the Manual NC command is
created you will want to give it a meaningful name by renaming it in the Operation Tree.
Now you will create a template from this Manual NC command by right clicking on the Manual NC
command and selecting Store As Template. You will want to give the template the same name as you
did in the rename operation.
The template is now ready to be used in other operations and parts. You do this by right clicking a
Setup or a Folder in the Operations Tree, position the mouse over the Create From Template menu and
select the template you created.
6.4 onPassThrough
Function onPassThrough (value)
Arguments Description
value Text to be output to the NC file.
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The Pass through Manual NC command is used to pass a text string directly to the NC file without any
processing by the post processor. It is similar to editing the NC file and adding a line of text by hand.
The text string could be standard codes (G, M, etc.) or a simple message. Since the post has no control
or knowledge of the codes being output, it is recommended that you use the Pass through command
sparingly and only with codes that cannot be output using another method.
The onPassThrough function handles the Pass through Manual NC command and is passed the text
entered with the command. The following sample code will accept a text string with comma delimiters
that will separate the text into individual lines.
function onPassThrough(text) {
var commands = String(text).split(",");
for (text in commands) {
writeBlock(commands[text]);
}
}
Output Lines of Codes/Text Separated by Commands Using the Pass through Manual NC Command
Like the Action Manual NC command, you can setup a Template to use with the Pass through command
if you find yourself needing to output the same codes in multiple instances.
7 Debugging
7.1 Overview
The first thing to note when debugging is that there is not an interactive debugger associated with the
Autodesk CAM post processors. This means that all debugging information must be output using
settings within the post and with explicit writes. This section describes different methods you can use
when debugging your post.
You can also use the HSM Post Processor Editor to aid in debugging your program as described in the
Running/Debugging the Post section of this manual
342: onParameter('dwell', 0)
344: onParameter('incrementalDepth', 0.03937007874015748)
346: onParameter('incrementalDepthReduction', 0.003937007932681737)
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348: onParameter('minimumIncrementalDepth', 0.01968503937007874)
350: onParameter('accumulatedDepth', 5)
352: onParameter('chipBreakDistance', 0.004023600105694899)
354: onMovement(MOVEMENT_CUTTING /*cutting*/)
354: onCycle()
cycleType='chip-breaking'
cycle.clearance=123456
cycle.retract=0.19685039370078738
cycle.stock=0
cycle.depth=0.810440544068344
cycle.feedrate=15.748000257597194
cycle.retractFeedrate=39.370100366787646
cycle.plungeFeedrate=15.748000257597194
cycle.dwell=0
cycle.incrementalDepth=0.03937007874015748
cycle.incrementalDepthReduction=0.003937007932681737
cycle.minimumIncrementalDepth=0.01968503937007874
cycle.accumulatedDepth=5
cycle.chipBreakDistance=0.004023600105694899
354: onCyclePoint(-1.25, 0.4999999924907534, -0.810440544068344)
355: onCyclePoint(1.25, 0.4999999924907534, -0.810440544068344)
356: onCycleEnd()
Sample dump.cps Output
7.3.1 debugMode
debugMode = true;
Setting the debugMode variable to true enables the output of debug information from the debug
command and is typically defined at the start of the post processor.
7.3.2 setWriteInvocations
setWriteInvocations (value);
Arguments Description
value true outputs debug information for the entry functions.
Enabling the setWriteInvocations setting will create debug output in the NC file similar to what is output
using the dump post processor. The debug information contains the entry functions (onParameter,
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onSection, etc.) called during post processing and the parameters that they are called with. This
information will be output prior to actually calling the entry function and is labeled using the !DEBUG:
text.
7.3.3 setWriteStack
setWriteStack (value);
Arguments Description
value true outputs the call stack that outputs the line to the NC file.
Enabling the setWriteStack setting displays the call stack whenever text is output to the NC file. The
call stack will consist of the !DEBUG: label, the call level, the name of the post processor, and the line
number of the function call (the function name is not included in the output).
!DEBUG: 1 rs274.cps:108
!DEBUG: 2 rs274.cps:919
!DEBUG: 3 rs274.cps:357
N125 M5
setWriteStack Output
…
108: writeWords2("N" + sequenceNumber, arguments);
…
357: onCommand(COMMAND_STOP_SPINDLE);
…
919: writeBlock(mFormat.format(mcode));
Post Processor Contents
The text provided to the debug functions can contain operations and follow the same rules as defining a
string variable in JavaScript. You can also specify vectors or matrixes and these will be properly
formatted for output. For example,
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var x = 3;
debug("The value of x is " + x);
For floating point values you may want to create a format that limits the number of digits to right of the
decimal point, as some numbers can be quite long when output.
When writing output debug information to the log and/or NC files it is recommended that you precede
the debug text with a fixed string, such as "DEBUG – ", so that it is easily discernable from other output.
7.4.1 debug
debug (text);
Arguments Description
text Outputs text to the log file when debugMode is set to true.
The debug function outputs the provided text message to the log file only when the debugMode variable
is set to true. The text is output exactly as provided, without any designation that the output was
generated by the debug function.
7.4.2 log
log(text);
Arguments Description
text Outputs text to the log file.
The log function outputs the text to the log file. It is similar to the debug function, but does not rely on
the debugMode setting.
7.4.3 writeln
writeln(text);
Arguments Description
text Outputs text to the NC file.
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The writeln function outputs the text to the NC file. It is used extensively in post processors to output
valid data to the NC file and not just debug text.
7.4.4 writeComment
writeComment(text);
Arguments Description
text Outputs text to the NC file as a comment.
The writeComment function is defined in the post processor and is used to output comments to the
output NC file. It is described in the onComment section of this manual.
7.4.5 writeDebug
function writeDebug(text)
Arguments Description
text Outputs text to the NC and log files.
The writeDebug function is not typically present in the generic post processors. You can create one to
handle the output of debug information to both the log file and NC file so that if the post processor either
fails or runs successfully you would still see the debug output.
function writeDebug(text) {
if (true) { // can use the global setting 'debugMode' instead
writeln("DEBUG - " + text); // can use 'writeComment' instead
log("DEBUG - " + text); // can use 'debug' instead
}
}
Sample writeDebug Function
The generic RS-274D Sample Multi-axis Post Processor is available to use as a sample for
implementing multi-axis support in any post processor. It supports CAM defined and hardcoded
machine configurations. You can use this post processor for testing rotary axes configurations and for
copying functionality into your custom post processor.
The scale:DEG parameter specifies that the rotary axes angles will be output in degrees. If you require
the output to be in radians, then omit the scale setting.
You will also need to add the following code to the top of the onOpen function to call the machine
configuration functions.
function onOpen() {
// define and enable machine configuration
receivedMachineConfiguration = machineConfiguration.isReceived();
if (typeof defineMachine == "function") {
defineMachine(); // hardcoded machine configuration
}
activateMachine(); // enable the machine optimizations and settings
Copy this Code to the Top of the onOpen Function
The variables at the top of the machine configuration code control certain aspects of multi-axis logic
within the post processor.
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/ Start of machine configuration logic
var compensateToolLength = false; // add the tool length to the pivot distance for nonTCP rotary heads
Variable Description
compensateToolLength This variable is only used for rotary head configurations that do not support
TCP. When it is enabled, the body length of the tool (tool body length) will
be added to the pivot distance. Rotary head configurations are discussed in
detail in the Adjusting the Points for Offset Rotary Axes section.
Multi-axis Settings
The hardcoded machine configuration can be found in the defineMachine function. It includes all
applicable settings that are found in the Machine Definition and contains the following sections of code.
function defineMachine() {
// if (!receivedMachineConfiguration) { // CAM machine definition takes precedence
if (true) { // hardcoded machine configuration takes precedence
// define machine kinematics
var useTCP = false; // TCP support
var aAxis = createAxis({coordinate:X, table:true, axis:[1, 0, 0], offset:[0, 0, 0], range:[-120, 30],
cyclic:false, preference:-1, tcp:useTCP});
var cAxis = createAxis({coordinate:Z, table:true, axis:[0, 0, 1], offset:[0, 0, 0], cyclic:true, reset:0,
tcp:useTCP});
machineConfiguration = new MachineConfiguration(aAxis, cAxis);
Define Machine Kinematics
The rotary axes can be customized to match the machine configuration using the parameters in the
createAxis command.
Parameter Description
table Set to true when the rotary axis is a table, or false if it is a head. The default if not
specified is true.
axis Specifies the rotational axis of the rotary axis in the format of a vector, i.e. [0, 0, 1].
This vector does not have to be orthogonal to a major plane, for example it could be [0,
.7071, .7071]. The direction of the rotary axes are based on the righthand rule for tables
and the lefthand rule for heads. You can change direction of the axis by supplying a
vector pointing in the opposite direction, i.e. [0, 0, -1]. This parameter is required.
offset Defines the rotational position of the axis in the format of a coordinate, i.e. [0, 0, 0].
For machines that support TCP the offset parameter can be omitted. The offset values
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Parameter Description
for tables are based on the part origin defined in the Setup. The offset value for the
rider or primary rotary head is based on the distance from the tool stop (or spindle face)
position to the pivot point of the rotary head. The offset value for the carrier rotary
head (when the machine has a head/head configuration) is based on the pivot point of
the rider axis to the pivot point of the carrier axis. The default is [0, 0, 0].
coordinate Defines the coordinate of the axis, either X, Y, or Z. You will notice a number used in
most of the generic posts, in this case 0=X, 1=Y, and 2=Z. Either specification is
acceptable input. This parameter is required.
cyclic Defines whether the axis is cyclic (continuous) in nature, in that the output will always
be within the range specified by the range parameter. Cyclic axes will never cause the
onRewindFunction to be called, since they are continuous in nature and do not have
limits. The range applies specifically to output values for this axis. The default is false.
tcp Defines whether the control supports Tool Center Point programming for this axis.
Each axis can have its own setting. The default is true.
range Defines the upper and lower limits of the rotary axis using the format [lower, upper]. If
the rotary axis is cyclic, then the range sets the limits of the output values for this axis,
if it is not cyclic the range is the actual physical limits of the machine.
preference Specifies the preferred angle direction at the beginning of an operation. -1 = choose the
negative angle, 0 = no preference, and 1 = choose the positive angle. The default is 0.
reset Defines the starting position of the axis for a new operation and when the rotary axes
need to be rewound and reconfigured due to exceeding the limits. 0 = remember the
position from previous section, 1 = reset to 0 at start of operation, 2 = reset to 0 at
automatic rewind, 3 = reset to 0 at start of operation and at automatic rewind. This
parameter is implemented since R42225 of the post engine.
resolution Specifies the resolution in degrees of the rotational actuator. Typically, this will be set
to the number of digits to the right of the decimal as specified in the createFormat call
for the rotary axes. The default is 0.
createAxis Parameters
The order in which the axes are defined in the new MachineConfiguration call is important and must use
the following order.
