CNC12 Version 4.12 for Oak, Red Oak and Allin1DC Release Notes

CNC12 supports Centroid wireless MPG (CWP-4 ) and the Touch Screen Control panel "Virtual Control Panel" (VCP) for use with Oak, Red Oak and Allin1DC.

Release Date: 06-Sep-2018

General Changes and Additions

• Added optional switch (/1 - /6) to specify font family when using M224 or M225.
• Changed default paths for digitizing data to be in /cncm/digitzed_data. Note that pathm.ini will not change if it already exists.
• Changed the default mill PID collection program to have a command (G64 off) to turn off smoothing.
• Changed the G28 and G53 commands to allow a positive L word to specify a given feedrate. These commands normally move at rapid rate. The typical rapid movement where the Z axis would move up first (or down last) remains intact, it will just do so at the given feedrate. Although there are other ways to make a move to an absolute position or return point at feedrate using user variable computations, this change will make specifying such movement easier.
• Added user variable #4203 that returns the tool in the spindle. Added to support tool changes on five axis systems where special movement is needed depending upon which tool is in the spindle (and which tool is being changed to).
• For MPU11/MPU12 hardware with absolute encoders (specified by a non-zero machine parameter 316), after a firmware update the user is shown a messagebox dialog indicating the need to power off and restart. Note that we expect further changes in MPU12/DRIVECOMM firmware to not require a power off after a firmware update when using absolute encoders.
• Added PLC system variable SV_SYS_MACRO (32-bit W type). When changed to a non-zero value, CNC software will execute the macro named plcmacroN.mac located in the \cncm\system (or \cnct\system for lathe) folder. This is conditioned upon being at the main menu and not running a job or in the MDI prompt.
• Added PLC system variable SV_USB_MPG_ENCODER_WHEEL.
• Added PLC system variables SV_PLC_SET_AXIS_1_PART_ZERO - SV_PLC_SET_AXIS_8_PART_ZERO.
• The M26 with L word cannot be used on an axis with an absolute encoder and results in failure "602 M26 L command on axis with absolute encoder".
• Changed WCS origin menu to disallow both CSR and TWCS from being turned on at the same time.
• The report.txt file shows more decimal places for Motor revs/in and jog rates are formatted better.
• Lathe: Added machine parameter 59 (Tool Check Options) where bit zero (+1) specifies that the macro named tcmacro.mac is executed in response to a tool check during the execution of a program (this does not include an MDI move). Bit 1 (+2) will lock the spindle speed to that in effect when tool check was pressed and using this bit effectively may require PLC program and/or macro changes.
• Lathe: Implemented Dry Run feature. This feature uses machine parameter 128 (Dry Run PLC bit) and machine parameter 129 (Dry Run Feedrate). When starting a job, a check is made of the Dry Run PLC bit and if it is set then the job is run with all non-thread/tap moves converted to feed/minute at the Dry Run Feedrate. If in dry run mode, the Feedrate word in the status window is drawn reverse video (blue letters on a yellow background).
• Initial support for USB MPG. Uses machine parameter 218 (USB MPG Options), which should be set to 1 to start the MpgClient.exe when CNC12 starts. PLC program changes are required.
• Initial version of Skinning API 2.0 (CncSkinning.dll), which will allow dependencies of WinPcap (or .NET related equivalents) to be removed from the PLC Detective and Virtual Control Panel (VCP), and which also makes it a lot easier and more user friendly to create skinning apps. The documentation for the C# API interface can be found on the Centroid factory internal software server (C# Skinning 2.0 Draft Documentation).
• Initial support for ENCEXP12 hardware for REDOAK.
• Changes to make CNC12 software more responsive after a communications error.
• A report now includes files with the xps extension. These files are a more detailed format of the Yaskawa usr files.
• Added a line-continuation character ('\') that allows you to type a single G-code line over multiple lines. Note that when the line is displayed in the G-code display it will be displayed as one line.
• The non-demo files in the ncfiles directory are now installed to the system directory.
• Report file has additional (and correct) information on operating system, memory, and processor.
• The MPU11 is always set to operate at 528MHz. Consequently, the F3 MPU11 Speed key in the User Maintenance menu no longer appears. A message is written to debug_dump0.txt indicating that the processor is set at 528 MHz (regardless of the feature bit settings).
• Added Virtual Control Panel feature. Machine parameter 219 (Virtual Control Panel Options) will launch the VirtualControlPanel.exe if set to a non-zero value. The Virtual Control Panel (VCP) functionality requires changes to the PLC program.
• Implemented basic macro preprocessing capabilities to aid in understandability and maintenance of macro programs. To define a macro symbol, use a line of the form:

