HPGL Interface Specifications ssrouter, ssplasma,sslathe,sslaser Aug 14, 2008 Testra Corporation

Transcription

1 HPGL Interface Specifications ssrouter, ssplasma,sslathe,sslaser Aug 14, 2008 Testra Corporation GENERAL All positional numbers are in plotter units of 1 mil. For example the number would represent inches. Leading zeros are not necessary, and spaces are ignored. Fractional plotter units are allowed using a decimal point to attain 0.1 mil resolution. For example the number would represent inches. Feedrates are to be specified in cm/second with up to 4 places after the decimal point. xxx.xxxx The notation ESC is for the literal ascii decimal 27 character. 2.0 NORMAL HPGL TYPE COMMANDS 2.1 IN - INITIALIZE This command returns the system to its default state, without changing position. Dwell times are returned to zero, offsets are zeroed, and the plot mode is set to absolute. Format - IN; 2.2 FR - FRAME ADVANCE This command causes motion to halt, the Z axis to retract, the x-y position to move to the park position, and the system to wait for operator input. May be used for tool changes, etc. After successful operator input, the X-Y then Z axis will return to their previous positions. Format FR; 2.3 NR - NOT READY This command causes motion to pause and the system to wait for operator input. May be used for tool changes, inspection, etc. You can also cause the the z position to retract out of the way. After successful operator input, the Z axis will return to its previous position and the job will continue. Format NR<f>;

2 NR; or NR0; Pause. Router: Also retract Z. NR1; Pause. Do not retract Z. 2.4 PA - PLOT ABSOLUTE This causes the system to go into absolute mode. All subsequent coordinates will be interpreted as absolute positions. Format - PA; This command appears by itself Format - PA x1,y1; Moves to absolute coordinate x1,y1 2.5 PD - PEN DOWN If the system is in the Pen Up state, this command will cause the system to enter the Pen Down state causing the Z axis to in feed to it's cutting position at it's infeed velocity previously set by the VZ command. Subsequent motion in the x-y plane will move at a constant feed rate previously set by the VS command. At the completion of the Z move, x-y motion will proceed to the next coordinate pair which is included with this command. If the system is already in the Pen Down state, the x-y motion will continue on to the next coordinate pair which is included with this command. Format - PD; Just plunges at the current position PD x1,y1; 2.6 PG - ADVANCE FULL PAGE This command causes the program to terminate, goes to the home position, sets all initial conditions, and sets the file pointer back to the start of the program. This is for compatibility purposes with some other programs and is not generally used. Format - PG; 2.7 PR - PLOT RELATIVE This causes the system to go into relative mode. All subsequent coordinates will be interpreted as relative positions. Format - PR; This command appears by itself Format - PR x1,y1; Moves to relative coordinate x1,y1 2.8 PU - PEN UP If the system is in the Pen Down state, this command will cause the system to enter the

3 Pen Up state causing the Z axis to retract to it's traveling position at it's maximum velocity. Subsequent motion in the x-y plane will move at its maximum velocity. At the completion of the Z move, x-y motion will proceed to the next coordinate pair which is included with this command. If the system is already in the Pen Up state, the x-y motion will continue on to the next coordinate pair which is included with this command. Format - PU; PU x1,y1; Just retracts. 2.9 PZ - PLOT 3D MOVE Format - PZ x1,y1,z1; This command is absolute if proceeded somewhere by a PA command, and relative if proceeded by a PR command. The sign convention will be +z below the work zero surface, and -z above the work surface. The PZ command is not conditioned by the pen up state or the pen down state. PZ will simply commence with the 3d move at the current feedrate set by VS from the current machine position. 2.A SO - SET OFFSET This command causes all subsequent position commands to be interpreted relative to this offset position. To clear the offset you can use SO0,0; or SO; Format - SOx1,y1; 2.B VS - VELOCITY SELECT This sets the feedrate for the cutter in the x-y plane while in the pen down state. While in the pen up state, motion will proceed at maximum velocity. Decimal Format - VSxxx.xxxx; where xxx.xxxx represents centimeters per second leading and trailing zeros may be omitted 2.C VZ - VELOCITY SELECT Z-FEED This sets the infeed rate for the cutter in the Z plane when the pen transitions from the up to the down state. While transitioning from the down state to the up state motion will proceed at the maximum Z travel velocity. Decimal Format - Vzxxx.xxxx;