// Same table/table setup, without TCP, top and center of C-axis is defined as the origin
var bAxis = createAxis({coordinate:Y, table:true, axis:[0, 1, 0], offset:0, 0, -12.5], range:[-120,120],
tcp:false, preference:1});
var cAxis = createAxis({coordinate:Z, table:true, axis:[0, 0, 1], cyclic:true, tcp:false});
machineConfiguration = new MachineConfiguration(bAxis, cAxis);
setMachineConfiguration(machineConfiguration);
The determination if the output coordinates should be at the pivot point of the rotary heads or the virtual
tooltip position (as if the tool is vertical) is decided by the setVirtualTooltip function. This setting is
only applied to rotary heads that do not support TCP. The virtual tooltip position is described in the
Adjusting the Points for Offset Rotary Axes section.
// multiaxis settings
if (machineConfiguration.isHeadConfiguration()) {
machineConfiguration.setVirtualTooltip(false); // translate the pivot point to the virtual tool tip
for nonTCP rotary heads
}
Virtual Tooltip Setting
It is possible on some machine configurations that the limits of the rotary axes will be exceeded and the
tool has to be retracted and the rotary axes repositioned to within the limits of the machine. The
following code defines the required settings for the retract/reconfigure logic. It is described in the
Rewinding of the Rotary Axes when Limits are Reached section.
// retract / reconfigure
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var performRewinds = false; // set to true to enable the retract/reconfigure logic
if (performRewinds) {
machineConfiguration.enableMachineRewinds(); // enables the retract/reconfigure logic
safeRetractDistance = (unit == IN) ? 1 : 25; // additional distance to retract out of stock, can be
overridden with a property
safeRetractFeed = (unit == IN) ? 20 : 500; // retract feed rate
safePlungeFeed = (unit == IN) ? 10 : 250; // plunge feed rate
machineConfiguration.setSafeRetractDistance(safeRetractDistance);
machineConfiguration.setSafeRetractFeedrate(safeRetractFeed);
machineConfiguration.setSafePlungeFeedrate(safePlungeFeed);
var stockExpansion = new Vector(toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN), toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN),
toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN)); // expand stock XYZ values
machineConfiguration.setRewindStockExpansion(stockExpansion);
}
Retract/Reconfigure Settings
Multi-axis machines that do not support TCP will usually require inverse time or degree per minute
feedrates. The mulit-axis feedrate format is defined in the following section of code. Multi-axis
feedrates are discussed in more detail in the Multi-Axis Feedrates section.
// multi-axis feedrates
if (machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration()) {
machineConfiguration.setMultiAxisFeedrate(
useTCP ? FEED_FPM : getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? FEED_DPM :
FEED_INVERSE_TIME,
9999.99, // maximum output value for inverse time feed rates
getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? DPM_COMBINATION : INVERSE_MINUTES, //
INVERSE_MINUTES/INVERSE_SECONDS or DPM_COMBINATION/DPM_STANDARD
0.5, // tolerance to determine when the DPM feed has changed
1.0 // ratio of rotary accuracy to linear accuracy for DPM calculations
);
}
Multi-Axis Feedrates Definition
The home position of the machine can be defined in the defineMachine function. The home positions
are used in the writeRetract function when positioning the machine in machine coordinates (G53) or
WCS coordinates (G00).
/* home positions */
// machineConfiguration.setHomePositionX(toPreciseUnit(0, IN));
// machineConfiguration.setHomePositionY(toPreciseUnit(0, IN));
// machineConfiguration.setRetractPlane(toPreciseUnit(0, IN));
Defining the Machine Home Coordinates
Finally, the post processor engine needs to be informed of the hardcoded machine configuration.
The optimizeMachineAngles2 function calculates the rotary axes angles and adjusts the XYZ coordinates
for the rotary axes if TCP is not supported. The following values are passed to the
optimizeMachineAngles2 function.
Value Description
OPTIMIZE_NONE Don't adjust the coordinates for the rotary axes. Used for TCP mode.
OPTIMIZE_BOTH Adjust the coordinates for the rotary axes. For rotary heads that do
not support TCP it is possible that the tool length has to be added to
the tool end point coordinates. This scenario is discussed further in
the Adjusting the Points for Rotary Heads section of this chapter.
OPTIMIZE_TABLES Adjust the coordinates for rotary tables. No adjustment will be made
for heads.
OPTIMIZE_HEADS Adjust the coordinates for rotary heads. No adjustment will be made
for tables.
OPTIMIZE_AXIS Adjust the coordinates for the rotary axes based on the TCP setting
associated with the defined axes. This is the required setting for
CAM defined Machine Definitions and hardcoded machine
configurations that define the tcp variable in the createAxis
definitions.
Settings for Adjusting the Input Coordinates for the Rotary Axes
Rotary head adjustments that require that the tool length be added to the offset distance of the axis
cannot be adjusted using the optimizeMachineAngles2 function, since the tool length will vary from tool
to tool. Instead, the Section function optimizeMachineAnglesByMachine is called for each section. This
is also true for post processors that may change the machine configuration during the processing of the
operations. Following is the generic code used in the activateMachine function that is used to calculate
the rotary axes angles and adjust the tool end point coordinates.
If the call to calculate the rotary axes and adjust the input coordinates is not made then the tool end point
and tool axis vector will be passed to the onRapid5D and onLinear5D multi-axis functions.
The initial rotary axes positions must be calculated prior calling the positionABC function. The function
getInitialToolAxisABC() is used to obtain the initial rotary axes positions for multi-axis operations.
if (currentSection.isMultiAxis()) {
var abc = section.getInitialToolAxisABC();
positionABC(abc, true);
}
Calculate Initial Rotary Angles for a Multi-axis Operation
function onLinear5D (_x, _y, _z, _a, _b, _c, feed, feedMode) {
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if (!currentSection.isOptimizedForMachine()) {
error(localize("This post configuration has not been customized for 5-axis simultaneous
toolpath."));
return;
}
if (pendingRadiusCompensation >= 0) {
error(localize("Radius compensation cannot be activated/deactivated for 5-axis move."));
return;
}
var x = xOutput.format(_x);
var y = yOutput.format(_y);
var z = zOutput.format(_z);
var a = aOutput.format(_a);
var b = bOutput.format(_b);
var c = cOutput.format(_c);
var f = feedOutput.format(_feed);
if (x || y || z || a || b || c) {
writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(fMode), gMotionModal.format(1), x, y, z, a, b, c, f);
} else if (f) {
if (getNextRecord().isMotion()) { // try not to output feed without motion
feedOutput.reset(); // force feed on next line
} else {
writeBlock(gfFeedModeModal.format(fMode), MotionModal.format(1), f);
}
}
}
onLinear5D Function
Both of these functions as presented are basic in nature and the requirements for your machine may
require some modification.
A rotary scale on the other hand typically outputs the rotary angle positions between 0 and 360 degrees,
usually with the sign ± specifying the direction. If a sign is not required and the control will always take
the shortest route, then it is pretty straight forward to output the rotary axis on a rotary scale, simply
define it as a cyclic axis with a range of 0 to 360 degrees.
For controls that require a sign to designate the direction the rotary axis will move, you will need to
define the rotary axis on a linear scale. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive, but the output variable will
handle converting the linear scale value to a signed rotary scale value.
The createOutputVariable function can be used to output a directional value for a rotary axis on a rotary
scale.
It is important to know how the offsets are applied to each style of rotary axis. For rotary heads
remember the head rider axis is defined first and then the head carrier axis. When the carrier and rider
heads share a common pivot point, then only the offset for the rider axis needs to be defined. This offset
is defined from the tool stop position to the pivot point. When the pivot points are different, the carrier
axis offset is defined as the offset from the rider pivot point. Most machines will use a common pivot
point for both rotary axes.
For offset heads on machines that do not support TCP there are a couple of more function calls that may
be needed.
It is possible that the tool length needs to be added to the offset of the head rider axis defined in the
createAxis function. On small hobbyist machines it could be that the tool will always be the same length
and can then be defined as part of the offset. On machines that use different tool lengths you will need
to inform the post engine of the tool length to be added to the pivot distance prior to calculating the
offset coordinates for the section. This is done by calling the machineConfiguration.setToolLength
function with the length of the tool from the tool end point to the tool stop position used to define the
offset for the head.
The post processor will typically use the Overall length of the tool as defined in the CAM system as the
tool length.
The output of the offset head coordinates can either be at the pivot point of the axis or the tool end point
when the rotary axes are at 0 degrees (the tool is vertical). You would normally setup the machine with
the tool tip at Z0. In this case the output coordinates will be at the virtual tool tip, meaning that the
coordinates will be where the tool tip position would be when the rotary axes are at 0 degrees, even
when the axes are tilted.
Value Description
OPTIMIZE_BOTH Adjust the coordinates for both tables and heads.
OPTIMIZE_TABLES Adjust the coordinates for rotary tables only.
OPTIMIZE_HEADS Adjust the coordinates for rotary heads only.
optimizeType Values
// calculate the machine XYZ position from the tool tip position
var xyz = machineConfiguration.getOptimizedPosition(toolTip, abc, TCP_XYZ, OPTIMIZE_BOTH,
false);
The singularity logic in the kernel will massage the tool axis direction to keep the tool within tolerance
and minimize the rotary axis movement in these cases. A safeguard that linearizes the moves around the
singularity has also been implemented. This linearization will add tool locations as necessary to keep
the tool endpoint within tolerance of the part.
There are settings in the post processor that manage how the singularity issue is handled. These settings
are defined using the following command.
The default settings are valid for most tool paths, but this command allows for some tweaking in special
cases where you want to fine tune the output.
The best possible solution for the rotary axes is always selected at the start of an operation and when a
rewind is required due to a rotary axis crossing the limits, the tool will always stop on the exact limit of
the machine, eliminating scenarios where a valid solution for the rewinding of the rotary axes could not
always be found.
When a rewind is required there is a group of functions that can be added to the custom post processor to
handle the actual rewinding of the affected rotary axis. This code can be easily copied into your custom
post processor and modified to suit your needs with just a little bit of effort.
One setting that is very important when defining a rotary axis is the cyclic parameter in the call to
createAxis. cyclic is considered synonymous with continuous, meaning that this axis has no limits and
will not be considered when determining if the rotary axes have to be repositioned to stay within limits.
The range specifier used in conjunction with a cyclic axis defines the output limits of a rotary axis, for
example specifying a range of [0,360] will cause all output angles for this axis to be output between 0
and 360 degrees. The range for a non-cyclic axis defines the actual physical limits of that axis on the
machine and are used to determine when a rewind is required. Please note that the physical limits of the
machine may be a numeric limit of the control instead of a physical limit, such as 9999.9999.
Another important setting is the reset parameter, which allows you to define the starting angle at the
start of an operation and after a rewind of the axes has occurred. By default, the post engine will use the
ending angle of the previous multi-axis operation. Some controls allow for the rotary axis encoder to be
reset so that the stored angle is reset to be within the 0-360 degrees without unwinding the axis. In this
case you will want to issue the proper codes to reset the axis encoder, for example G28 C0, and specify
reset:3 when you create the axis.
Now on to how you can implement the automatic rewind capabilities in your post. The bulk of the
feature is handled by the post processor kernel, but there are some variables and functions that are
required in your post. The variables used for retract/reconfigure are either defined in the CAM Machine
Definition settings or in the defineMachine function for hardcoded machine configurations.
