CNC Offset Calculator - missing part of CAD/CAM

CNC Offset Calculator is application software for horizontal and vertical machining centers. Its purpose is to help CNC programmers and operators make setups on CNC machining centers easy, accurate and efficient. The CNCOffsetCalc can generate exact X,Y,Z coordinates for each offset or a CNC code (part program) from which CNC control calculates X,Y,Z coordinates for each offset when the machine runs. Primary offset (one known offset) is set on the machine by an operator or by a probe sensor. The part program generated by CNCOffsetCalc can be inserted automatically into your machining part program - no copying and pasting needed. The build in editor allows you to customize output for your CNC control (OKUMA, TOSNUC and FANUC post processors included as standard). You can setup as many different post processors as you have CNC controls and machines, all of them can be loaded on start up and you can select one from the list on the toolbar as needed. And if you want to program offsets for vertical machining centers - just swap X and Y axis in the MC Set up page.

New version of CNC Offset Calculator can import dxf files (e.g. from AutoCAD) and you can pick offset positions from the drawing - no typing necessary. Starting ver. 5.5 you can write dxf file from the drawing created in CNC Offset Calculator, including offset positions.

Everyone involved in programming and operating CNC machining centers knows how much time it takes to set offsets on each side of the workpiece. The machine is idle during this process - and the offset accuracy is limited by operator's skill. Life would be much easier if we knew the exact position of the workpiece when we make a part program on a PC, using a CAD/CAM package. But as we all know - the workpiece position is known only after it is set on the machine. Thus any CAD/CAM package will actually generate separate programs for each side of the workpiece and its datums (zero coordinates or offsets) have to be established on the machine during setup stage. It is not very difficult to calculate offsets for multiple of 90 deg (90, 180. 270 deg), but it is a challenge to calculate the offsets for any other B angles. And if the workpiece position has changed since your last set up than you have to establish all offsets again. CNC Offset Calculator has been designed to do this part of setup process - to link together offsets on the workpiece taken from one (known) primary offset and the workpiece dimensions. From these data a CNC part program is generated and machine CNC control will establish all secondary offsets by itself.

CNC Offset Calculator can be used with a probe sensor. Insert the code for your probe into the code generated by CNCOffsetCalc (at the top section) and read the values into the Primary offset. The rest is identical to any other process of setting the Primary offset - machine CNC control will calculate the secondary offsets from the code generated by CNCOffsetCalc. Using probe sensor enables to run the machine in unmanned mode (like FMS systems) - without operator intervention.

CNC Offset Calculator has proven to be an indispensable tool for machining centers running in unmanned mode like Flexible Machining Centers and horizontal or vertical machining centers with pool of table containers. With this application machining centers are running unmanned with high variety of parts and machining operations going through the system.

CNC Offset Calculator can generate hard coded positions - these are the X,Y,Z positions identical as those calculated by machine CNC control ("MC WKS"). These hard coded positions can be exported to MS Excel spread sheet. However, to use hard coded positions means to know the workpiece position on the machine table before the calculation. In order to do so, the operator must setup the part, measure the Primary offset, record its values and enter them into PC, calculate all secondary offsets, record all the values and enter them into machine - quite lengthy process. Hard coded positrons should be used only as a feedback for checking the offset positions on the machine. Using the CNC code is what makes this program powerful - and what saves you money.

Release Notes

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