PC-Based CNC Machine Tool Controller Software Feature List

Operator interface choices range from:

(1) Various G code formats.
(2) CAD files to motion. 
(3) Simple interfaces with fill in the blank boxes, buttons and switches.
(4) The controller's revolutionary concept converts the graphic drawing on your screen directly into axis motion. 

Customizable Operator Interface

• Several different ready-to-go, turnkey controllers
• Configurable operator screen with high-resolution solid modeled graphics
• User-customizable interface for designing the look & feel of the operator screen
• Several operator interfaces to choose from or create your own for most machine types
• Touchscreen, floor standing, hanging or handheld controller models
• Mix and match virtual controls with physical hardware buttons, knobs and switches
• Dry-run mode
• Absolute mode
• Incremental mode
• Distance yet to go
• Suspend and resume
• Cycle Start/Pause Icon, Button or Function Key
• Single Step Icon, Button or Function Key
• Jog Icon, Button, Function Key or Joy Stick
• Load Program Icon, Button or Function Key
• MDI Editor Icon, Button or Function Key
• RS232 Terminal Icon, Button or Function Key
• CAD/CAM Icon, Button or Function Key
• CAD Links Icon, Button or Function Key
• Tool Parameter Icon, Button or Function Key
• Diagnostic Icon, Button or Function Key
• User-defined buttons
• User-defined light bulbs
• User-defined display boxes
• User-defined slider bars
• User-defined graphic controls
• User-defined input boxes
• User-defined frame boxes
• User-defined function keys
• Set home position
• Handwheel or pulse wheel devices
• Access the tool parameters screen
• Tool and Fixture offsets
• Display position relative to machine zero
• Display a message to the operator
• Hear sound out of the speakers
• CamSoft speech engine to pronounce messages
• Graphical and Visual Mid-program Restart 

Graphics to Motion

• Seamless marriage of our CAD/CAM system and motion. No G code is necessary
• Includes Advanced System 3000 Level 1 Multimedia 3D CAD/CAM Software
• DXF, IGES, Gerber, HPGL, APT CL, Cadkey and solids translators can be converted into axes motion
• Turn CAD files, surfaces, solid models and bitmapped photographs into axis motion

Feedrates and Cutting Speeds

• Dynamic feedrate option that automatically adjusts feedrate based on spindle load
• Dynamic read-ahead abilities that can look ahead the entire program length
• Feedrate optimizing and filtering routines for accel/decel and fillets
• Cutting feedrate velocities of up to 122,000 IPM
• 62.5 millionth of a second servo update time per axis
• Extremely fast block processing time
• Fastmode allows huge programs with small moves to execute fast
• Proven and dependable motion card serves as a dual processor for speed and safety
• Patent Pending SmartPath option available - look ahead intelligent tool path optimizer
• Change velocity and direction based on spindle torque, voltages and encoders

Motion Logic

• 8 simultaneous and coordinated axes for any machine type
• No physical PLCs or ladder logic necessary. A visual logic process editor is included
• Dual motion operations can be performed simultaneously for tool changers, etc.
• Real-time gauge meter displays to view and react to torque, RPM and voltage
• Lock Axes, I/O inputs and M codes
• Decelerated stops when you want them
• Feedhold
• Reverse spindle direction
• Exact stop checking and smoothing
• High-speed precision rigid tapping and lathe threading
• Interruptible cut in progress with backup
• Gantry ready master and slave axis union
• Rigid threading
• Rapid to position
• Clockwise arc
• Counterclockwise arc
• Position relative to machine zero
• Axis acceleration rate
• Axis deceleration rate
• Emergency stop
• Spindle & Feedrate override
• Wait for motion to stop
• Find encoder index mark

Diagnostics, Maintenance and Reports

• Complete diagnostic features with automatic servo tuning software
• Advanced diagnostic software and watch windows
• Automatic maintenance reminders tell you when to check filters, belts, oil levels, etc.
• History files for diagnostic purposes
• Tool life management
• Multimedia job planner with part photos, vendor information and process sheet
• 120 tool parameter library with machine, tool and fixture offsets