// retract / reconfigure
var performRewinds = false; // set to true to enable the retract/reconfigure logic
if (performRewinds) {
machineConfiguration.enableMachineRewinds(); // enables the retract/reconfigure logic
safeRetractDistance = (unit == IN) ? 1 : 25; // additional distance to retract out of stock
safeRetractFeed = (unit == IN) ? 20 : 500; // retract feed rate
safePlungeFeed = (unit == IN) ? 10 : 250; // plunge feed rate
machineConfiguration.setSafeRetractDistance(safeRetractDistance);
machineConfiguration.setSafeRetractFeedrate(safeRetractFeed);
machineConfiguration.setSafePlungeFeedrate(safePlungeFeed);
var stockExpansion = new Vector(toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN), toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN), toPreciseUnit(0.1, IN)); //
expand stock XYZ values
machineConfiguration.setRewindStockExpansion(stockExpansion);
}
Multi-Axis Post Processors 8-228
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
Retract/Reconfigure Settings Defined in defineMachine
Variable Description
performRewinds When set to false an error will be generated when a rewind of a rotary axis
is required. Setting it to true will enable the rewind logic..
safeRetractDistance Defines the distance to be added to the retract position when the tool is
positioned past the stock material to safely remove it from the stock. If it
is set to 0, then the tool will retract to the outer stock plus the stock
expansion.
safeRetractFeed Specifies the feedrate to retract the tool prior to rewinding the rotary axis.
safePlungeFeed Specifies the feedrate to plunge the tool back into the part after rewinding
the rotary axis.
stockExpansion The tool will retract past the defined stock by default. You can expand
the defined stock on all sides by defining the stockAllowance vector,
which contains the expansion value for X, Y, and Z.
Variables that Control Tool Retraction
You will need to copy the retract/reconfigure functions from a post that supports this logic into your
post. These functions are defined in the following section of code and include the designated functions.
The onRewindMachineEntry function is used to either override or supplement the standard rewind logic.
It will simply return false when the standard rewind logic of retracting the tool, repositioning the rotary
Multi-Axis Post Processors 8-229
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
axes, and repositioning the tool is desired. Code can be added to this function for controls that just
require the encoder to be reset or to output the new rotary axis position when the control will
automatically track the tool with the rotary axis movement. The following example resets the C-axis
encoder when it is currently at a multiple of 360 degrees and the B-axis does not change.
Returning a value of true designates that the onRewindMachineEntry function performed all necessary
actions to reposition the rotary axes and the retract/reposition/plunge sequence will not be performed.
Returning false will process the retract/reposition/plunge sequence normally.
The onMoveToSafeRetractPosition function controls the move to a safe position after the tool is
retracted from the part and before the rotary axes are repositioned. It will typically move to the home
position in Z and optionally in X and Y using a G28 or G53 style block. You should find similar code to
retract the tool when positioning the rotary axes for a 3+2 operation and in the onClose function, which
positions the tool at the end of the program. You should use the same logic found in these areas for the
onMoveToSafeRetractPosition function.
The onReturnFromSafeRetractPosition function controls the move back to the position of the tool at the
original retract location past the stock. This function is called after the rotary axes are repositioned.
// position in XY
forceXYZ();
xOutput.reset();
yOutput.reset();
zOutput.disable();
invokeOnRapid(_x, _y, _z);
// position in Z
zOutput.enable();
invokeOnRapid(_x, _y, _z);
}
Return from Safe Position after Repositioning Rotary Axes
Multi-axis feedrate calculations are handled by the post engine and and will work with all machine
configurations; table/table, head/head, and head/table. One capability of the multi-axis feedrate
calculation is that it considers the actual tool tip movement in reference to the rotary axes movement and
not just the straight-line movement along the programmed tool tip, creating more accurate multi-axis
feedrates. In the following picture the move along the arc caused by the movement of the rotary axis
(green arc) is used in the calculation instead of the straight-line move generated by HSM (blue line).
Multi-axis feedrate support is handled in the CAM Machine Definition or in the defineMachine function
for a hardcoded machine configuration.
// multi-axis feedrates
if (machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration()) {
machineConfiguration.setMultiAxisFeedrate(
useTCP ? FEED_FPM : getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? FEED_DPM : FEED_INVERSE_TIME,
9999.99, // maximum output value for inverse time feed rates
getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? DPM_COMBINATION : INVERSE_MINUTES, //
INVERSE_MINUTES/INVERSE_SECONDS or DPM_COMBINATION/DPM_STANDARD
0.5, // tolerance to determine when the DPM feed has changed
1.0 // ratio of rotary accuracy to linear accuracy for DPM calculations
);
Variable Description
feedMode FEED_INIVERSE_TIME (inverse time), FEED_DPM (degrees per
minute), or FEED_FPM (programmed feedrate).
maximumFeedrate Defines the maximum value that can be output for both inverse time and
degrees per minute feedrates.
feedType Multi-axis feedrate options. For inverse time feedrates, the options are
INVERSE_MINUTES or INVERSE_SECONDS, defining the units of
time to use in inverse time feedrate calculations. For DPM feedrates, then
the options are DPM_STANDARD for straight degrees per minute
calculations or DPM_COMBINATION which uses a combination of
degrees per minute and linear feed per minute (this is the most typical for
machines that want a form of DPM feedrates).
outputTolerance The tolerance for deciding whether to output a feedrate value or not. If
the feedrate value is within this tolerance of the previous feedrate value,
then it will be set to the previous value. This is used to minimize the
output of multi-axis feedrate numbers.
bpwRatio Defines the pulse weight ratio for the rotary axes when DPM feedrates are
output as a combination of linear and rotary movements. The pulse
weight is a scale factor based on the rotary axes accuracy compared to the
linear axes accuracy. For example, it should be set to .1 when the linear
axes are output on .0001 increments and the rotary axes on .001
increments.
setMultiAxisFeedrate Parameters
If Inverse Time feedrates are supported you will need to create the inverseTimeOutput variable at the top
of the post processor code and if the accuracy of the Inverse Time feedrates is different than the standard
FPM feedrate you will also need to create a new format to associate with it. The gFeedModeModal
modal variable will also need to be defined for support of G93/G94 output if it does not already exist.
Now there are other areas of the post processor that need to be changed to support these feedrate modes.
First, the onLinear5D function must have support added to receive and output the feedrate mode and to
output the feedrate value using the correct format.
if (x || y || z || a || b || c) {
writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(fMode), gMotionModal.format(1), x, y, z, a, b, c, f);
} else if (f) {
if (getNextRecord().isMotion()) { // try not to output feed without motion
feedOutput.reset(); // force feed on next line
} else {
writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(fMode), gMotionModal.format(1), f);
}
}
}
onLinear5D Required Changes
You will need to reset the feedrate mode to FPM either at the end of the multi-axis operation or on a
standard 3-axis move. It is much easier to do this at the end of the section, otherwise you would have to
modify all instances that output feedrates, such as in onLinear, onCircular, onCycle, etc.
function onSectionEnd() {
…
if (currentSection.isMultiAxis()) {
writeBlock(gFeedModeModal.format(94)); // inverse time feed off
}
Reset FPM Mode in onSectionEnd
It is possible that your machine control does not support standard inverse time or DPM feedrates. If this
is the case you will need to write your own function to handle multi-axis feedrates. The
getMultiAxisMoveLength function will assist in the movement length calculations required for
calculating multi-axis feedrates. It takes the current position for the linear and rotary axes and will
calculate the tool tip, linear axes, and rotary axes lengths of the move from the previous location.
getMultiAxisMoveLength will return MoveLength obect, which can then be accessed using the following
functions to obtain the different move lengths.
Function Description
getRadialToolTipMoveLength Calculated tool endpoint movement along the actual tool path.
getLinearMoveLength Combined linear delta movement.
getRadialMoveLength Combined rotary delta movement.
MoveLength Functions
It can be supported in the control, for example using G12.1 on Fanuc style controls or handled within the
post processor. Machine control polar interpolation is typically supported on Mill/Turn machines.
This section describes how to implement post processor generated polar interpolation support in your
post and how to activate it using a Manual NC command. The Haas Next Generation post processor has
polar interpolation implemented and can be used as a reference and to copy code from into your post.
The required polar interpolation variables and functions can be copied from the Haas Next Generation
post processor. These functions are bounded by the Start of polar interpolation and End of polar
interpolation comments.
You may have to modify the setPolarFeedMode to set the proper feedrate mode for polar interpolation.
If your machine does not support TCP, then this function can be blank and the same feedrate mode for
multi-axis and polar interpolation operations will be used.
function setPolarFeedMode(mode) {
if (machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration()) {
machineConfiguration.setMultiAxisFeedrate(
!mode ? multiAxisFeedrate.mode : getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? FEED_DPM :
FEED_INVERSE_TIME,
multiAxisFeedrate.maximum,
!mode ? multiAxisFeedrate.type : getProperty("useDPMFeeds") ? DPM_COMBINATION :
INVERSE_MINUTES,
multiAxisFeedrate.tolerance,
multiAxisFeedrate.bpwRatio
);
if (!receivedMachineConfiguration) {
setMachineConfiguration(machineConfiguration);
}
}
}
setPolarFeedMode to Use when TCP is Supported
function setPolarFeedMode(mode) {
}
setPolarFeedMode to Use when TCP is Not Supported
cancelTransformation();
if (_setWorkPlane) {
if (activeG254) {
writeBlock(gFormat.format(255)); // cancel DWO
Multi-Axis Post Processors 8-239
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
activeG254 = false;
}
forceWorkPlane();
positionABC(abc, true);
}
} else {
Calculating the Initial ABC Position for Polar Interpolation in defineWorkPlane
Polar interpolation converts a 3-axis operation to a multi-axis operation, so it must be treated as such.
This means that the rotary axis must be unlocked prior to the initial positioning move, but not clamped
afterwards. This is handled in the setWorkPlane function.
There could be code in the onCommand function for unlocking the rotary axis that may need to be
changed also.
case COMMAND_UNLOCK_MULTI_AXIS:
var outputClampCodes = getProperty("useClampCodes") || currentSection.isMultiAxis()
|| isPolarModeActive();
if (outputClampCodes && machineConfiguration.isMultiAxisConfiguration() &&
(machineConfiguration.getNumberOfAxes() >= 4)) {
Unlocking the Rotary Axis During Polar Interpolation in onCommand
defineWorkPlane(currentSection, false);
forceAny();
Enabling Polar Interpolation in onSection
function onSectionEnd() {
…
setPolarMode(currentSection, false);
}
Disabling Polar Interpolation in onSectionEnd
Drilling cycle locations will still call onCyclePoint during polar interpolation, so modifications must be
made to output the rotary axis with the cycle positions. This is done by making the following
modification to the getCommonCycle function for the first point of a cycle operation.
function getCommonCycle(x, y, z, r, c) {
forceXYZ();
if (incrementalMode) {
zOutput.format(c);
return [xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y),
"Z" + xyzFormat.format(z - r),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(r - c)];
} else {
return [xOutput.format(x), yOutput.format(y),
zOutput.format(z),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(r)];
}
}
}
Formatting the Polar Interpolation Cycle Position in getCommonCycle
In the onCyclePoint function you need to format the cycle location for polar interpolation for the 2nd
through final cycle point.
Most Machine Definitions available in the Machine Library have associated CAD models of the
machine that can be used for machine simulation. Checking the Simulation ready box in the Filters tab
will display all machines that have a machine model and can be used for simulation. These will be
shown in the Machine Definition list with a 3D cube next to their name.
