I need to only output 2 axis per line

[MartHough]

Hi All,
I have a Heidenhain TNC 145 and it allows for three point moves, I have been able to output this via Cut2d fine, but it consumes 4 lines. The controller has a limit of 1000 lines per file so if each move consumes 4 lines - I need to make it more efficient. To do that it can make a 2 axis move with one line, any two, but only two. XY or ZX or ZY..
Often there is no Z move for 2.5d cutting.
At the moment I am doing the following

X Move, Y Move, Feed rate
Z Move, Feed Rate

For each line. The controller, the poor old dear, stops for a fraction of a second between lines then continues. So the less lines I have the better.

Any ideas on how I can have the PP not write the Z move line if it isnt required?

[Adrian]

Which PP are you using and which version of Cut2D? As far as I can see the Heidenhain ones output the moves all on one line.

[MartHough]

I started with Heidenhain_mm.pp but my controller didn't like it. There were a few parameters it didn't like - like all three axis on one line.

Cut 2d v1.507

I have this for 2 axis moves;

"[N] L [X] [Y] R0 F[F] M "
"[N] L [Z] R0 F[FP] M "

And I have this for 3 axis moves;

begin FEED_MOVE

"[N] CYCL DEF 0.0 THREE DIM.LINE "
"[N] CYCL DEF 0.1 [X] "
"[N] CYCL DEF 0.2 [Y] "
"[N] CYCL DEF 0.3 [Z] "
"[N] CYCL DEF 0.4 F [F] M "

[Adrian]

You can set the variables used for the X,Y and Z to be output only if the value changes or all the time but I'm not sure if that works if they're on separate lines like that. Towards the top of the post processor you should see the definitions for the three axis and the second parameter will be an A (output always) or C (output when changed).

The tape splitting feature might work for you if you can't suppress those lines. That splits a file into multiple small files and is meant for machines that have a low line limit.

Tape Splitting Support
TAPE_SPLITTING = " "
Format is : TAPE_SPLITTING = MAX_NUM_LINES LINE_TOL ”FILENAME_FORMAT” START_INDEX INDEX_ON_FIRST_FILE
For example a command of TAPE_SPLITTING = 1000 100 "%s_%d.tap" 1 "YES" would lead to ...
Output will be split into multiple files of a maximum of 1000 lines (+ however many lines in there are within the footer section of the post processor), if a retract move exists after line 900 (1000 – 100), the file will be split at that move. If the file was called "toolpath" the split files would be named toolpath_1.tap, toolpath_2.tap etc. The first toolpath output will be "toolpath_ 1.tap" there will be no file named "toolpath" without an index number, (as INDEX_ON_FIRST_FILE= YES is used), unless the file was less than 1000 lines long, in which case the file would not be split.