Graphics Control

• Wire frame or solid modeled color graphics shows cuts in real time
• Mouse Jog - jog to exact table position graphically with mouse
• Visually click on the tool path with a mouse or touch screen to begin the program anywhere
• Define 3D graphic viewport
• Display part profile, current and next positions
• Change graphic colors
• Display bitmap image
• Zoom, Pan, Tumble

Simulation & Animation

• Total desktop logic simulation mode tests and virtually emulates machine operation
• Solid modeled tool animation as the machine is cutting in real time

G & M Codes

• Customize your own G & M codes with a graphical icon-driven logic editor
• 22 new G code canned cycles for all types of machine tools
• NURBS and CUBIC based spline G codes

Communication Control

• Network compatible
• Full API using ActiveX, DLL and RS232 access to the controller while it is running
• E-mailable parameter files allow a visual view of all your parameters and machine logic
• Open an RS232 serial port
• Echo back RS232 data
• Read RS232 data
• Send text or numeric data via RS232
• Print data
• Open, read and write files

Compensation

• Patent Pending 3D and 5-axis tool compensation on the machine controller 
• 3D fixture compensation will tilt your program based on 3 points
• Backlash compensation
• Lead screw compensation
• Tool compensation

Math Control

• Add math calculations and variables inside your G code program
• Calculate elapsed idle, spindle and job running times
• Switch between inch and millimeter mode
• Arc centers can be absolute, incremental or radius 
• Part counter
• IF THEN Conditional branching or processing
• IPM and IPR
• Constant Surface Feed
• Calculate 3D angles
• Calculate 3D distances
• Calculate math equations
• Pop up Calculator
• Loops
• Machining planes
• Polar coordinate system

Digital and Analog I/O Control

• Read or set any digital I/O
• Conditional I/O logic
• Fake the status of the digital I/O
• Wait until desired I/O state happens
• Analog I/O
• Tool changers
• Homing routines
• Overtravel limits
• Jogging devices
• Handwheels
• Feedrate override
• Spindle Speed override
• Voltage override
• Turrets
• Rotary tables
• Gear changing
• Probes & Digitizers
• Timed events
• Blade/Knife tangent functions
• Material height sensing

Machine Monitoring

• Remote machine monitoring and viewing. Control your machine from a remote location
• Parts Run
• Idle Time
• Spindle Time
• Run Time
• On Time
• Cycle Time
• Status
• Operator
• Customer
• Scrap Parts
• Job Name
• Job Number
• Date 
• Line Number
• Tool Number
• Speed
• Feed Rate

Miscellaneous Control

• ASCII customizable logic text files
• Password protection and feature access limits
• Settable preferences with feature access limits
• Midprogram start reads previous blocks to pick up offsets, tools, speeds and feeds
• Renishaw series SP2 probe driver for high-speed probing & digitizing
• Teach or digitize
• Definable block skip character
• Crash barriers for fixtures, chucks and tooling
• One year Maintenance/Support
• Define the parameters of an axis
• Display the value of variables
• Store variable table on disk
• Analog input and output
• Subroutines
• Goto or jump
• Read main and auxiliary encoders
• Read encoders relative to machine zero
• Cap maximum spindle speed
• Timer or sleep
• Directly enter motion card commands
• Shut down the system
• 12 Canned Cycles - Rough, Peck, Drill, Bore, Part-off, Thread
• User-defined automatic canned cycles
• Rough and finish square pocket
• Rough and finish pocket with fillets
• Rough and finish circular pockets
• Slots
• Bolt Patterns
• Optionally send text messages to your pager or cell phone

Documentation & Help

• Detailed printed and multimedia-based, on-line documentation included
• Instant multimedia help with synthesized voice, high-resolution photos and movies
• Complete multimedia features with photos and 40,000 word speech vocabulary
• Interactive technical support and remote viewing, via a modem, directly to CamSoft 
• Detailed printed 500-page tutorial and 400-page controller documentation