There are some posts that can enable rotary axes using a post property. You cannot use this property to
define the rotary axes if you wish to use machine simulation, the rotary axes must be defined in the
external Machine Definition.
Using a Property to Define the Rotary Axis is not Allowed for Machine Simulation
The getPartAttachPoint function returns the location on the part where it is attached to the machine
model. This location will be in reference to the Work Coordinate System (WCS) Origin as defined in
the CAM Setup.
The getTableAttachPoint() function returns the location on the machine where the part is attached. This
is the same location as the part attach point except that it is in the Machine Coordinate System (MCS) in
relation to where the machine origin is defined in the machine model.
The getHeadAttachPoint() function returns the location on the machine where the tool is attached to the
spindle in the Machine Coordinate System (MCS).
You can check the post processor you are working with to see if it supports WCS Probing. The easiest
method is to try to run a probing operation against the post, the post will fail if probing is not supported.
You may see an error message complaining about the spindle speed being out of range (probe operations
do not turn on the spindle) or a message that states that the probing cycle must be handled in the post
processor.
Adding Support for Probing 10-245
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
###############################################################################
Error: Spindle speed out of range.
Error at line: 735
Error in operation: 'WCS Probe1'
Failed while processing onSection() for record 261.
###############################################################################
Spindle Speed Error Message
###############################################################################
Error: The probe cycle 'probing-xy-outer-corner' is machine specific and must always be handled in
the post configuration.
Error in operation: 'WCS Probe1'
Failed while processing onCycle() for record 280.
###############################################################################
Machine Specific Error Message
If you receive either of these messages, then probing is not supported in your post processor and you
will need to add it.
The WCS Probing operations are considered a canned cycle in the post processor and therefore are
output in the onCyclePoint function, with the probe type being stored in the cycleType variable. The
following table lists the available probing operations. You should note that probing cycles cannot be
expanded and must be handled in the post processor, either by performing the cycle, by giving an error,
or by expanding the cycle in the post processor.
cycleType Description
probing-x Probes a wall perpendicular to the X-axis.
probing-y Probes a wall perpendicular to the Y-axis.
probing-z Probes a wall perpendicular to the Z-axis.
probing-x-wall Probes a wall thickness in the X-axis
probing-y-wall Probes a wall thickness in the Y-axis
probing-x-channel Probes the open distance between two walls in the X-axis
probing-y-channel Probes the open distance between two walls in the Y-axis
probing-x-channel-with-island Probes the open distance between two walls with an
island between the walls in the X-axis
probing-y-channel-with-island Probes the open distance between two walls with an
island between the walls in the Y-axis
probing-xy-circular-boss Probes the outer wall of a circular boss
probing-xy-circular-partial-boss Probes the outer wall of a circular boss that is not a
complete 360 degrees
probing-xy-circular-hole Probes the inner wall of a circular hole
probing-xy-circular-partial hole Probes the inner wall of a circular hole that is not a
complete 360 degrees
Adding Support for Probing 10-247
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
cycleType Description
probing-xy-circular-hole-with-island Probes the inner wall of a circular hole with an island in
the hole
probing-xy-rectangular-boss Probes the outer walls of a rectangular protrusion
probing-xy-rectangular-hole Probes the inner walls of a rectangular hole
probing-xy-rectangular-hole-with-island Probes the inner walls of a rectangular hole with an island
in the hole
probing-xy-inner-corner Probes an inner corner. Modifies the origin and rotation
of the part.
probing-xy-outer-corner Probes an outer corner. Modifies the origin and rotation
of the part.
probing-x-plane-angle Probes a wall at an angle to the X-axis. Modifies the
rotation of the part.
probing-y-plane-angle Probes a wall at an angle to the Y-axis. Modifies the
rotation of the part.
Probing Cycles
The parameters defined in the WCS Probing operation are passed to the cycle functions using the cycle
object. The following variables are available and are referenced as ‘cycle.parameter’.
Parameter Description
angleAskewAction This parameter will only be defined with an angular probing cycle
when the Askew box is checked. The only valid setting when it is
defined is the string stop-message.
approach1 The direction the probe moves at it approaches the part. It is a string
variable and can be either positive or negative.
approach2 The direction the probe moves as it approaches the part for the second
face of a multi-face operation. It is a string variable and can be either
positive or negative.
bottom The final depth position along the probe axis to touch the part.
clearance The height the probe rapids to on its way to the start of the probing
operation and the position it returns to after the probing operation is
finished.
depth The unsigned incremental distance from the top of the part along the
probe axis where the probe will touch the part.
feedrate The feedrate the probe will approach the part at.
hasAngleTolerance Set to 1 if an angular tolerance is specified. The angular tolerance is
stored in the toleranceAngle parameter.
hasPositionalTolerance Set to 1 if a positional tolerance is specified. The positional tolerance
is stored in the tolerancePosition parameter.
hasSizeTolerance Set to 1 if a size tolerance is specified. The size tolerance is stored in
the toleranceSize parameter.
incrementComponent Set to 1 if the Increment Component box is checked under Print
Results.
retract The height to feed from to the probing level and to retract the probe to
after probing is finished.
stock The top of the part.
toleranceAngle The acceptable angular deviation of the geometric feature.
tolerancePosition The acceptable positional deviation of the geometric feature.
toleranceSize The acceptable size deviation of the geometric feature.
width1 The width of the boss or hole being probed.
width2 The width of the secondary walls (Y-axis) of a rectangular boss or
hole being probed.
wrongSizeAction This parameter will only be defined when probing a feature that
defines a fixed size and the Wrong Size box is checked. The only
valid setting when it is defined is the string stop-message.
Probing Parameters
The following functions support angular probing and safe probe positioning. They may have to be
modified to match the requirements of your control. The code shown is for a Fanuc style control. They
should be added prior to the onCyclePoint function.
Function Description
approach Converts the cycle approach string to a number (-1/1).
Adding Support for Probing 10-249
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
Function Description
setProbeAngleMethod Determines the output method (G68, G54.4, rotational)
for angular probing cycles.
setProbeAngle Outputs the rotational blocks for angular probing cycles.
This output may have to be modified to match your
control.
protecedProbeMove Positions the probe in a protected mode (P9810).
getProbingArguments Formats the standard codes for all probing cycles based
on the probing cycle parameters. This function is usually
located after the onCyclePoint function and may have to
be modified to match your control.
Required Probe Functions
function setProbeAngleMethod() {
…
}
function protectedProbeMove(_cycle, x, y, z) {
…
}
The core logic for probing is in the onCyclePoint function. The first part of the code to copy into your
post is at the top of the onCyclePoint function.
if (isProbeOperation()) {
if (!useMultiAxisFeatures && !isSameDirection(currentSection.workPlane.forward, new Vector(0,
0, 1))) {
if (!allowIndexingWCSProbing && currentSection.strategy == "probe") {
error(localize("Updating WCS / work offset using probing is only supported by the CNC in the
WCS frame."));
Adding Support for Probing 10-250
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
return;
}
}
if (printProbeResults()) {
writeProbingToolpathInformation(z - cycle.depth + tool.diameter / 2);
inspectionWriteCADTransform();
inspectionWriteWorkplaneTransform();
if (typeof inspectionWriteVariables == "function") {
inspectionVariables.pointNumber += 1;
}
}
protectedProbeMove(cycle, x, y, z);
}
Required Probing Code at Top of onCyclePoint
All probing operations are considered a separate operation and are not modal. The following code in the
onCyclePoint function should directly follow the required probing code you just added and needs to be
modified as shown in the highlighted code to support probing.
if (isFirstCyclePoint() || isProbeOperation()) {
if (!isProbeOperation()) {
// return to initial Z which is clearance plane and set absolute mode
repositionToCycleClearance(cycle, x, y, z);
}
Required Modifications for Probing Support
The code that outputs the probing calls is usually located after the drilling cycle logic in the main switch
block. Copy all code that contains the case statements for probing operations.
switch (cycleType) {
case “drilling”:
…
case “probing-x”: // copy from this line to before the “default” case
…
default:
Add the following code to the onCycleEnd function to end the probing operation.
function onCycleEnd() {
if (isProbeOperation()) {
zOutput.reset();
gMotionModal.reset();
The gRotationModal modal is used to manage the output of the rotation codes (G68, G68.2, etc.). It is
possible that this variable is already defined in the post processor, but may have to be updated to support
probing. It should be defined as shown.
The following variables are used to control the output of probing features probing output and should be
defined in the fixed settings section at the top of the post processor.
var allowIndexingWCSProbing = false; // specifies probe WCS with tool orientation is supported
var probeVariables = {
outputRotationCodes: false, // defines if it is required to output rotation codes
probeAngleMethod : "OFF", // OFF, AXIS_ROT, G68, G54.4
compensationXY : undefined
};
Add to Fixed Settings Section
Variable Description
allowIndexingWCSProbing Some controls do not allow for WCS probing operations when the tool
orientation is at an angle the XY-plane, i.e. the rotary tables are not at 0
degrees. If this is the case for your machine, then disable this variable
by defining it to be false. If WCS probing is allowed when the rotary
axes are not at 0 degrees, then set this variable to true.
Adding Support for Probing 10-252
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
outputRotationCodes Controls the output of the angular probing codes. This variable is
controlled by the post processor and should be set to false.
probeAngleMethod Defines the angular probing method to use. This method is usually
defined by the post processor in the setProbingAngleMethod function
and can be controlled by a post processor property. It should be set to
OFF. Other valid values are AXIS_ROT (used when a C-axis rotary
table is defined), G68 (the standard rotation method), or G54.4 (based
on the post processor property useG54x4).
compensationXY Controls the output of the XY compensation variables in angular
probing. This variable is controlled by the post processor and should be
set to undefined.
