Wire Notes

Output for wire erosion machines is different to that of either Milling and Turning. Pathtrace have developed a method to access data, which is used in EDGEWIRE.WXT. What follows is a description of this technique, and we recommend that it is used in all EdgeCAM Wire Code Generators.

Four axis CNC output is performed through two macros, Macro 17, Machine Design and Macro 26, Cut Glue Stop.

Information about the upper and lower profiles is made available in the XPOINT(), YPOINT(), ZPOINT() array. All data required for both cycle output and expanded output (that is, point to point links for XYUV output) is contained within this array. This array is composed of the three variables and is of variable length.

For each pair of entities being linked (upper and lower), the X, Y ,ZPOINT() array is filled with:

  1. Header block.

  2. Block for the XY entity.

  3. Block for the UV entity.

  4. Block of expanded data required for longhand output.

The array is loaded from element one through to the value indicated by the system variable LAST.
 

Guide height values are only applied to longhand output. Code Generators working at guide heights should have taper mode disabled and 4-axis circular arcs should be converted to linear moves.