Wire EDM Parameters
The following parameters are specific to Wire EDM NC sequences. They are listed under a heading corresponding to the name of the branch when you set up the parameters.
For description of the common manufacturing parameters, available for all the NC sequence types, see the topic Common NC Sequence Parameters. Follow the link under See Also to access this topic.
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• You must supply a value for all parameters that have a default of –1 (this means that the default value is not set by the system).
• Length units for the NC sequence parameters (where applicable) are the same as the units of the workpiece.
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Cut Option
AUTO_CORNER_TYPE
Specify the default option for automatically created corner conditions:
• RADIUS—Create round corner motions for concave and convex corners. This is the default.
• STRAIGHT—Create a corner by extending straight segments until they intersect.
• CHAMFER—Chamfer the corners.
• BISECT— Bisect the corners.
CORNER_PASSES
Specify on which passes to create the automatic corner conditions:
• ALL_PASSES—On all passes.
• FIRST_PASS—On the first pass only.
• LAST_PASS—On the last pass only.
APPROXIMATE_SPLINES
Indicate whether you want to approximate spline edges with arcs when creating CL data output. The default value is NO; if you specify a value of YES, the spline edges will be approximated.
AUTOSYNCH_START_END
Enables automatic synchronization of the start and end points of a 4 Axis Wire EDM cut motion:
• YES—The two heads will be automatically synchronized at the beginning and the end of each cut.
• NO—The start and end points of the upper and lower contours will be mapped by cut entities; therefore, the upper and lower contours will have different start and end points in XY.
Cut Param
STOCK_ALLOW
The amount of stock left after the NC sequence. The default is not set (displayed as "–1").
CORNER_LENGTH
Defines the size (the side length) of the parallelograms added to the tool path when corner condition is specified. The default is 0.
CORNER_ANGLE
For a sharp corner, the angle of the parallelogram equals the angle between the adjoining entities, and the CORNER_ANGLE value is ignored. However, if you add a corner condition between two tangent entities, the angle of the parallelogram will be defined by the CORNER_ANGLE parameter. The default is 0.
CONCAVE_RADIUS
Specifies the radius for a concave corner condition.
CONVEX_RADIUS
Specifies the radius for a convex corner condition.
ATTACH_WIDTH
Specifies a distance along a Contouring cut motion that is not to be cut, leaving the two sides of the cut attached by a small tab of material.
STOP_DIST
Distance before the end of the cut motion where the system will place a CL stop command (STOP or OPSTOP, depending on the END_STOP_CONDITION parameter value). This enables the operator to clamp the part before it is cut free and falls away. After the clamp is in place, the tool completes the trajectory. If the tool path consists of more than one pass, the stop point is located on the first pass only.
DETACH_STOP_DIST
Distance before the end of the Detach move where the system will place a CL stop command (STOP or OPSTOP, depending on the END_STOP_CONDITION parameter value).
END_OVERTRAVEL
Overtravel distance past the end of the cut motion. If the cut motion consists of more than one pass, the overtravel distance is applied according to the END_OVERTRAVEL_PASS parameter value.
REVERSE_DIST
Distance from end to reverse for multiple passes.
NUM_PROFILE_PASSES
Number of passes for a Finish cut motion.
PROF_INCREMENT
Increment for each Finish pass (unless this data is specified in the register table).
STEP_OVER
Controls the lateral depth of cut for No Core Wire EDM. The STEP_OVER must be a positive value less than the cutter diameter. The default is not set (displayed as "–1").
TOOL_OVERLAP
Another way to control the lateral depth of cut for No Core Wire EDM. TOOL_OVERLAP indicates the amount that the tool should overlap the region machined during the previous pass. The default is a dash (-). TOOL_OVERLAP must be less than the tool diameter. If TOOL_OVERLAP is specified and STEP_OVER is not, the lateral depth of cut will be calculated as (CUTTER_DIAM –TOOL_OVERLAP).
Feed
ARC_FEED
Allows you to control the cut feed around arcs. If set to a dash (-) (which is the default), the CUT_FEED value will be used. If set to 0, the RAPID statement will be output before the CIRCLE statement.
Machine
SPARK_ALLOW
Together with STOCK_ALLOW and the tool parameter CUTTER_DIAM, defines the trajectory of the center of the tool with respect to desired geometry. The default is 0.
CL_DIST
Value to be output to the CL_DIST command in the CL data.
TAPER_ANGLE
Value of the machine controlled taper angle (applicable for 2-Axis Wire EDM only).
CL_OUTPUT_MODE
Defines the CL output format for the tool axis:
• MULTAX_DATA (default)—The CL output will be in XYZ / IJK format.
• TAPER—The CL output will use the STAN statement.
Applicable for 4-Axis Wire EDM only.
CUT_MOTION_CONNECT
Controls the Connect moves between multiple cut motions:
• CUT_WIRE (default)—The wire is cut at the end of the cut motion. If the wire is disengaged between cut motions, the tool moves at RAPID feed.