Probing Settings
Add the following variables to the collected state section at the top of the post processor.
var g68RotationMode = 0;
var angularProbingMode;
Add to Collected State Section
The following function and variable definition should be added prior to the onParameter function. The
onParameter function should also have the shown conditional added if it is not there.
function printProbeResults() {
return currentSection.getParameter("printResults", 0) == 1;
}
var probeOutputWorkOffset = 1;
if (tool.type != TOOL_PROBE) {
var outputSpindleSpeed = insertToolCall || forceSpindleSpeed || isFirstSection() ||
rpmFormat.areDifferent(spindleSpeed, sOutput.getCurrent()) ||
(tool.clockwise != getPreviousSection().getTool().clockwise);
…
}
Don’t Output Spindle Speed with a Probe Tool
if (isProbeOperation()) {
validate(probeVariables.probeAngleMethod != "G68", "You cannot probe while G68
Rotation is in effect.");
validate(probeVariables.probeAngleMethod != "G54.4", "You cannot probe while workpiece
setting error compensation G54.4 is enabled.");
writeBlock(gFormat.format(65), "P" + 9832); // spin the probe on
inspectionCreateResultsFileHeader();
} else {
// surface Inspection
if (isInspectionOperation() && (typeof inspectionProcessSectionStart == "function")) {
inspectionProcessSectionStart();
}
}
// define subprogram
subprogramDefine(initialPosition, abc, retracted, zIsOutput);
retracted = false;
}
Add at the end of the onSection Function
Coolant should be disabled during probing operations, so make sure that the following conditional is in
the getCoolantCodes function.
function getCoolantCodes(coolant) {
var multipleCoolantBlocks = new Array(); // create a formatted array to be passed into the outputted
line
if (!coolants) {
error(localize("Coolants have not been defined."));
}
if (isProbeOperation()) { // avoid coolant output for probing
coolant = COOLANT_OFF;
}
Disable Coolant for Probing Operations
The probe should be turned off and angular probing codes output in the onSectionEnd function.
function onSectionEnd() {
…
if (isProbeOperation()) {
writeBlock(gFormat.format(65), "P" + 9833); // spin the probe off
if (probeVariables.probeAngleMethod != "G68") {
Adding Support for Probing 10-254
CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24
setProbeAngle(); // output probe angle rotations if required
}
}
}
singleResultsFile: {
title : "Create single results file",
description: "Set to false if you want to store the measurement results for each probe / inspection
toolpath in a separate file",
group : 0,
type : "boolean",
value : true,
scope : "post"
}
Add a Property to Control the Output of the Probe Results into a Single or Multiple Files
The following functions should be included if your control supports the printing of probing results. The
modifications that you already made to support probing will handle the calls to these functions to output
the probing results. These functions are defined consecutively and are usually located after the
writeRetract function.
function getPointNumber() {
…
}
function inspectionWriteCADTransform() {
…
}
function inspectionWriteWorkplaneTransform() {
…
}
function writeProbingToolpathInformation(cycleDepth) {
In the onClose function you will need to close the probe results file.
if (isDPRNTopen) {
writeln("DPRNT[END]");
writeBlock("PCLOS");
isDPRNTopen = false;
if (typeof inspectionProcessSectionEnd == "function") {
inspectionProcessSectionEnd();
}
}
Closing the Probing Results File
The Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) probing cycles are an addition to Geometry Probing that do not exist
in WCS Probing. Like all other probing cycles, the PCD cycle types are stored in the cycleType
variable.
cycleType Description
probing-xy-pcd-hole Probes holes around a PCD.
probing-xy-pcd-boss Probes bosses around a PCD.
Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) Probing Cycles
Like in WCS Probing, the parameters defined in the Geometry Probing operation are passed to the cycle
functions using the cycle object. These are in addition to the parameters defined for WCS Probing,
which are also available in Geometry Probing. The following variables are available and are referenced
as ‘cycle.parameter’.
Parameter Description
numberOfSubfeatures Number of geometric entities in a PCD probing operation.
pcdStartingAngle The starting angle of the first geometric entity to be probed in a PCD
probing operation.
toolDiameterOffset Defines the tool diameter offset register used to machine the feature.
toolLengthOffset Defines the tool length offset register used to machine the feature.
toolWearErrorCorrection The percentage of the deviation to update the tool wear by.
toolWearUpdateThreshold The minimum deviation that will trigger a tool wear update.
updateToolWear Enabled when tool wear compensation should be activated on the
controller.
widthFeature The diameter of the geometric feature for a PCD probing operation.
widthPCD The pitch circle diameter (PCD) of the geometric features.
Geometry Probing Parameters
To add Geometry Probing to your post you will first need to implement WCS Probing. After this there
are only minor changes required to support Geometry Probing.
The probeMultipleFeatures variable instructs the post engine that multiple geometric entities can be
probed in a single operation. The probing logic in all posts now support this feature, so it should be set
to true. It should be defined with the other post engine variables (allowedCircularPlanes, highFeedrate,
etc.).
If the control supports PCD probing cycles be sure to include cases for these cycles in onCyclePoint,
where the other probing cycle code is located.
case "probing-xy-pcd-hole":
protectedProbeMove(cycle, x, y, z);
writeBlock(
gFormat.format(65), "P" + 9819,
"A" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.pcdStartingAngle),
"B" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.numberOfSubfeatures),
"C" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.widthPCD),
"D" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.widthFeature),
"K" + xyzFormat.format(z - cycle.depth),
"Q" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.probeOvertravel),
getProbingArguments(cycle, false)
);
if (cycle.updateToolWear) {
error(localize("Action -Update Tool Wear- is not supported with this cycle."));
return;
}
break;
case "probing-xy-pcd-boss":
protectedProbeMove(cycle, x, y, z);
writeBlock(
gFormat.format(65), "P" + 9819,
"A" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.pcdStartingAngle),
"B" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.numberOfSubfeatures),
"C" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.widthPCD),
"D" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.widthFeature),
"Z" + xyzFormat.format(z - cycle.depth),
"Q" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.probeOvertravel),
"R" + xyzFormat.format(cycle.probeClearance),
getProbingArguments(cycle, false)
);
if (cycle.updateToolWear) {
error(localize("Action -Update Tool Wear- is not supported with this cycle."));
return;
}
break;
PCD Probing Support in onCyclePoint
Inspection streamlines the manufacturing process by letting you identify problem areas and decide on
any rework needed early in the process. It also helps to reduce the need to move parts between the
machine tool and a measuring device.
Surface Inspection is initiated using the Inspect Surface operation listed in the INSPECTION/PROBING
menu.
If you wish to use the Inspect Surface operations, you will need a post processor that will allow you to
output and run these inspection paths on your machine. You can either use one of the generic Inspection
post processors available on the Post Library for Autodesk Fusion, or modify your current milling post
which is already set up for your machine to add in the inspection functionality. You will need to add
support for probing to your post processor before adding the inspection capabilities.
The Inspection post processors will have the inspection or inspect surface suffix appended to the name
of the post processor. These are the only post processors that support Inspect Surface operations. You
will need to use one of these generic posts as a source for adding the inspection code to your post
processor.
The Surface Inspect operations are considered a cycle in the post processor and therefore call the
onCyclePoint function, though they are expanded in the inspectionCycleInspect function. The standard
cycleType variable to define the cycle type is not set for Surface Inspect operations, but rather the
isInspectionOperation function is used to determine if it is a Surface Inspection cycle. This is further
explained in the Adding the Supporting Surface Inspect Logic section. Unlike other cycles that pass a
single point to the onCyclePoint function, the Surface Inspect cycle will contain the following 3 points
per cycle location, with each location generating a separate and subsequent call to onCyclePoint.
The following parameters are inspection specific and are prefixed with the operation: string. They are
referenced using the getParameter("operation:parameter ") function.
Parameter Description
inspectUpperTolerance The lower limit distance at which an inspected point is considered
within tolerance of the model.
inspectSurfaceOffset The positive or negative distance from the model from where
inspection points are measured.
inspectUpperTolerance The upper limit distance at which an inspected point is considered
within tolerance of the model.
Inspection Parameters
The main code for Inspect Surface logic is located at the end of the post processor. You will need to
copy from the definition of capabilities located after the onClose or onTerminate function to the end of
the file and add this code to the end of your post processor.
capabilities = |= CAPABILITY_INSPECTION;
description = "HAAS - Next Generation Control Inspect Surface";
longDescription = "Generic post for the HAAS Next Generation control with inspect surface
capabilities.";
Copy From this Code to the End of the File for Core Surface Inspect Logic
At the end of the onSection function, but before any subprograms are defined, add the following code.
At the start of the onSectionEnd function add the following code. The writeBlock statement in this
example will differ between the machine post processors.
You will of course need a model that you want to print to start with. For the examples in this manual we
will use the Fusion Keychain model provided as a CAM sample with your installation of Fusion. This
model contains subtractive manufacturing operations which can be combined with Additive
manufacturing operations as long as your machine supports both capabilities.
You will see the ADDITIVE tab on the MANUFACTURE ribbon. Selecting this tab will display the
Additive menus.
Additive Menus
Once you find your machine you may need to select the post processor and Print Settings that
correspond to this machine. The machines in the Fusion Library should all be assigned to the correct
post processor for each machine, so it is rare that you would need to change the post processor. If
necessary, you can select/change the post processor by right clicking on the Prusa i3 MK3 machine and
choosing Change the selected post.
You can also create linked folders on your computer to store both the machines and post processors.
You do this by right clicking on the Linked menu and selecting the Link Folder menu. A browser will
be displayed allowing you to select a folder to place your machines/posts.
To select the Print Settings for the printer, right click on the Prusa i3 MK3 machine and choose Select a
print setting. This will bring up the Print Setting Library dialog allowing you to either select an existing
print setting or creating a custom print setting. Print Settings must be stored in the Local library in order
to create or edit them.
Once the Print Setting is in your local library you can edit it by pressing the button. Press the to
create a new Print Setting, you will be prompted to select an existing Print Setting to use as the template
for the new Print Setting.
To create an Additive setup, press the Setup menu, change the Operation Type to Additive, and select the
configuration for your machine by pressing the Select… button under Machine.
If you have not already assigned a post processor to this machine you will need to do so now. Do this
by pressing the Edit… button under the Machine prompt. The Machine Definition will display, change
the Post location to Personal – local, and select the prusa.cps post processor from the Post Processor
drop down menu.
You can select and/or edit the Print Settings directly from the Setup dialog when creating the Additive
Setup. The Print Settings are specific to the creation of the Additive toolpaths, with settings to modify
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the bed temperature, nozzle temperature, layer thickness, infill style, etc. You can also create your own
default print settings by giving them a new name.
After creating the Setup you should see a representation of the machine base and envelope with the part
located on it. Feel free to rename the new setup to Additive so you know that this is an additive
operation. If you were going to do both additive and subtractive operations in the same model, then you
will want to move the Additive setup above the Subtractive setup.
If the part is not in the location on the machine where you want it, you can easily reposition it using the
POSITION menus.
Positioning Menus
To simulate the Additive toolpath press the Simulate button in the ACTIONS menus. Additive toolpaths
simulate in the same manner as Subtractive toolpaths, but it is recommended that you place the cursor
over the green slide bar at the bottom of the window, hold down the left mouse button, and move the
mouse to the left and right to visualize the Additive process.
Once you create a copy of the Machine Definition in your Local folder you will need to edit it and
describe your machine. Be sure to give it a unique name and description and go through all sections to
properly define the machine.
After creating your Machine Definition you will need to copy a seed post into a local folder, for example
prusa.cps, and give it a meaningful name. You can then assign this post processor to your machine.
You can also select the default output folder for your G-code files when posting.
The Temperature Tower properties are typically used to test new filaments in order to identify the best
printing temperatures. These properties are listed in the Temperature Tower group.
Variable Description
bedTemp Temperature of bed.
commands Post processor defined variable that defines the codes that are output for
additive commands.
Extruder An unnamed object that contains the extruder definition. This object is
obtained by calling the getExtruder function.
layerCount Number of printed layers for entire printing operation.
machineConfiguration The machine configuration definition.
numberOfExtruders Number of extruders used.
partCount Number of bodies created during printing.
printTime The amount of time the print should take.
settings Post processor defined variable that defines settings specific to additive
machines.
Global Additive Variables
The post processor defined variables are defined in the getPrinterGeometry function from the
machineConfiguration settings and are typically in all Additive post processors.
The following table defines the variables accessible using the getExtruder function
var settings = {
useG0 : true, // use G0 or G1 commands for rapid movements
maximumExtruderTemp: 260 // specifies the maximum extruder temperature
};
settings Definition
The following table defines the unique or modified Entry Functions for Additive post processors. You
can reference the table in the subtractive Entry Functions section for a description of the common entry
functions.
