NX6 post processing

[paradign]

Hello, I'm Brendan and I'm new here. I'm also new to UG NX6
Been working with it for 5 months now and writing some good lathe tool paths, but our post here at work really suk.
We are using a 3rd party IMS post software. Who ever developed our posts, I'd like to choke! I just want the simple things to post out like M3, M8, tool changes, user defined comments ect....

I end up having to do a ton of manual editing after posting my code, and it quite frankly blows!
The other guys that have been using it a lot longer than me, just deal with it. I dont think the company ever spent any good time developing some good posts.

What do I do here?

 

[shags72]

Well you have 2 options,
1 try and fix the posts you have by creating a copy and messing with it so you don't mess up the one you have.
2 create a post in Post Builder which depending on how much customization you want to do is either very difficult or not too bad.

Which way do you want to go?

 

[markrief]

I would look seriously at using NX/Post, and getting away from the CLS file. Although it may be OK for what you are doing now, the CLS it is an old text format and is not being enhanced.

With all the new and complex machines, there is so much more to postprocessing, and NX/Post has access to all the NX parameters.

To get started, you can try the sample lathe posts, or download one from GTAC that may get you close. You can use Post Builder to edit these, or make your own from scratch, or pay somebody to have a custom post written. There are lots of options to get a new post. The amount of work depends on how much special stuff you want in the post, but for sure, move to NX/Post.

Mark Rief
Product Manager
Siemens PLM

 

[paradign]

Where do I get the sample lathe posts? I have no idea what NX/post is? Being so new to the NX world, I'm at the mercy of the other guys in my office to show me everything. Is the nx/post an add on thingy?
How do I download one from GTAC (which I dont even know what that is!)
I'm sorry for all the questions, but this is all very new to me. I came from the mastercam world prior to this current job, and I had all my other posts dialed in perfect.

Honestly, I'm not really looking for something real fancy, I just want your typical stuff to post out right.

BTW. I dont even know who to talk to at Siemens about any help. I'm just lost on this, and dont really get any help at work. They just deal with the crappy posts they have. I'm all for just posting it out and not use the cls crap.


Please stay with me here and help.

thanks

 

[shags72]

You will need a sold to id and register at the Siemens Web site linked here.

https://plmapps.industrysoftware.automation.siemens.com/webkey/

after registering navigate to the ftp server for downloading posts for different machines.

Post Builder is in the startup of NX i.e. in the start/all programs/NX etc... find it there and fire it up. Then select New Post and then select what kind of machine/units/name/controller and then create and save to your favorite location. Then in NX use Post Process not create cls.

Good luck.

 

[paradign]

Ok, thanks. I will get with our IT guys on Tuesday, get the proper I.D. register and see what they got.
I'll chime back in after I get that far. I know that I had tried just using post process, but it seemed like my X numbers were spitting out in 'radial' not in diameter. May have not been the right post.

 

[paradign]

ok so I am able to access the post area now. Do i need to down load the .tci .def and .pui files? and if so, do these all go into the post process folder on the c drive?

 

[paradign]

So i installed the 3 files, and go to post my tool path. Doesn't surprise me that I get some dumb parse error! Now what?

This is just crazy.... Someone please help?

 

[shags72]

If you are using a local install, meaning you installed directly to your pc, they can go into the post processor folder. I haven't used that method and believe you will have to browse for the post though, at least the first time of your session. Might be wrong on that though. All 3 files make it available in Post Builder but the pui is what creates the interface in PB. The other 2 files are the heart of the post and what actually drive the code. Early NX used only these 2 files until PB was created and brought it into an interface to use instead of writing code directly in the files. Hope that wasn't confusing. That radial is a switch in the machine setup which makes it diametric output. Easy.

 

[shags72]

Was there a cdl file with it? As usually a parse error is cdl related.

 

[paradign]

no cdl file, i am dropping the 3 files directly to the post folder on c drive, and get the error. im using nx6 if that makes a diff.

 

[joycejo]

Make sure the .cdl, .tcl and .pui files do not have hidden extention of .txt on them. I have seen this happen when downloading files.

What is the error you are getting?



John Joyce
N.C. Programming Supervisor
Barnes Aerospace, Windsor CT

 

[paradign]

There were extensions that got put on when i saved them, but i got rid of them.

click on link to see error.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/brendanp/error.jpg

 

[shags72]

There has to be a file of that name in that path for this to work. fanuc_lathe_inch.tcl and fanuc_lathe_inch.def. Check your path and your file names and extensions.

 

[paradign]

Here are the 3 files i installed in the post folder. This is exactly how they read with extensions.

fanuc_lathe_inch.def

fanuc_lathe_inch.pui

fanuc_lathe_inch.tcl

I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything right?

 

[shags72]

Are they in the folder designated in the error?

C:\Program Files\UGS\NX 6.0\MACH\resource\postprocessor

 

[paradign]

yes, that is the folder that I installed them in. This is just crazy. This should be a no brainer. Very discouraging... I do appreciate the help yho

 

[shags72]

Go to help logfile and save that somewhere and post it. I don't think it will help but it might.

 

[paradign]

ok, i finally got it to work. It still posts m 'X' numbers in radial. Can someone guide me where to change this to diameter in the post?

 

[shags72]

Open in Post Builder. Go to the Machine Tool tab/general parameters. There will be a box to check for diameter programming.