Details on transfer type for Machining
The following sections give more detail on the format and operation of the transfer type for machining transfer. The transfer type is selected at: Machining centre transfer parameters. The type to select depends on the requirements of the machining centre.
0 - 2D DXF non-layered (DXF)
1 - Busellato Autolink (DXF)
2 - Homag WoodWop V2.5 (MPR)
3 - 2D DXF layered (DXF)
4 - Biesse RoverCAD (CID)
5 - Morbidelli Aspan V3.2 (ASC)
6 - Morbidelli Aspan V4.0 (ASC)
7 - 3D DXF layered (DXF)
8 - Homag Woodwop V4->V8 (MPR/X)
9 - 2D DXF nested layered (DXF)
10 - 2D DXF Biesse layered (DXF)
11 - ASCII (PTX)
12 - MDB (PTX)
13 - Machining Program Interface (MPI) file
14 - Xilog (XXL)
15- Biesse (CIX)
7 - 3D DXF layer names
This format is for transfer only. The layer names for the 3D DXF format are:-
trim M_GENERAL
edge
label (e.g.:1.)
border M_BORDER
vertical bore M_VBORE_add
horizontal bore M_HBORE_add
cutout M_GROOVE_add
end groove
groove
arc M_ROUTE_add
route circle
route groove
text M_TEXT
For example: M_GROOVE_Z9P5T4
If the tool number is not specified in the toolbox the tool diameter is specified instead - but not both.
9 - 2D DXF nested layered (DXF)
Only for DXF based parts or parts based on the Machining library
This transfer type only works when the parts are machining library or DXF based. If any part in the part list is based on an MPR part an error message is displayed and the transfer is cancelled.
The layer format of the DXF file is as follows:
Layer prefix Machining instruction
BORDER Border
GROOVE Saw groove, Cutout
CONTOUR Contour
POCKET Free form pocket
TEXT Text
OFFCUT Offcut
WASTE Waste cut
VBORE Vertical drill
ROUT Groove rout, Circle rout, Arc rout
Part borders appear on a layer beginning with BORDER. These layers may also contain the instruction depth.
e.g. CONTOUR_Z15 where the contour(s) on this layer have a depth of 15.
Borders, Contours and Offcuts are written out as polylines in the DXF file. If a part border has two passes two polylines are created each on different layers according to the depth specified.
The depths (or z values) of machining instructions are included in the geometry in the transferred DXF file. The depths are based on Z=0 as the top of the board and positive Z going down into the board.
The FRAME layer name (specifying the piece size) includes the thickness of the material. e.g. FRAME_Z18 means the material thickness is 18mm.
- CSV / PNX files can also generated in this format. These files are generated if the CSV path or PNX path is filled out in the machining centre transfer parameters.
- In the generated nested pattern DXF files, the border layers also include the identity of the related part from the cutting list. _IDxxx where xxxx is the number of the part in the cutting list, for example:-
BORDER_D0___0_A2_W2_ID0007 (part 7 in cutting list)
11 - ASCII (PTX) and 12 - MDB (PTX)
Each transfer file generated contains data for all runs in a batch. For multiple run batches the transfer file name is the same as the batch name and for single run batches the transfer file name is the run name. No other transfer options apply when transferring to pattern exchange format. The transfer file contains the following records / tables:-
HEADER - general information describing the complete data structure (or file)
JOBS - header data for each job (cutting list or optimised run)
NOTES - other information for a job
PARTS_REQ - basic requirement details for each item in the cutting list
PARTS_INF - standard information about each part
PARTS_UDI - user-defined information about each part
BOARDS - information about each item in the board (stock) list
MATERIALS - information about each material type
OFFCUTS - record describing each off-cut produced
PATTERNS - pattern header records - one for each cutting pattern
ABD or BHX options set
Nested patterns can be transferred to a machining centre when the ABD or BHX option is set.
This option is only available when using machining library drawings and the nested pattern format is set to machining library.
When the ABD option is set, any machining instruction that has tooling of ?=BEK only appears in the horizontal drawings and not the nested pattern drawings.
When transferring to ABD machines the horizontal path must be set but it can be the same as the pattern path.
File names
When a file is generated for transfer to a machining centre the file names are formatted as follows:-
<5 digit run no><3 digit part no>.<file extension>
For example, for MPR files:-
00012007.MPR (for run 00012 with part 7)
If the run number is less than 5 characters the file name is:-
AB007.MPR (for run AB with part 7)
If the part number is over 999 the filename can be 9 digits long:-
000121009.MPR (for run 00012 with part 1009)
10 - 2D DXF Biesse layered
This transfer type is the same as type '3 - 2D DXF layered' but with the following differences.
- Whenever a number is used in a layer name it is only output as an integer number. (e.g. 6.8 output as 6 and 7.2 output as 7).
- A polygon is drawn in the DXF file around the edge of the part dimensions starting at the bottom right and going around clockwise. The layer name used is PANELn where the n is the depth of the part material. (e.g. PANEL18).
- Vertical drilling appears in the DXF files with a layer name of VERTICALn where n is the depth of the hole. (e.g. VERTICAL5)
- Horizontal drilling appears in the DXF files with a layer name of HORIZONTALn where n is the distance from the top face of the part to the centre of the hole. (e.g. HORIZONTAL9)
- Saw grooves appears in the DXF files with a layer name of SAWn where n is the depth of the groove. (e.g. SAW5)
14 - Xilog (XXL)
In the machine centre transfer parameters, the type combo box now includes a new transfer type: 14 - Xilog (XXL)
This will generate parts and nested pattern files in the XXL file format.
This uses nearly all the same options as the Nested layered DXF format, except that separate XXL files for back and horizontal drawings are not available.
There are two additional parameters TLG and work area that are specifically for the XXL transfer.
The TLG is the name of the TLG file that is specified in the XXL file. This is just the filename and not the extension.
The work area can be up to 2 digits defining the work area (e.g AB or EH).
The following is the list of instructions that can be transferred, any other instructions in a drawing will be ignored.
Groove routs, Arc routs, Circle routs, Contours, Borders, Saw grooves,
Vertical and horizontal drilling,
Pockets and Cutouts.
Different tool numbers can be required for different drill diameters. these are specified via a tools.txt file that needs to be created in the user profile path.
e.g
15,001
20,002
35,003
10,004
8,005
This means that for a vertical drill of 15mm use the tool number 001, for a diameter of 20mm use tool number 002 etc...
15 - Biesse (CIX)
In the machine centre transfer parameters, the type combo box includes a transfer type: 15 - Biesse (CIX).
This will generate parts and nested pattern files in the CIX file format.
The following machining instruction types can be transferred to nested patterns and parts:
Vertical drill
Circle rout
Groove rout
Arc rout
Contour
Border
Saw groove
Note -
The machine origin in the CIX files is specified via machining centre transfer parameters spare parameter.
e.g. to specify origin 5 the spare parameter value would be:
origin=5