Many of the entry functions will get their arguments and settings from either the Machine Definition or
Print Settings. These dialogs can be accessed by pressing the right mouse button when over the
Additive setup and selecting Edit.
This will display the Setup dialog, where you can select to edit either the Machine Definition (described
in the previous section) or Print Settings. You can also display the Print Settings dialog by pressing the
Print Settings button in the Additive menus.
The common global variables found in an Additive post are defined in the Additive Variables section.
11.5.2 onOpen
function onOpen()
The onOpen function is called at the start of post processing and is used to define settings and output
startup blocks. It usually varies from machine to machine.
1. Define settings
2. Output machine and program description
3. Output initial startup codes
function onOpen() {
setFormats(MM); // machine require input code in MM
// output machine and program description
if (typeof writeProgramHeader == "function") {
writeProgramHeader();
}
11.5.3 onSection
function onSection() {
The onSection function is called at the start of each Additive operation and outputs the starting codes for
an Additive operation. It usually varies from machine to machine.
function onSection() {
11.5.4 onClose
function onClose() {
The onClose function is called at the end of the last operation. It is used to output the end-of-program
codes. It usually varies from machine to machine.
function onClose() {
// output end-of-program codes
writeBlock("G4 ; wait");
xOutput.reset();
yOutput.reset();
if (getProperty("printerModel") == "i3mk2mk3") {
writeBlock(gMotionModal.format(1), xOutput.format(0),
yOutput.format(toPreciseUnit(200, MM)), "; home X axis");
} else if (getProperty("printerModel") == "mini") {
writeBlock(gMotionModal.format(1), xOutput.format(0),
yOutput.format(toPreciseUnit(150, MM)), "; home X axis");
}
writeBlock(mFormat.format(84), "; disable motors");
}
Sample onClose Function
11.5.5 onBedTemp
function onBedTemp(temp, wait) {
Arguments Description
temp The bed temperature in Celsius.
wait Set to true when the machine should wait for the bed to warm up.
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The onBedTemp function is called multiple times during a toolpath. At the start of the operation
onBedTemp is called with wait set to false to start heating the bed. It is called a second time prior to the
start of the toolpath with wait set to true so that the machine waits for it to reach the targeted
temperature. It will also be called at the end of the program to turn off the heating of the bed.
The maximum bed temperature is defined in the Limits tab when defining the Machine Definition in
Fusion. The onBedTemp function is common to most additive posts.
11.5.6 onExtruderTemp
function onExtruderTemp(temp, wait, id) {
Arguments Description
temp The extruder temperature in Celsius.
wait Set to true when the machine should wait for the extruder to warm up.
id Extruder number to set the temperature for. The first extruder is 0.
The onExtruderTemp function is called multiple times during a toolpath. At the start of the operation
onExtruderTemp is called with wait set to false to start heating the extruder. It is called a second time
prior to the start of the toolpath with wait set to true so that the machine waits for it to reach the targeted
temperature. It will also be called at the end of the program to turn off the heating of the extruder.
The desired extruder temperature is defined in the Extruder tab of the Print Settings dialog. The
maximum extruder temperature is set in the Extruder Configuration tab when defining the Machine
Definition in Fusion. The onExtruderTemp function is common to most additive posts.
11.5.7 onExtruderChange
function onExtruderChange(id) {
Arguments Description
id Extruder number to activate. The first extruder is 0.
The onExtruderChange function handles a switch between extruders, similar to a tool change in a
subtractive machine. The number of extruders is defined in the Information tab when defining the
Machine Definition in Fusion. The onExtruderChange function is common to most additive posts.
function onExtruderChange(id) {
if (id > machineConfiguration.getNumberExtruders()) {
error(subst(localize("This printer does not support the extruder '%1'."), integerFormat.format(id)));
return;
}
writeBlock(getCode(commands.extruderChangeCommand), tFormat.format(id));
activeExtruder = id;
forceXYZE();
}
Sample onExtruderChange Function
11.5.8 onExtrusionReset
function onExtrusionReset(length) {
Arguments Description
length Length of the additive material used for the active extruder.
The onExtrusionReset function will be called to reset the length of the used additive material when the
active extruder changes. At the beginning of the program it will be called with a value of 0 and when
switching between one extruder and another it will pass the length of additive material used for the
newly activated extruder. The onExtruderChange function is common to most additive posts.
function onExtrusionReset(length) {
if (getProperty("relativeExtrusion")) {
eOutput.format(0);
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eOutput.format(0);
}
eOutput.reset();
writeBlock(gFormat.format(92), eOutput.format(length));
}
onExtrusionReset Function
11.5.9 onFanSpeed
function onFanSpeed(speed, id) {
Arguments Description
speed The fan speed as a percentage of the default speed in the range of 0-255.
id Extruder number to set the fan speed for, typically the active extruder.
The onFanSpeed function is used to turn on and off the fan used for cooling the extruded material. The
fan is controlled starting at the layer after the number of disabled layers defined in the Cooling tab of the
Print Settings dialog. The onFanSpeed function is common to most additive posts.
11.5.10 onAcceleration
function onAcceleration(travel, printing, retract) {
Arguments Description
travel The travel acceleration, used for positioning moves.
printing Printing acceleration, used for extrusion moves.
retract Retract acceleration, used for extruder retract moves.
The onAcceleration function is invoked when the acceleration changes in an Additive toolpath. The
acceleration values are provided in (velocity_change/seconds)².
onAcceleration Function
11.5.11 onMaxAcceleration
function onMaxAcceleration(x, y, z, e) {
Arguments Description
x The maximum acceleration along X.
y The maximum acceleration along Y.
z The maximum acceleration along Z.
e The maximum acceleration of the extrusion.
The onMaxAcceleration function is invoked when the maximum axis acceleration changes in an
Additive toolpath. The acceleration values are provided in (velocity_change/seconds)².
onMaxAcceleration Function
11.5.12 onJerk
function onJerk(x, y, z, e) {
Arguments Description
x The X-axis jerk.
y The Y-axis jerk.
z The Z-axis jerk.
e The extruder jerk.
The onJerk function is invoked when the axis jerk changes in an Additive toolpath. The jerk control
values are provided in velocity_jerk/seconds.
// jerk control
function onJerk(x, y, z, e) {
writeBlock(mFormat.format(205), "X" + integerFormat.format(x), "Y" + integerFormat.format(y),
"Z" + integerFormat.format(z), "E" + integerFormat.format(e));
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}
onJerk Function
11.5.13 onLayer
function onLayer(layer) {
Arguments Description
Layer Current layer being printed.
The onLayer function is called for every printed layer and passes in the active layer. It can be used to
output a comment prior to the toolpath for each layer and/or to increment a counter on the machine
control to show the printing progress. The onLayer function is common to most additive posts.
function onLayer(num) {
if (typeof executeTempTowerFeatures == "function") {
executeTempTowerFeatures(num);
}
writeComment("Layer : " + integerFormat.format(num) + " of " +
integerFormat.format(layerCount));
}
Sample onLayer Function
11.5.14 onParameter
function onParameter(name, value) {
Arguments Description
name Parameter name.
value Value stored in the parameter.
The onParameter function behaves the same as it does in a Subtractive post processor, but there is one
parameter that is specific to Additive machines. This is the feedRate parameter that defines the travel
speed that the machine will move when positioning without extruding material and for extruder changes.
The onParameter function is common to all additive posts.
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
The onRapid function handles positioning moves, which do not extrude the additive material. The
output of the onRapid function usually outputs a single block for the positioning move. The onRapid
function is common to all additive posts.
11.5.16 onLinearExtrude
Arguments Description
_x, _y, _z The tool position.
_f The feedrate.
_e Length of additive material to extrude during the move.
The onLinearExtrude function handles linear moves that extrude the additive material. The tool
position, feedrate and length of material to extrude are passed as the arguments. The onLinearExtrude
function is common to all additive posts.
11.5.17 onCircularExtrude
function onCircularExtrude(_clockwise, _cx, _cy, _cz, _x, _y, _z, _f, _e) {
Argument Description
_clockwise Set to true if the circular direction is in the clockwise direction, false if
counter-clockwise.
_cx, _cy, _cz Center coordinates of circle.
_x, _y, _z Final point on circle
_f The feedrate.
_e Length of additive material to extrude during the move.
The onCircularExtrude function handles circular moves that extrude the additive material. The tool
circle parameters, position, feedrate and length of material to extrude are passed as the arguments. The
onCircularExtrude function is common to all additive posts.
function onCircularExtrude(_clockwise, _cx, _cy, _cz, _x, _y, _z, _f, _e) {
var x = xOutput.format(_x);
var y = yOutput.format(_y);
var z = zOutput.format(_z);
var f = feedOutput.format(_f);
var e = eOutput.format(_e);
var start = getCurrentPosition();
var i = iOutput.format(_cx - start.x, 0);
var j = jOutput.format(_cy - start.y, 0);
switch (getCircularPlane()) {
case PLANE_XY:
writeBlock(gMotionModal.format(_clockwise ? 2 : 3), x, y, i, j, f, e);
break;
default:
linearize(tolerance);
}
}
onCircularExtrude Function
Arguments Description
id Extruder number to get information about.
The getExtruder function returns the Extruder variable, which includes information about the specified
extruder. Unlike the entry functions where the extruder base is 0, in the getExtruder function the first
extruder is referenced as id=1, the second as id=2, etc.
11.6.2 isAdditive
function isAdditive() {
Returns true if any of the operations in the part are Additive in nature.
11.6.3 executeTempTowerFeatures
function executeTempTowerFeatures(num) {
Arguments Description
num The event that triggered the need to change the temperature. It is set to 1 on
the first call and then successive numbers on the remaining calls.
The executeTempTowerFeatures function is defined in the post processor and sets the temperature based
on the event specified by num. The initial value is 1 and ascends by 1 in each successive call. The
executeTempTowerFeatures function is common to all additive posts that support Temperature Tower
features.
var nextTriggerValue;
var newTemperature;
var maximumExtruderTemp = 260;
function executeTempTowerFeatures(num) {
if (settings.maximumExtruderTemp != undefined) {
maximumExtruderTemp = settings.maximumExtruderTemp;
}
if (getProperty("_trigger") != "disabled") {
var multiplier = getProperty("_trigger") == "height" ? 100 : 1;
var currentValue = getProperty("_trigger") == "height" ?
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xyzFormat.format(getCurrentPosition().z * 100) : (num - 1);
if (num == 1) { // initialize
nextTriggerValue = getProperty("_triggerValue") * multiplier;
newTemperature = getProperty("tempStart");
} else {
if (currentValue >= nextTriggerValue) {
newTemperature += getProperty("tempInterval");
nextTriggerValue += getProperty("_triggerValue") * multiplier;
if (newTemperature <= maximumExtruderTemp) {
onExtruderTemp(newTemperature, false, activeExtruder);
} else {
error(subst(
localize("Requested extruder temperature of '%1' exceeds the maximum value of '%2'."),
newTemperature, maximumExtruderTemp)
);
}
}
}
}
}
executeTempTowerFeatures Function
You will of course need a model to start with. For the examples in this manual, we will use the Fusion
Keychain model provided as a CAM sample with your installation of Fusion. This model contains
subtractive manufacturing operations which can be combined with Additive manufacturing operations as
long as your machine supports both capabilities.
