Circular arc, How to do?

    we have a new arcmate 120iC, with the new fanuc pendant. When we try to program a cicular arc (instructions from manual) it is not on my teach pendant.
    Do i have to teach the four points then go and change the "L" to "C"? there should be an easier way than having to go back and edit.
    Its seems that the software in the pendant is newer than the instruction manual so I have no idea on how to do this. any sample s out there?

    for circle arc you have to change it to A.
    Thire is a quiker way, Try selecting ARCSTRT [F2], WELD_PT [F3] or ARCEND [F4] without holding down the SHIFT botton, Then chose ED_DEF so you can pre define how you want your points to be, change a point to "A" (circle arc) then when difined press DONE. now every time you select either ARCSTRT, WELD_PT or ARCEND it will be a circle arc

    You are best to not teach the 4 points, then change them to circular, because when you change a point to circular, it automatically adds an end point.

    The way I have always done it is I teach the start point (usually as linear) then move to the mid point of the arc and teach that as a new point (Joint or linear doesn't matter). I then change this new point to a circular point by highlighting the L (or J if joint) and pressing F4 for choice and selecting circular. I then move to the end point of the arc and teach that in the new point that is needed for circular.

    Hope this helps

    Thanks for the help, it works! Now, how to change a weld schedule in the middle of the circle? example: start point is arc start #1 midpoint want to change to arc start #2, is that possible?

    It is possible to change schedules on the fly. I have not done it myself, but in theory, if you perform a new arc start on a point mid path, you can change schedules. There is probably also a command to change schedules as well.

    Hope this helps

    let me give you more info..welding on alum 3/16 thk base with 1" sch 40 piece of pipe. the weld in on the "inside of the pipe. I start my first half circle just fine using arc start #1, continuing on the other half of the circle at midway point the material is starting to get too hot, so thats when i want to change the heat a little.
    so far i can only do one half of the circle on one setting and the other half of the circle on the other setting. would love to be able to change at midway point???

    Now, the easiest way to modify your working program to add a new arc start is to move your cursor to the end of the second circle line (just past the termination type) and press the F4 button for choice, and select arc start.

    Your final section should look something like the following (been a bit, and going from memory)

    L[1:start point] 2000mm Fine, Arc Start[1]
    C[2:circle point 1] 2000mm/s CNT100
    [3:circle point 2]
    C[4:circle point 3] 2000mm/s CNT100, Arc Start[2]
    [5:circle point 4]
    Arc End[2]

    Hope this helps

    I find it easier to use circle arc instead of simple circular. example:

    1: A P[1] 800mm/sec FINE
    Arc Start[1]
    2: A P[2] 10mm/sec CNT100
    3: A P[3] 10mm/sec CNT100
    Arc Start[2]
    4: A P[4] 10mm/sec CNT100
    5: A P[5] 10mm/sec CNT100
    6: A P[6] 10mm/sec FINE
    Arc End[20]

    hope this helps...

    I`m running this full circle welding program with R-J3 controller.
    ....
    91: J P[91] 40% FINE
    : ArcStart[1]
    92: C P[92]
    : P[93] 30inch/min CNT10
    93: C P[94]
    : P[95] 30inch/min CNT10
    : ArcEnd[1]
    .....

    P[91] and P[95] are at the same position.
    I can add another ArcStart[ ] at P[93] only.
    At P[92] and P[94], the Motion option is Offset and Tool_offset.

    So, if I want to weld a full circle with 3 ArcStart[ ], I will teach a (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 ) circle program.

    With the new arcmate 120iC, can you add the ArcStart[ ] at any point ? That`s good news!

    Try this to program a circular path.

    Instead of teaching positions along the circular path, you can write the position information to a position register within a main program. For example, assume you are welding a circular part that is 100MM in diameter. Lines 37-42 below sets the position register elements for PR(30) at a 50MM radius and 90 degrees. Lines 45-50 set PR(31) at 100MM diameter at 180 degrees and so on. The only taught point would be the weld start position which is a linear move. The remaining moves (90 degrees, 180 degrees...) are Circular (C) incremental moves (INC) as shown below. When INC moves are used, the robot will move, uhh incrementally, from the previous position.

    By the way, the program below is referencing a Weld Precedure and Schedule where is says 'Weld Start[2,1]'. All of the weld parameters are set in the procedure & schedule and you can certainly change schedule during a weld. You set-up the weld procedure settings by going to Data, Type, Weld Procedure. I think there are 6 schedules per weld procedure. Within the schedules, you can set all kinds of parameters such as sheild gas pre/post flow time, Arc ramping by position or time, torch speed, dwell time...what is avalialable probably depends on your equipment.
    Also, if you select 'WELD_SPEED' as shown below, the program will reference whatever speed you call out in the Schedule. Other wise, if you have a speed called out in the program, such as 10 ipm, this will supercede a speed in teh weld schedule.

    36: !90 DEGREES ;
    37: PR[GP1:30,1:90_DEG]=50 ;
    38: PR[GP1:30,2:90_DEG]=50 ;
    39: PR[GP1:30,3:90_DEG]=0 ;
    40: PR[GP1:30,4:90_DEG]=0 ;
    41: PR[GP1:30,5:90_DEG]=0 ;
    42: PR[GP1:30,6:90_DEG]=(-90) ;
    43: ;
    44: !180 ;
    45: PR[GP1:31,1:180_DEG]=100 ;
    46: PR[GP1:31,2:180_DEG]=0 ;
    47: PR[GP1:31,3:180_DEG]=0 ;
    48: PR[GP1:31,4:180_DEG]=0 ;
    49: PR[GP1:31,5:180_DEG]=0 ;
    50: PR[GP1:31,6:180_DEG]=(-180) ;
    51: ;
    52: !270 ;
    53: PR[GP1:32,1:270_DEG]=(-50) ;
    54: PR[GP1:32,2:270_DEG]=(-50) ;
    55: PR[GP1:32,3:270_DEG]=0 ;
    56: PR[GP1:32,4:270_DEG]=0 ;
    57: PR[GP1:32,5:270_DEG]=0 ;
    58: PR[GP1:32,6:270_DEG]=(-90) ;
    59: ;
    60: !360 ;
    61: PR[GP1:33,1:360_DEG]=(-100) ;
    62: PR[GP1:33,2:360_DEG]=0 ;
    63: PR[GP1:33,3:360_DEG]=0 ;
    64: PR[GP1:33,4:360_DEG]=0 ;
    65: PR[GP1:33,5:360_DEG]=0 ;
    66: PR[GP1:33,6:360_DEG]=(-180) ;


    Main Program

    15:L P[3:0_DEG_WELD_START] 200.0inch/min FINE Offset,PR[R[10]] ;
    16: Weld Start[2,1] ;
    17: Track AVC[2] ;
    18:C PR[30:90_DEG]
    : PR[31:180_DEG] WELD_SPEED CNT100 INC ;
    19:C PR[32:270_DEG]
    : PR[33:360_DEG] WELD_SPEED CNT100 INC ;
    20: Weld Start[2,2] ;
    21: Track End ;


    Have fun with that.

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