4 where xxx.xxxx represents centimeters per second leading and trailing zeros may be omitted 2.D XP - END OF JOB This command causes the program to terminate, goes to the home position, sets all initial conditions, and sets the file pointer back to the start of the program. Format - XP; 2.E ZU - Z LIFT This command specifies the Z distance above work zero position that the z-cutter will travel while in the Pen Up state. If currently in the pen up state, the z will immediately be moved at the maximum rate to the new z lift position. A positive number is above the work surface, while a negative number is below the work surface. This isy not consistent with the ZD and PZ conventions, but is left this way for convention and to work with some other engraving programs. Integer Format - ZUxxxxx; where xxxxx represents a signed +-xx.xxxx inches leading zeros or the + may be omitted 2.F ZL - Z DWELL TIMES (for compatibility) DW - Z DWELL TIMES (preferred) This command set dwell times to wait after transitioning between the Pen Down State and the Pen Up States. Each transition has its own dwell time. The default times are zero. Integer Format - ZLddd,uuu; Dwddd,uuu; where ddd represents d.dd seconds dwell down and uuu represents u.uu seconds dwell up leading zeros may be omitted. A missing operand is assumed to be zero. Forr plasma systems, ddd the dwell down time represents the pierce time for the torch, while uuu the dwell up time represents the cutoff time to wait at the end of the cut. The cutoff time may be negative to allow for shutoff delays of the torch but is limited to a -99 milliseconds. 2.G ZD - Z CUT DEPTH This command specifies the depth of cut while the system is in the pen down state, referenced from the z work zero position. If the system is currently in the pen down state, this command will cause the z to plunge to the new z level at the plunge rate. A positive number is used for the cut depth below the work zero surface while a negative number would be used for the cut level to be above the the work zero surface.. Integer Format - ZDxxxxx;

5 where xxx represents signed +-xx.xxxx inches, leading zeros and a + may be omitted 2.H DT - DEFINE TERMINATOR This command specifies the terminator character for text strings. The default terminator is a tilde ~ unless changed by this command. 2.I SS - SPINDLE SPEED This command specifies the spindle speed in RPM. Integer Format Ssxxxxx; Where xxxxx represents speed in RPM. Leading zeros may be omitted. 2.J TC - TORCH CURRENT This command is used with plasma cutting systems, and specifies the torch current in amperes. Integer Format TCiii; Where iii represents torch current in AMPERES. Leading zeros may be omitted. 2.K AV - ARC VOLTAGE This command is used with plasma cutting systems, and specifies the plasma arc voltage to servo to for automatic torch height control systems. Integer Format AVvvv; Where vvv represents torch voltage in VOLTS. Leading zeros may be omitted. 2.L LA - LATHE over X or Y axis This command is used with simple lathe cutting systems. When set ON, the carriage will move to the fixed position which has been set at the control panel, over the centerline of the axis of rotation of the Lathe, and the lathe will spin up to the speed set by the LS command. It may be either the x or y physical axis on a combo machine, but will always be referred to as the x axis from the CAM program. While switched into lathe mode, PU commands will be interpreted as PU x, z; where x is travel over the centerline of the lathe axis of rotation, and z is the cutter depth above the centerline axis of the rotating work. Format - Lan; n=0 Lathe Off

6 n=1 Lathe On End of File mark ESCe will automatically turn lathe mode off. 2.M LS - LATHE Speed in RPM This command specifies the lathe speed in RPM. It should be issued prior to the LA command. Integer Format Lsxxxxx; Where xxxxx represents speed in RPM. Leading zeros may be omitted 2.N EX - Extents of Job This command is sent near the beginning of the file before the first move. It passes the extents of the job envelope to the ssrouter or ssplasma application so it can determine if the job can fit on the machine and is positioned within the work envelope of the machine. Format - EXxll,yll,zl,xur,yur,zd; Where ll represents the lower left, ur the upper right extent. zl is the maximum lift above the work zero surface. Normal sign is positive. zd is the maximum cut depth below the work zero surface. Normal sign is positive.. 2.O PH - Pierce Height This command sets the height above the surface that the torch will be moved to for starting the pierce. It will be moved from this position to the torch height (TH) over the time interval specified for the pierce time in the DW command. Format - PHzzz; Where zzz represents the height above the surface in plotter units (1mil). zzz is an unsigned intiger. 2.P CT - Control Outputs This command sets turns on or off system control outputs. Format - CT<id>,<f>; Where <id> indicates which control output to be switched, and <f> is the switch. id values <id> gas or coolant = 0 auxiliary = 1 exhaust / vent = 8

