User guide

160 6000 Series Programmer's Guide
Outputs Along the Path
For each segment, you may also specify an output pattern (POUT), which is to be applied to the
programmable outputs at the beginning of that segment and remains throughout that segment.
These segment-defined output patterns are stored as part of the compiled path definition. These
outputs will change state at some time between 1.5 ms before the beginning of the segment and
0.5 ms after the beginning of the segment. The programmable outputs may not be controlled
more precisely than this, because the controller updates its path position every 2 ms for steppers
and every system update for servos (see system update table in SSFR command description).
The path segment defined programmable outputs are provided so that plotting applications
may raise and lower the pen, laser cutters may turn the laser on and off, glue applicators may
be turned on and off, all at prescribed positions along the path. The output specification is
stated before the segment definition, which holds that output state. In the example below,
programmable outputs 2 and 4 are changed during the path segments.
Example
Code
DEF prog1 ; Begin definition of path program prog1
POUT1001 ; Output pattern during first arc
PARCM5,5,5 ; Specify incremental X-Y endpoint position and
; radius arc <180° for 1/4 circle CCW arc
POUT1100 ; Output pattern during second arc
PARCM5,-5,-5 ; Specify incremental X-Y endpoint
; position and radius arc >180° for
; 3/4 circle CW arc
END ; End definition of prog1
PCOMP prog1 ; Compile path program prog1
PRUN prog1 ; Execute path program prog1
OUT0000 ; Turn off programmable outputs 1-4
POUT1ØØ1
POUT11ØØ
OUTØØØØ
Paths Built Using 6000 Series Commands
When defining a given path, the commands that specify all of the path definitions must be
contained in a named block defining that path. Each path definition block has a unique name that
is used to distinguish one path from another. Because the path definition is stored as a program,
many different paths may be stored, each defined with a unique name. A path definition block
begins with a DEF command (containing its name) and ends with an END command.
The controller offers a command to compile (PCOMP) a named path definition block, and a
separate command to execute (PRUN) a named path. Once a named path is compiled, it may
be executed repeatedly without delay.
Compiling the Path
A PCOMP command will cause the controller to find the named path definition block and
compile the path described by those commands, even if that pathname had been previously
compiled. The use of variables (VAR) as parameters in path definition statements allow the
same basic path to be re-defined with slightly different sizes and shapes. They may also be
used to conditionally include or omit sections of the path.
Designed to allow compile-time determination of path parameters, there may be cases when the
controller should prompt the operator or host computer for the value to be used for path velocity or
segment end-points. Alternatively, these values may be read with the READ or DAT commands,
allowing multiple calls of a single subroutine to define similar path sections with different data
values. Commands that retrieve this data would be placed within the path definition, and would
only prompt for the information when the path is compiled (e.g., PV(READ1)).
Example
Code
VARS1="PATH VELOCITY ? " ; Create message string
DEF path1 ; Begin definition of path1
PAXES1,2 ; Set path X & Y axes
PAB1 ; Absolute path mode
PA100 ; Path acceleration
PV(READ1) ; Path velocity, to be read in when compiling
PLIN25000,25000 ; Move in a line
PLIN(VAR2),(VAR3) ; Move in a line, to be read in when compiling
END ; End definition of path1
PCOMP path1 ; Compile path1