• CONTINIOUS—Do not unload wire at the end of cut motion. If the wire is engaged between cut motions, the tool moves at CUT_FEED.
CUTCOM_MOVE
If this parameter is set to a non-zero value, it will allow the tool to move away from the specified tool path by this distance in the direction of the tool offset or Cutcom offset (whichever is applicable). Before each Cutcom move, the CUTCOM / OFF statement will be output. Then there will be new GENRTR, FLUSH, and CUTCOM statements for the next tool pass. At the end of a cut motion there will be a CUTCOM / OFF statement followed by exit motion for closed contours or by Cutcom move for open ones.
CUTCOM_MOVE_APPROACH
Specifies the length of linear move used to turn cutter compensation on or off for the first pass of a Contouring NC sequence (similar to CUTCOM_MOVE, described above).
NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS
Specifies if colinear points in approach and exit motions should be stripped or added. The values are:
• 0—Strip colinear points.
• 1—Do not strip colinear points, to allow proper implementation of Cutcom.
• n (where n is an integer)—The Approach, Exit, or Cutcom move will be divided into n equal segments by adding extra GOTO points.
The following illustration shows the number and location of GOTO points for the following NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS values:
• NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS 0 (colinear points stripped)—schematic on the left
• NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS 1—schematic in the middle
• NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS 2—schematic on the right
1. 1st GOTO point
2. 2nd GOTO point
3. 3rd GOTO point
4. 4th GOTO point
5. Approach move
6. Cut motion
7. Part
CUTCOM_LOC_APPR
Specifies location of CUTCOM statement on the approach motion if multiple cutcom points are specified. Cutcom points are numbered from 0 to n, where n is the value of NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS. The default is 1.
| | For bisect angles, the motion towards the cut is considered an approach motion. |
CUTCOM_LOC_EXIT
Specifies location of CUTCOM statement on the exit motion if multiple cutcom points are specified. Cutcom points are numbered from 0 to n, where n is the value of NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS. The default is 0.
| | For bisect angles, the motion away from the cut is considered an exit motion. |
The following illustrations shows the locations and numbering of cutcom points for approach and exit motions if NUMBER_CUTCOM_PTS is 2.
1. 1st GOTO point (cutcom point 0)
2. 2nd GOTO point (cutcom point 1)
3. 3rd GOTO point (cutcom point 2)
4. 4th GOTO point
5. 5th GOTO point
6. 6th GOTO point (cutcom point 0)
7. 7th GOTO point (cutcom point 1)
8. 8th GOTO point (cutcom point 2)
9. Approach move
10. Cut motion
11. Exit move
12. Part
CUTCOM_REG_START
Initial cutter compensation controller register number.
CUTCOM_REG_INCR
Increment of cutcom register for a multi-pass tool path.
FLUSH_REG_START
Initial flush register number.
FLUSH_REG_INCR
Increment of flush register for a multi-pass tool path.
FLUSH_REG_APPROACH
Number of flush register for the approach move.
FLUSH_REG_DETACH
Number of flush register for the detach move.
GENRTR_ROUGH
Power setting of the machine for the rough pass.
GENRTR_APPROACH
Power setting of the machine for the approach motion.
GENRTR_DETACH
Power setting of the machine for the detach motion.
GENRTR_FINISH
Initial power setting of the first finish pass.
GENRTR_REG_INCR
Increment of GENRTR command for subsequent finish passes.
REGISTER_TABLE
Specify the name of the register table to be used. The default is a dash (-), in which case cutcom and generator will be determined using the appropriate parameters above.
Entry/Exit
APPROACH_DISTANCE
Specifies the length of approach motions for Customize. The default is 0.
EXIT_DISTANCE
Specifies the length of exit motions for Customize. The default is a dash (-), that is, 0.
APPROACH_MOVE
Allows you to specify if the Approach move will be created automatically. The default is YES. In order for the Approach move to be created, you have to also specify a Thread Point for the cut motion.
RETURN_TO_START
If set to YES (the default is NO), the wire will return to the start point upon completing the cut motion. Applicable to No Core cut motions only.
LEAD_IN
If set to YES, the system will create a Lead In motion automatically on all passes of a multi-pass cut motion. The default is NO.
LEAD_OUT
If set to YES, the system will create a Lead Out motion automatically on all passes of a multi-pass cut motion. The default is NO.
LEAD_RADIUS
The radius of the tangential circular movement of the tool when leading in or out. The default is 0.
TANGENT_LEAD_STEP
The length of the linear movement that is tangent to the circular lead-in or lead-out motion. The default is 0.
NORMAL_LEAD_STEP
The length of the linear movement that is normal to the tangent portion of the lead-in or lead-out motion. The default is 0.
END_OVERTRAVEL_PASS
Specifies on which passes of a multi-pass motion to create an overtravel motion:
• NO—No overtravel motion is created (the default).
• ALL_PASSES—On all passes.
• LAST_PASS—On the last pass only.