7 switch values <f> off = 0 on = 1 2.Q LP - Laser Power in Percentage This command sets the Laser Power Level in percent. Format - LPnnn; where the number nnn is in percentage with a valid value of R PS - Cutting Speed in Percentage of max speed. This command sets the Cutting Speed in percent of the maximum speed of the fastest axis. It is primary use is with the Laser, as this method is widely used for the speed specification along with the Laser power in percentage form. There is also a binary version of the command. Format - Psnnn.nn: where the number nnn.nn is the percentage speed with a valid value range of 0.01 to S VP - Vector Pulse Mode This command sets the Laser Vector Pulse Mode in either pulses per inch (PPI) or pwm mode (DPI), and specifies the pulse density. Format - VPnnnn,f; where the number nnnn is in dots or pixels per inch wiith a valid value range of The flag f if set to zero or if missing (Vpnnnn;) sets the laser control to PWM mode, with the energy spread over the 1/nnnn distance. If the flag is set to one, PPI mode is set, which concentrates the energy at the beginning of the 1/nnnn distance. 2.T RD - Rotary Diameter This command tells the controller the surface diameter of the part so that it may adjust motion parameters reflecting the surface velocity of the part on a rotary fixture. RDxxxx; where xxxx is a normal distance number in plotter units. i.e =3.121 inches or = inches The outputting CAM program needs to scale the all the data by the controllers parameter for plotter units per revolution of the rotary fixture. Typically this will be 3600 for most Testra applications so should be used as the default value. For ULS systems it is Scaling Factor = (plotter units per rev)/pi*d where D=rotary diameter

8 3.0 ESCAPE COMMANDS Escape commands are used for switching into different modes of sending data and commands to the system. The following will be needed for the Router, Laser, Lathe and Plasma applications. The notation used for the Escape character is <esc> for ASCII 27 in base <esc>t - Title OR JOB NAME This command identifies the file so that a machine operator may select from a number of jobs that may reside in the local buffer memory of the router. The command should be placed near the beginning of the file. If the job name should exceed 15 characters, it will be truncated. Format - <esc>tjobname~ 3.2 <esc>e - END OF FILE INDICATOR This command identifies the end of the file. When a file is sent out via a Windows print spooler, you never know exactly how long it will take, or what time interruptions will be, so it is difficult to determine where the end of the file is without parsing everything in the file as it is comming in. To simplify only <esc> codes are parsed. This command must be on the last line of the file. Format - <esc>e 3.3 <esc>c - TEXT MESSAGE This command sends a text message to the second line of the Operation Display. One of the uses will be to send the tool information on tool changes to the operator. If the text message exceeds 20 characters on the Router it will be truncated on the display. For the Laser it is limited to 7 characters. Format - <esc>ct1 1/4" BALL ENDMILL"~ 4.0 TOOL CHANGES AND OTHER MATTERS 4.1 BEGINNING OF FILE The following is an example of how the file should start: <esc>tthis IS THE JOB~ \ Job Name to display on panel. IN; \ Initializes the System <esc>ct13 1/8 FLAT ENDMILL~ \ Operator Message to Display for first tool

9 VS3.62; \ Feedrate for first tool VZ0.98; \ Plunge Rate for first tool SS12500; \ Spindle Speed for first tool ZU50; \ Rapid Height or Lift ZD125; \ Cut depth for first segment EXxll,yll,zl,xur,yur,zd; \ Extents of the work envelope reference PUxx,yy; \ Starting Routing point PDxx,yy; \ End of first routing segment END OF FILE The following is an example of how the file should end:... XP; <esc>e \Optional \Required to mark end of file 4.3 MANUAL TOOL CHANGES Manual tool changes will be implemented using the previously defined commands. The following output code is an example for a change within the file : continue... PU; xyz position at the Puxx,yy;... <esc>ct13 1/8" FLAT ENDMILL~\ Operator Message to Display VS3.62; \ New Feedrate VZ0.98; \ New Plunge Rate SS12500; \ New Spindle Speed FR; 4.4 DRILLING Simple drilling may be done as follows: \ Gets the tool tip retracted to the Fly height. \ Moves to toolchange position. \ Operator Control to \ Then moves back to the \ First point for next tool to start cutting

10 ... Zddd; \ Where dd is the drilling depth Vzn.nn \ Where n.nn is the drill plunge feed rate Puxx,yy; \ Where xx,yy is the drilling coordinate PD; \ Causes drilling to occur Puxx,yy;\ \ Where xx,yy is the next drilling coordinate... \ etc. Peck drilling may be done in the following manner:... ZU50; \ Where 50 is the Fly Height or Clearance above work VZnn.nn; \ Where n.nn is the drill plunge feed rate PUxx,yy; \ Where xx,yy is the drilling coordinate ZD100;PD; \ Initial Drill to 0.1" at plunge rate ZU-50;PU; \ Retract 0.05" at Rapid Rate ZD200;PD; \ Drill to 0.2" at Plunge Rate ZU-150;PU; \ Retract 0.05" at Rapid Rate ZD300;PD; \ Drill to 0.3" at Plunge Rate ZU50; \Reset Traverse Height PUx2,y2; \ Retract at Rapid rate. Next Drill Coordinate... \ Etc.