Acu-Rite CNC 3500i Four Axis Programming, Axis Type, Linear, Rotary, Conversion formula

11.5 Four Axis Programming

11.5 Four Axis Programming

Axis Type

The machine builder sets up the fourth-axis as a linear or rotary axis. The three basic axes are X, Y, and Z. The additional axis is designated as “U” on the 3500i console.

The following formats are for programming the linear or rotary fourth axis:

Linear:

Program as Feed Mode (G1) or Rapid (G0) moves. Only rapid and linear feed moves can be programmed. The U axis can be programmed along with X, Y, and Z-axis in rapid, linear, and circular moves. The U axis is always synchronous to the XYZ moves.

Rotary:

Program rotary moves in degrees. The typical resolution is 0.001 degrees. Minutes and seconds cannot be programmed. Therefore, you must convert minutes and seconds to a decimal value.

Conversion formula:

Converting from minutes, seconds to decimal degrees.

Minutes to decimal: min/60 = decimal degrees.

Seconds to decimal: sec/3600 = decimal degrees. Example:Minutes15 min/60 = 0.25 degrees Example:Seconds30 sec/3600 = 0.008 degrees Example:Convert 5 DEG. 30 MIN. 15 SEC. to decimal degrees

5 + (30/60) + (15/3600) =

5 + 0.5 + 0.004 =

5.504

When the U-axis is programmed alone without an X, Y, or Z linear move, you must program a feedrate for the U-axis in degrees per minute (dpm).

Format: FU 500.0 = 500 dpm for the U axis.

FU is also allowed when the U-axis is linear. A feedrate is programmed in in/min or mm/min.

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