You will see the ADDITIVE tab on the MANUFACTURE ribbon. Selecting this tab will display the
Additive menus.
Once you find your machine you will need to select the post processor that corresponds to this machine.
You can select/change the post processor by right clicking on the Autodesk Generic DED machine and
choosing Select a post.
The Post Library dialog will then be displayed. Select the Fusion library and check the Additive box to
display only the post processors supporting the Additive capabilities. For training purposes, you will
select the Deposition sample post processor. This post processor is not a full post processor, but rather a
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template used to modify an existing post processor to include Deposition support. The post modification
will be discussed later in this chapter.
You can also create linked folders on your computer to store both the machines and post processors.
You do this by right clicking on the Linked menu and selecting the Link Folder menu. A browser will
be displayed allowing you to select a folder to place your machines/posts.
To create an Additive setup, press the Setup menu, change the Operation Type to Additive, and select the
configuration for your machine by pressing the Select… button under Machine.
If you have not already assigned a post processor to this machine you will need to do so now. Do this
by pressing the Edit… button under the Machine prompt. The Machine Definition will display, select
the Post Processing menu, press the … button and then select the Deposition sample post processor.
Feel free to rename the new setup to Deposition so you know that this is a deposition operation. If you
are going to do both deposition and subtractive operations in the same model, then you will want to
move the Deposition setup above the Subtractive setup.
A proper tool should be selected for depositing the material. Fusion supports Electric Arc Wire, Laser
Powder, and Laser Wire Deposition tools. If you don’t already have deposition tools defined, you can
create one using the normal method for creating a tool by pressing the + menu in the Select Tool form.
You will need to select the base the Feature being built lies on and the Feature itself. You can also
generate multi-axis deposition moves by specifying a Forward Tilt and/or a Sideways Tilt.
To simulate the Deposition toolpath press the Simulate button in the ACTIONS menus. Deposition
toolpaths simulate in the same manner as Subtractive toolpaths, but it is recommended that you place the
cursor over the green slide bar at the bottom of the window, hold down the left mouse button, and move
the mouse to the left and right to visualize the Deposition process.
The sample deposition post processor is broken up into separate sections, the first being code that will be
placed into existing functions, new code to be added to your post processor, and code that is common to
all other post processors used to create the sample output.
case TOOL_DEPOSITING_ELECTRIC_ARC_WIRE:
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// insert startup codes for electric arc wire here
commands = {
deposition : {on:mFormat.format(101), off:mFormat.format(103)},
processEquipment: {
on: [ // commands to turn on process equipment
formatWords(gFormat.format(90), formatComment("ABSOLUTE MODE")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(300), "F" + processParameter.gasFlowRate,
formatComment("SHIELD GAS FLOW RATE")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(301), "V" + processParameter.arcCurrent,
formatComment("ARC VOLTAGE")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(302), "A" + processParameter.arcVoltage,
formatComment("ARC CURRENT")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(303), "S" + processParameter.wireSpeed,
formatComment("WIRE SPEED")),
formatWords(mFormat.format(304), formatComment("PROCESS ON"))],
off: [ // commands to turn off process equipment
formatWords(mFormat.format(305), formatComment("PROCESS OFF")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(303), "S0", formatComment("WIRE STOP")),
formatWords(gFormat.format(300), "F0000", formatComment("GAS OFF"))]
}
};
break;
Commands to Turn On and Off Deposition
Function Modification
onSection Add code to define the deposition commands, write the deposition
operation head, and enable the deposition operation.
onSectionEnd Add code to disable the deposition operation.
onMovement Add a call to onMovementDeposition for a deposition operation.
Modification of Existing Functions for Deposition Support
function onSection() {
// #### Add the code below into the onSection function of your postprocessor ####
if (isDepositionOperation()) {
setDepositionCommands(); // setup for deposition process parameters
writeDepositionHeader(tool);
writeProcessEquipmentCommands(true);
}
// Important note, make sure that you disable the spindle speed output for deposition
// operations in your postprocessor.
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}
Enable a Deposition Operation in onSection
function onSectionEnd() {
// #### Add the code below into the onSectionEnd function of your postprocessor ####
if (isDepositionOperation()) {
writeProcessEquipmentCommands(false);
}
}
Disable a Deposition Operation in onSectionEnd
// #### If your postprocessor does not have the onMovement function, you have to add the
// entire function below. ####
function onMovement(movement) {
// #### Add the code below into the onMovement function of your postprocessor. ####
if (isDepositionOperation()) {
onMovementDeposition(movement);
}
}
Call onMovementDeposition from onMovement
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Index
Degrees Per Minute ....................... 8-231 fused filament fabrication ............ 11-263
Deposition .................................... 12-290
description........................................ 5-94 G
Diameter Offset ............................. 5-130 G-code................................................ 1-1
disable ............................................ 5-111 Geometry Probing ........................ 10-256
do/while ........................................... 3-71 getABCByPreference ......... 5-139, 8-220
doesToolPathFitWithinLimits ....... 5-141 getCircularCenter ........................... 5-177
download a post ................................. 1-3 getCircularChordLength ................ 5-177
drilling cycles................................. 8-241 getCircularNormal ......................... 5-177
drillingSafeDistance ...................... 5-184 getCircularPlane ............................ 5-177
dump.cps ..................5-160, 6-202, 7-206 getCircularRadius .......................... 5-177
getCircularStartRadius ................... 5-177
E getCircularSweep ........................... 5-177
editor ................................1-8, 1-11, 2-24 getCommonCycle ............... 5-187, 8-241
else ................................................... 3-65 getCoolantCodes ............... 5-133, 10-254
enableMachineRewinds ................. 8-215 getCurrent ...................................... 5-112
entry function ................................. 7-206 getCurrentABC .............................. 8-220
Entry functions.................... 5-91, 11-278 getCurrentDirection ............ 5-139, 8-220
Euler ............................................... 5-143 getCurrentPosition ......................... 5-177
Euler Angle Order............................ 5-137 getCurrentToolAxis ....................... 8-220
Euler angles ................................... 5-136 getDirection ................................... 8-220
eulerConvention ............................. 5-136 getEuler2 ............................. 5-137, 5-143
executeManualNC ......................... 6-200 getExtruder ..................... 11-276, 11-289
executeTempTowerFeatures ........ 11-289 getFinalToolAxisABC ................... 8-220
expanded cycles .................. 5-182, 5-183 getFirstTool......................... 5-131, 5-152
expandManualNC .......................... 6-197 getFramePosition ........................... 5-145
expression ............ 3-63, 3-67, 3-70, 3-74 getGlobalFinalToolAxis ................ 8-220
expression operators ........................ 3-64 getGlobalInitialToolAxis ............... 8-220
extension .......................................... 5-94 getGlobalParameter ....................... 5-161
Extruder .......................... 11-275, 11-276 getHeadAttachPoint ....................... 9-245
getHeaderDate ............................... 5-122
F getHeaderVersion .......................... 5-122
Feature Construction ....... 12-290, 12-295 getHelicalDistance ......................... 5-177
Feedrate............................. 5-173, 11-288 getHelicalOffset ............................. 5-177
fixed settings ....................... 5-118, 5-119 getHelicalPitch ............................... 5-178
for ............................................ 3-70, 3-72 getId ............................................... 5-147
Force tool change ........................... 5-130 getInitialToolAxisABC....... 8-218, 8-220
forceABC ....................................... 5-193 getLinearMoveLength ........ 8-235, 8-237
forceAny ........................................ 5-193 getMinimumValue ......................... 5-107
forceFeed ....................................... 5-193 getMultiAxisMoveLength ............. 8-235
forceMultiAxisIndexing ................ 5-136 getNextSection ............................... 5-153
forceXYZ ....................................... 5-193 getNextTool ........................ 5-131, 5-151
format5-106, 5-107, 5-110, 5-112, 5-115, 5-117 getNumberOfSections5-125, 5-147, 5-161
formatComment ............................. 5-158 getOptimizedPosition .................... 8-224
FormatNumber .................... 5-107, 5-110 getOptimizedTCPMode ................. 8-220
function ....... 3-49, 3-67, 3-72, 3-73, 3-74 getParameter .................................. 5-160
Index 302
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Index
getPartAttachPoint ......................... 9-244 invokeOnRapid5D ......................... 5-170
getPolarPosition ............................. 8-237 is3D ................................................ 8-221
getPositionU ....................... 5-178, 5-180 isAdditive ..................................... 11-289
getProbingArguments .................. 10-250 isAxialCenterDrilling .................... 5-149
getProperty ......................... 5-100, 5-103 isDepositionOperation ................... 5-151
getRadialMoveLength ................... 8-235 isDrillingCycle ............................... 5-148
getRadialToolTipMoveLength ...... 8-235 isFirstCyclePoint............................ 5-187
getResultingValue................. 3-69, 5-112 isFullCircle .................................... 5-178
getSection ................5-125, 5-146, 5-161 isHelical ......................................... 5-178
getSetting ......................................... 4-91 isInspectionOperation .................... 5-150
getTableAttachPoint ...................... 9-245 isLastCyclePoint ............................ 5-187
getTool ........................................... 5-125 isLastSection .................................. 5-153
getToolList ..................................... 5-123 isMillingCycle ............................... 5-150
getWorkPlaneMachineABC5-138, 5-143 isMultiAxis .................................... 5-143
gFeedModeModal .......................... 8-233 isMultiAxisConfiguration ... 5-143, 8-220
Global Section .................... 5-93, 11-279 isNewWorkOffset .......................... 5-148
global variable .............3-49, 5-93, 5-119 isNewWorkPlane ................ 5-127, 5-148
gRotationModal ........................... 10-252 isOptimizedForMachine ..... 8-218, 8-220
groupDefinitions ................... 5-98, 5-102 isPolarModeActive ........................ 8-237
isProbeOperation ........................... 5-150
H isProbingCycle ............................... 5-187
hasGlobalParameter ....................... 5-161 isSignificant ................................... 5-108
hasParameter .................................. 5-160 isSpindleSpeedDifferent ................ 5-148
helical interpolation ............ 5-177, 5-178 isSpiral ........................................... 5-178
helical move ..................................... 5-93 isTappingCycle .............................. 5-149
high feedrate ....................... 5-165, 5-169 isToolChangeNeeded .......... 5-127, 5-147
highFeedMapping ............................ 5-94
J
highFeedrate .................................... 5-94
home position................................. 5-194 JavaScript ......................................... 3-46
HSM Post Processor Editor ............. 3-48
K
I kernel settings .................................. 5-93
if 3-64, 3-66
incremental .................................... 5-114 L
indentation ....................................... 3-48 Laser ................................................ 1-23
initalizeSmoothing ........................... 4-79 layerCount.................................... 11-275
Initial Position ..................... 5-130, 5-145 legal.................................................. 5-94
insertToolCall ..................... 5-130, 5-153 Length Offset ................................. 5-130
Inspect Surface............................. 10-258 linear scale ..................................... 8-221
