CNC Machining Blog - Tips and Tricks for Machinists

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Posts about NC / G-Code Programming (2):

Buying a CNC Lathe? Here's What to Know and Consider

Mike Cope Wed, Jan 22, 2014
Buying a CNC Lathe? Here's What to Know and Consider

When purchasing a CNC lathe, there are several questions to ask yourself before you begin the process. Some of these questions will be quite obvious: how much axis travel do I need? What size chuck should I look for? How many tool stations are on the turret? What is the spindle bore size? Etc.

However, there are other specifications that are just as important but not always so obvious: what is the maximum swing distance that my work will require? What is the maximum turning diameter necessary for my family of parts? What kind of spindle horsepower and torque will my type of work consume? The first set of questions above is relatively easy to answer, but the second group requires a better understanding of lathes in general.

5-Axis CNC Programming: Rotary Angles or Tool Vectors?

Mike Cope Mon, Jun 24, 2013
5-Axis CNC Programming: Rotary Angles or Tool Vectors?

When programming in 5-axis, we have two distinct options that we can use to command rotary moves and positions. We can output the data using either rotary angles or tool vectors. Although each one has its pros and cons, I prefer to configure a postprocessor to output these rotary commands as IJK tool vectors, instead of the more common ABC-axis rotary angles.

Restart Program Where You Left Off with Hurco Recovery Restart

Mike Cope Fri, Jun 14, 2013
Restart Program Where You Left Off with Hurco Recovery Restart

Have you ever had to abruptly stop your machine in the middle of running a program and wished there was a way to restart the program exactly where you left off, even if you were in the middle of all that code? With Hurco’s Recovery Restart feature, you can!

Using Subprograms: A powerfully simple tool

Mike Cope Fri, May 24, 2013
Using Subprograms: A powerfully simple tool

I was asked by a reader to post an article about using subprograms. Although this is a pretty simple subject, it made me realize that not everyone is familiar with the use of subprograms and subroutines. I will also touch on the use of Hurco’s conversational NC Merge capability, which is powerfully simple and very useful!

Improve Surface Finish, Reduce Cycle Times with Hurco UltiMotion

Mike Cope Fri, May 03, 2013
Improve Surface Finish, Reduce Cycle Times with Hurco UltiMotion

Previously, I posted an article explaining the CNC motion control system and how it works. In that article, I tried to keep it very simple and break down a quite complex piece of technology into an easy-to-understand analogy. Today, I want to discuss it in a little more detail and point out some exciting advances in motion control technology.

Best CNC Control for NC Programming: Hurco

Mike Cope Tue, Apr 02, 2013
Best CNC Control for NC Programming: Hurco

A common misconception about the Hurco control is that it is a conversational control. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Although Hurco invented conversational programming, and arguably has the most powerful conversationally capable platform on the market, I would not refer to the WinMax® control as a “conversational” one. I would instead call it “multi-lingual."

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