Specifications

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Southwestern Industries, Inc.
TRAK LPM Programming, Safety, & Operating Manual
 Connection of an incline plane and another event
 Connection of two events that lie in different planes
Using Geometry Programming, it is impossible for the ProtoTRAK PMX CNC to
calculate a tool path for these cases without creating a problem: in cutting the geometry
desired in the first event, the tool ends up out of position for the next event. Resolving the
difference in tool position where the first event ends and the next event begins means
either the CNC calculates and makes an unprogrammed move, or it retracts the tool out
and then back into the part.
These cases are not encountered often, but when they are you have the option of using
Tool Path programming. In Tool Path programming you define the events the same way,
but all inputs are treated as tool center. It is your job to calculate and program the tool
path.
Programs generated by CAD/CAM systems are always generated as Tool Path programs.
5.3 Planes and Vertical Planes
A plane is any flat surface. If that surface lies flat on the table, it is the XY plane. That
is, if you move your finger along that surface or plane, you are moving in the X and/or Y
direction, but not in Z (or at least not until you pick your finger up). If you tilted that
surface (think of it as a piece of paper) straight up so that it faces the front of the
machine, it would be in the XZ plane. If you tilted it up so that it faced left or right, it
would be in the YZ plane.
A vertical plane is any plane (or surface) tipped up on its edge on the table (see below).
Unlike most CNC controls, the ProtoTRAK PMX CNC can machine arcs in any vertical
plane rather than just XZ or YZ.
Vertical planes.