Parametric Programming Inovation

Parametric Programming

I chose to do my report on advancements in CNC Technologies. One of the advancements in particular caught my interest immediately after reading just a few sentences into the article. The advancement I am speaking of is Parametric Programming. This innovation is not well known, which is unusual because of the fact that it simplifies the CNC procedures dramatically.

Parametric Programming is often referred to as the best kept secret in CNC technologies. Few people know about this technology, and yet even fewer know how to use it. So, what is it? It is nothing more that a computer language similar to those already in use, but unlike other languages, this language is all within the CNC control itself. This means you can use programs, along with manual programming all at the same time. It also accesses presets (Macros) in the CNC control, which are otherwise unavailable in standard programs.

Common applications for this type of programming are many, but are also overlooked a lot. Some things to look for in an area that would benefit from these applications tend to lay in five categories. They are as follows: Families of parts, inventing canned cycles, Complex motions, driving optional devices, and finally utilities.

A family of parts refers to a task that is preformed over and over to a certain extent. A custom macro can be designed for this type of application, and everything up to a point can be prematurely taken care of.

Inventing canned cycles is very similar to family parts. The one main difference is that a canned cycle normally refers to a certain cycle instead of an operation for the whole piece. It is very similar, but not quite the same.

Complex motions are CNC operations that cannot normally be preformed by a mill without a macro. Standard operations normally perform only on a two-axis system, while a macro can increase it to three. In essence, this simplifies a two-stage procedure into one.

Driving optional devices is also an advantage of using the macro's in Parametric Programming. A regular CNC program cannot run sophisticated devices along with a program. Some examples of these devices are probes and post process gauging systems. When run through a macro, these tasks may be preformed with ease along with the machining process.

Utilities, the last of the five categories