New Features added since Version 17

Screen Design & Documentation

• Simpler screen design for first time users
• Creative new screen design features, image control, touch screen & keyboard trapping
• Make your operator's screen more like a Smart Phone App
• New single bitmapped operator screen concept makes it easier to set up
• More bitmap images provided to use on your operator's interface
• More user defined fill-in-the-blank entry boxes
• More automatic features for novice users
• Almost unlimited customizable buttons, light bulbs and message displays
• Spanish Captioned Buttons
• Choice between a Full Blow MDI editor Quick MDI Execute
• More installers and dealers that offer on-site help
• More help files and printed documentation, tutorials and exercises for the D.I.Y. user
• More various wiring tutorial videos

Improved Performance Features

• Faster and more responsive versions based on Motion Card Model
• Faster motion options for the industry's highest speed cutting
• Faster Analog Input reading up to 20 times
• Position feedback now reads up to 22,000,000 times a second
• Constant Surface Feed feature combined with True RPM features
• Rapid Over Ride is now user configurable
• Tighter closed servo loop with in-position monitoring & automatic position correction
• Tighter accuracy control for Automatic Height Control using Ultra Sound
• Updated Windows and hardware drivers for more motion and I/O hardware choices
• More I/O relay points with reverse polarity control
• More Auxiliary I/O choices
• More Gantry / Flying Bridge set up choices
• More Tool Offset handling choices
• More extended I/O options and displays
• Improved Graphics to Motor Motion Feature (G code not required)
• Improved print out descriptions of all I/O, homes and limits
• True Type Fonts option now includes stick figure fonts plus 12 more fonts provided
• Raster To Vector now removes material from interior pockets automatically

New and/or Improved Files

• Many more Mill, Lathe, Router, Grinder, EDM and Punch CBK files
• Revised Plasma, Water Jet, Robotics, Thread Grinder and Laser files
• More free individual pre-written, user-configurable tool change / turret routines
• Pre-written positioning routines for hydraulic valves with a variety of feedback choices
• More tube and wire bending routines
• More automatic routines for grinders
• More Macros for finding midway points, set fixture offsets, drilling, etc.
• Improved Gear Change macros
• Over 3000 combinations to nest macro calls
• Diagnostic Watch Window shows more info
• Expanded RULES files for extreme customization
• Expanded History LOGFILE.FIL Files – includes more types of history events
• Customizable Shape Library for Flame Cutters
• New Windows RUN and Self Registry programs

New Features

• New external Ethernet motion box with 10 times faster communications
• Auto sensing &switching to the best performance for Ethernet boards
• Home each axis separately
• Controllable axes position error, settable down to micrometers
• Quick pause and interrupt an existing G code program to insert MDI code then resume
• Secondary Dual Axis Readout Group
• Establish Custom Modal Default Choices
• Industrial Wireless Communications up to 4 miles
• Monitoring and self correcting min/max RPM
• Utilities for statistics print out, nesting existing parts and wrapping 2D shapes around a cylinder
• Customizable dual readouts
• Cutting Material Tables
• Drill Cycle has 2 rapid planes settings to clear fixtures
• Cutting Speed advantages for faster CPUs
• Do G02/G03 Arcs in up to 8 coordinated axes
• 360 Degree pressure sensitive 5 axis joy stick to teach robotic movements
• 3D joy stick with up to 6 axis Teach mode
• ACT ON logic command allows user to define how each line of G code is executed
• SWAP logic command for hand wheels using multiple pendants
• New CHECKOFFSETS logic command
• SPINADJUST logic command expanded to 5 parameters for better RPM control
• New time measuring commands
• ActiveX Time Scheduler performs tasks at set times
• Auto Connect Feature with obstacle avoidance (AS3000)
• Right Click on Screen to Drive Tool graphically (AS3000)