Manual
Table Of Contents
- Controls of the 3500i
- Manual Information
- Introduction
- Machining Fundamentals
- Manual Data Input
- Tool Management
- 4.1 Tool Table
- 4.2 Tool Data
- Program Management
- Conversational Editing
- Programming: Canned Cycles, sub-programs
- 7.1 Explaining Basic Cycles
- Round/Chamfer
- Rapid
- Line
- Arc
- Dwell:
- Plane Selection
- Reference Point Return:
- Fixture Offset (Work Coordinate System Select):
- Unit (Inch/MM)
- Dimension (Abs/Inc)
- Absolute Zero Set
- Block Form
- Temporary Path Tolerance
- System Data
- FeedRate
- FeedRate (4th-Axis)
- Spindle RPM
- M - Functions
- Tool Definition and Activation
- Repeat Blocks
- 7.2 Canned Cycles
- 7.3 Probing Cycles
- 7.4 Sub-programs
- 7.1 Explaining Basic Cycles
- Drawing Programs
- Running a Program on the Machine
- CAM: Programming
- 10.1 CAM Programming
- CAM Mode
- Recommended CAM Programming Sequence
- CAM Mode Mouse Operations
- CAM Mode Screen
- Activating CAM Mode
- Creating a New Program
- Tool Path Data Input
- Quick Coordinate Entry
- Job Setup: Basic tab
- Job Setup: Advanced tab
- Comment Tab
- Block Form: Basic tab
- Comment Tab
- Drilling Cycle:
- Drilling dialogue:
- Mill Cycle
- Pocket Cycle
- Pocket Finish Cycles
- Engraving Cycle
- Program Directive
- Modifying Toolbar
- Viewing Tools
- CAM Mode buttons
- CAM Setup
- Geometry
- DXF Import Feature
- Modifying Tools
- Shapes
- Tool Table
- Tool Paths
- CAM Example 1
- CAM Example 2
- 10.1 CAM Programming
- G-Code Edit, Help, & Advanced Features
- 11.1 G-Code Program Editing
- 11.2 G-Code and M-Code Definitions
- 11.3 Edit Help
- 11.4 Advanced Programming
- SPEED
- M - Functions
- Order of Execution
- Programming Non-modal Exact Stop:
- In-Position Mode (Exact Stop Check):
- Contouring Mode (Cutting Mode) :
- Setting Stroke Limit:
- Return from Reference Point:
- Move Reference from Machine Datum:
- Modifiers
- Block Separators
- Tool Offset Modification
- Expressions and Functions
- System Variables
- User Variables
- Variable Programming (Parametric Programming)
- Probe Move (G31)
- Conditional Statements
- Short Form Addressing
- Logical and Comparative Terms
- File Inclusion
- 11.5 Four Axis Programming
- Software Update
- Off-Line Software

viii
Manual Information
Changed Functions of Software
689 871-01-01
Feed & Speed Calculator in MDI was changed; see page 55.
Feeds & Speeds Table functionality and description was expanded;
see page 68.
Additional information for the Repeat blocks feature is being
provided; see page 147.
689 871-01-02
Linear and Arc Engraving cycles now apply active program rotation.
Mirroring and scaling are still cancelled at the start of the cycle. No
rotation, mirroring, or scaling is active after these cycles have run,
and would need to be reprogrammed if desired; see page 110.
Tool Table Teach and Teach Program buttons are now configurable
as to their positions on the menu; see page 66.
The setting to hide or show the on-screen keyboard is now
persistent across machine power cycles; see page 13.
689 871-01-03
Rotation cycles (G68 and RMS) now allow user to specify if the
rotation center is a pivot point for the rotation or not; see page 239.
A circle of the format XYR with start=end now generates an error
because it cannot be properly calculated; see page 134.
The M98 Help Form now includes the previously missing Loop
parameter; see page 238.
689 871-01-04
The Conversational Editor now always ensures that a blank line
exists at the end of programs, in order to make it easy to insert new
blocks at the end of the program; see page 112.
When turning OFF Edit Preview, the active program preview run is
now cancelled. Also, the Preview Features menu is now available
while the program preview is running; see page 116.
689 871-01-05
Added description of estimated machining time in preview image;
see page 93.
Outdated estimated machining times are now displayed on the
preview image in RED colored text; see page 93.
689 871-01-08
Corrected total number of available tools (100); see page 61.
Additional information has been added for islands; see page 192.
Added examples of pockets with islands; see page 241.
689 871-01-09
Pocket cycles now allow changing the direction of the Roughing
Pass, and as such the previous 'FinishDir' parameter has been
superseded by a new 'Direction' parameter, which now applies to
both the Roughing and Finishing passes; see page 171