Simple Usage of MASK

Typical CNC output required:
 

...

 

L1

Subroutine Definition

L2

Punch Component

L3

Pause

L4

Axis movement

L5

End of Definition

L6

...

L7

...

L8

Start of main code

L9

Axis movement

L10

Call Subroutine - 20 times

L11

End of code


The example will reduce the amount of output code required, but to simulate within the Pathtrace system the full graphical axes movement is required to be output.

Therefore the graphics display will be as below:
 
Previous axis movement

...

O1  Axis movement

O2  Punch Component

O3  Axes movement

O4  Punch Component

O5  Axis movement

 etc....

O36 Punch and move 17 times more ...

O37  ...

O38 End of Code

As can be seen in the example, the length of code generated would be of greatly differing lengths, and so by the same definition the block numbers would also be different.

MASK and multi-processing of the machining file overcomes the block numbering problem. To explain MASK in the outputting of L1 - L11 using the machining input data 1 - 038, MASK will be set to 0 to output the subroutine definition, and to 1 to simulate the main CNC code.

The code is then processed again with MASK set to 1 during the subroutine definition and calls, but toggling to 0 to output the main CNC code.

Therefore, by testing the value of MASK, the block number sequence can be maintained correctly.