intermediate file .................... 1-1, 11-278 linearize.......................................... 5-178
Inverse Time ....................... 8-231, 8-237 linked folders .................. 11-266, 12-293
inverseTimeOutput ........................ 8-233 local variables .................................. 3-49
invokeOnCircular .......................... 5-180 log .................................................. 7-209
invokeOnLinear ............................. 5-168 longDescription.............................. 5-122
invokeOnLinear5D ........................ 5-172 looping statements ........................... 3-69
invokeOnRapid .............................. 5-167
Index 303
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Index
M NC Program ............................ 1-11, 5-96
next tool ......................................... 5-131
machine configuration ................... 8-211
number .................................... 3-49, 3-74
Machine Definition1-7, 1-13, 5-96, 5-101, 5-
Number Objects ............................... 3-49
123, 5-133, 5-141, 8-212, 9-242, 9-244, 11-
numberOfExtruders ..................... 11-275
264, 11-273, 12-291
machine simulation ........................ 9-243 O
machineAngles ........................ 4-82
machineConfiguration5-122, 9-244, 11-275 object....................................... 3-54, 3-74
machining plane ............................. 5-181 offset tables and heads ................... 8-221
Manual NC..................................... 6-202 onAcceleration ............................. 11-284
Manual NC command5-119, 5-154, 5-156, 5- onBedTemp.................................. 11-282
157, 5-159, 5-160 onchange ........................................ 5-111
Manual NC Command ................... 6-196 onCircular ................5-163, 5-173, 5-180
mapToWCS ..................................... 5-94 onCircularExtrude........................ 11-288
mapWorkOrigin ............................... 5-94 onClose ..................5-154, 5-155, 11-281
Math Object ..................................... 3-50 onCommand5-156, 5-163, 5-183, 6-198, 6-201
Matrix .............................................. 3-57 onComment..............5-157, 6-198, 7-210
Matrix Object Assignments ............. 3-57 onCycle .......................................... 5-181
Matrix Object Attributes .................. 3-58 onCycleEnd ....................... 5-190, 10-251
Matrix Object Functions .................. 3-59 onCyclePoint5-181, 8-241, 10-247, 10-250, 10-
matrixes.......................................... 7-208 260
maximumCircularRadius ...... 5-94, 5-175 onDwell............................... 5-159, 6-198
maximumCircularSweep5-95, 5-119, 5-176 onExtruderChange ....................... 11-283
maximumSequenceNumber ............. 4-90 onExtruderTemp .......................... 11-282
maximumSpindleRPM .................... 4-91 onExtrusionReset ......................... 11-283
maximumToolDiameterOffset ......... 4-91 onFanSpeed .................................. 11-284
maximumToolLengthOffset ............ 4-91 onImpliedCommand ........... 5-155, 5-157
maximumToolNumber .................... 4-91 onJerk ........................................... 11-285
mill/turn ........................................... 1-21 onLayer ........................................ 11-286
milling .............................................. 1-20 onLinear ....... 5-163, 5-166, 5-167, 5-168
minimumChordLength ......... 5-95, 5-176 onLinear5D5-171, 5-173, 8-218, 8-233, 8-241
minimumCircularRadius....... 5-95, 5-176 onLinearExtrude .......................... 11-287
minimumCircularSweep ....... 5-95, 5-176 onManualNC............6-197, 6-199, 6-200
minimumRevision............................ 5-95 onMaxAcceleration...................... 11-285
Modal Groups ................................ 5-115 onMovement .................................. 5-165
ModalGroup ................................... 5-116 onMoveToSafeRetractPosition5-92, 8-229
model origin ..................................... 5-94 onOpen ...................5-119, 8-211, 11-280
MoveLength ................................... 8-235 onOrientateSpindle ........................ 5-163
movement ...................................... 5-165 onParameter5-159, 5-162, 6-198, 6-202, 10-
moveToSafeRetractPosition .......... 8-230 253, 11-286
multi-axis1-17, 3-57, 5-169, 5-171, 8-210 onPassThrough ................... 6-199, 6-205
multi-axis ....................................... 5-120 onRadiusCompensation ................. 5-163
Multi-Axis Feedrates .......... 8-231, 8-235 onRapid ...... 5-163, 5-165, 5-167, 11-287
onRapid5D ... 5-169, 5-170, 8-218, 8-241
N onReturnFromSafeRetractPosition5-92, 8-229
NC file extension ............................. 5-94 onRewindMachineEntry ....... 5-92, 8-229
Index 304
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Index
onRotateAxes ........................ 5-92, 8-229 probeWorkOffset ........................... 5-151
onSection ...............5-127, 5-154, 11-280 Probing ..... 1-23, 10-245, 10-256, 10-258
onSectionEnd5-127, 5-128, 5-153, 5-154, 10- program comment .......................... 5-120
254 program name ...... 1-8, 1-11, 5-95, 5-120
onSpindleSpeed ............................. 5-163 programComment .......................... 5-121
onTerminate ................................... 5-155 programName ................................ 5-121
Operation Comment....................... 5-128 programNameIsInteger ......... 5-95, 5-120
Operation Notes ............................... 5-129 properties ........... 1-8, 1-11, 5-97, 11-274
Operation properties ...................... 5-100 Property Table . 3-54, 5-96, 5-118, 5-119
Operation Properties ........................ 1-13 protecedProbeMove ..................... 10-250
operators .......................................... 3-63
optimize3DPositionsByMachine4-85, 5-142 R
optimizeMachineAngles2 .............. 8-216 radians ................................... 3-50, 8-211
optimizeMachineAnglesByMachine8-216 radius compensation5-165, 5-167, 5-171, 5-173
optional skip................................... 5-191 range ................................... 8-221, 8-228
output units ...................................... 5-95 rapid ................................................. 5-94
outputToolDiameterOffset ............... 4-91 real value .......................................... 3-69
outputToolLengthCompensation ..... 4-90 repositionToCycleClearance .......... 5-187
outputToolLengthOffset .................. 4-90 retract................ 4-79, 5-128, 5-145
OutputVariable ................... 5-110, 5-111 return ....................................... 3-73, 3-74
rotary axes ...................................... 8-211
P
Rotary Axis Order.......................... 8-213
parametric feedrates ....................... 5-165 rotary scale ..................................... 8-221
parametricFeeds ................... 4-80 RS-274D Sample Multi-axis Post Processor ... 8-
parseFloat ......................................... 3-50 210
parseInt ............................................ 3-50
parseSpatialProperties .................... 5-104 S
partCount ..................................... 11-275 safePositionMethod ............ 4-80
pendingRadiusCompensation ........ 5-164 section ............................................ 5-146
permittedCommentChars ............... 5-158 seed post........................................... 1-18
pivot point ...................................... 8-222 sequence number ........................... 5-191
Plasma .............................................. 1-23 setCoolant ...................................... 5-133
Polar interpolation ......................... 8-235 setCurrentABC .............................. 8-221
polarDirection ............................... 8-238 setCurrentPositionAndDirection.... 8-237
post kernel ........................................ 3-48 setMachineConfiguration .............. 8-216
Post Library ....................................... 1-2 setMultiAxisFeedrate ..................... 8-215
post processor2-41, 11-265, 11-269, 11-274, 12- setPolarFeedMode ......................... 8-238
292, 12-294 setPolarMode ................................. 8-237
post processor documentation.......... 3-47 setPrefix ......................................... 5-117
Post Processor Forum ............... 1-2, 1-17 setProbeAngle .............................. 10-250
Post Processor Ideas ................. 1-2, 1-17 setProbeAngleMethod ................. 10-250
Post Properties ................................. 2-42 setProperty ..................................... 5-104
preloadTool .................................... 5-131 setSingularity ................................. 8-226
Print Settings ......11-265, 11-269, 11-279 setSmoothing .......................... 4-78, 4-79
printTime ..................................... 11-275 setSuffix ......................................... 5-117
probeMultipleFeatures ................. 10-257 settings ...................4-75, 11-275, 11-277
Index 305
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Index
setToolLength ................................ 8-223 U
setup .....................5-162, 11-268, 12-293 undefined ......................................... 3-48
setVirtualTooltip ................. 8-214, 8-224 unit ..................... 1-8, 1-11, 5-120, 5-126
setWordSeparator ............... 5-120, 5-191 unwind ......................................... 4-81
setWorkPlane ................................. 5-144 unwindABC ..................................... 4-82
setWriteInvocations .............. 2-41, 7-207 useABCPrepositioning4-85, 5-136
setWriteStack ........................ 2-41, 7-208
useFilesForSubprograms ................. 4-88
showNotes............................ 5-124, 5-129
useMultiAxisFeatures .................... 5-136
simulate ........................... 11-272, 12-296 useParametricFeed............... 4-81
singleLineCoolant .......................... 5-132
usePolarMode ................................ 8-238
singularity ...................................... 8-226
User Settings .................................... 2-27
smoothing .................................. 4-76
useSmoothing .................................. 4-78
spatial ............................................... 3-50 useSubroutines ...................... 4-88
spindle codes .................................. 5-132 useTiltedWorkPlane ............ 4-85
spindleOrientation.......................... 5-184
spindleSpeedDwell ........................ 5-184 V
spiral interpolation .............. 5-178, 5-179
spiral move....................................... 5-93 validate ............................................. 3-69
stock transfer .................................... 1-22 var .................................................... 3-48
strategy ....................5-102, 5-152, 5-153 variable ... 3-48, 3-63, 3-67, 3-73, 11-275
string ..............................3-47, 3-51, 3-74 Vector .............................................. 3-55
String Object Functions ................... 3-52 Vector Attributes ............................. 3-55
subprograms ............................. 4-86 Vector Object Functions .................. 3-56
supportsInverseTimeFeed ................ 4-90 vectors ............................................ 7-208
supportsOptionalBlocks ................... 4-90 virtual tool tip ................................ 8-224
supportsRadiusCompemsation ........ 4-90 Visual Studio Code .......................... 2-24
supportsTCP .................................... 4-90
supportsToolVectorOutput .............. 4-90 W
switch ...................................... 3-65, 3-72 Waterjet ............................................ 1-23
WCS ...........................5-94, 5-133, 5-153
T WCS Probing ............................... 10-245
tapping cycles ................................ 5-189 wcsDefinitions ............................... 5-133
TCP ................................................ 8-231 while ................................................ 3-71
Template ........................................ 6-205 Work Coordinate System5-127, 5-133, 10-245
toDeg................................................ 3-50 Work Plane5-94, 5-127, 5-135, 5-138, 5-143, 5-
tolerance .....................5-95, 5-176, 5-178 153
tool axis ....................5-169, 5-171, 8-226 workOffset ..................................... 5-126
Tool change ................................... 5-130 workPlaneMethod ................... 4-83
tool length offset ............................ 5-145 writeBlock...................................... 5-191
toolZrange ...................................... 5-152 writeComment5-121, 5-122, 5-158, 7-210
toolZRange .................................... 5-131 writeDebug .................................... 7-210
toPreciseUnit......................... 3-50, 5-192 writeln ................................. 5-191, 7-209
toRad ................................................ 3-50 writeNotes ........................... 5-125, 5-160
toUnit ............................................... 3-51 writeRetract .. 5-128, 5-155, 5-194, 8-215
try/catch ........................................... 3-68 writeSectionNotes .......................... 5-130
typeof ............................................... 3-67 writeSetupNotes ............................. 5-124
Index 306
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Index
Index 307
Autodesk CAM Post Processor Guide 2/2/24