        DEFINE <macro_name> substitution_text
  
        A short example would be:
        
        DEFINE <START_X> #101
        DEFINE <START_Y> #102
  
        <START_X> = 2.0
        <START_Y> = 1.25
  
        G0 X<START_X> Y<START_Y>
  

• Implemented SV_PC_CURRENT_WCS system variable so the PLC program is aware of the current WCS and can act on it as desired.
• Added optional probe protection (can be enabled with Parameter 153) to the following G-codes: G00, G01, G02, G03, G28, G29, G30, G53, G73, G76, G81, G82, G83, G85, G89, G173, G176, G181, G182, G183, G185, G189, M91, M92, M105, M106, M25, and M128.
• Modified the Jog Parameters Menu to separate fast jog speeds for the minus (-)and plus(+) directions. Also added a second page where the same fields can be set for when a probe is connected.
• Added a new feature to display the current active G-codes, as well as programmed feedrate and spindle speed. Parameter 46 can be used to disable this feature or turn in on for use in MDI only.
• The CNC12 setup.exe installer will replace a CNC11 Desktop shortcut with the CNC12 one. Also, when installing Mill or Lathe (non-demo), the installer will remove all startup links for CNC11/CNC12 Mill/Lathe before creating one for the current install, which should prevent multiple start.bat invocations when starting Windows. Further, the startup link that launches start.bat does so with a minimized window, so a user will only notice an icon in the taskbar before CNC12 software starts.
• Changes to allow an arc command to use axes 5-8 in the movement.
• Changed the behavior of the ALT-P to mimic that of ALT-I in terms of how the live PID values should be displayed.
• Added mpg probe protection. When the probe is tripped, the MPG only works at 1x speeds
• Added feature where MDI history is visible on the screen when the software is in MDI mode.
• Added a system variable SV_DISABLE_STALL_DETECTION that can be used by the PLC to enable/disable stall detection.
• Plot.exe: Added an F6 key (Offset First/Scale First) to the F3 Toggles menu to switch the order of transformation for the scale and offset (as specified in the F2 Data menu).
• Added scale position error "410 %c axis(%d) scale position error" which will occur if the scale correction is too excessive (0.025 inches for a linear axis and 0.5 degrees for a rotary axis).
• Added feature to "lock out" specified work coordinate systems (parameter 45 is the WCS Lockout parameter now).
• Absolute encoder initial implementation. See TB301 for more information.
• Initial support for REDOAK hardware.
• The reading of user variables #502x and #504x has been changed so that if the specified axis is a manual axis (as indicated by machine parameter 259) and a job is running, then the value returned is the current reading instead of the parse position (which for a manual axis is only set at the start of job execution). This change makes it easier to read the DRO machine/local position of a manual axis without having to read the absolute encoder positions and convert them manually.
• The "Compound canned cycle error" has been modified so that it allows multiple holes to be specified as long as the B axis angle has not changed.
• Changes to homing (M91/M92) commands so that if the probe is tripped, the command fails. Also, when making the move off the limit switch, the distance is bound to 0.25 inches for a linear axis and 45 degrees for a rotary axis which typically has 30 degrees of travel in the tripped state. If the bounds are exceeded and the limit is still tripped, a limit tripped fault will occur.
• The user variable substitution in plcmsg.txt has been modified to allow a literal '#' by escaping it with the backslash character.