CAD/CAM Code: MTE-423

BY
Layth Fadhil
MSc. In production engineering
E-mail: [email protected]

Lectures for 4th grade / 2nd semester

University of Al-Qadisiyah / College of Engineering,
Department of Materials Engineering

Lecture Sixth
Part Programming.

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

1
Part programming is the final step before machining, it can be done manually or by CAM programs. There are
several languages to create machining programs and tool-path planning, here we are going to talk about APT and
G-code.

APT: Automatically Programmed Tooling.

APT is a three-dimensional NC programming system. APT is not only a language; it is also the computer program that processes the APT
statements to calculate the corresponding cutter positions and generate the machine tool control commands.

In computer-assisted part programming (APT), the machining instructions are written in English-like statements that are subsequently
translated by the computer into the low-level machine code that can be interpreted and executed by the machine tool controller.

When using one of the part programming languages, the two main tasks of the programmer are:
1. Defining the geometry of the work-part.
2. Specifying the tool path and operation sequence.
To program in APT, the part geometry must first be defined. Then the tool is directed to various point locations and along surfaces
of the work-part to accomplish the required machining operations. The viewpoint of the programmer is that the workpiece remains
stationary, and the tool is instructed to move relative to the part. To complete the program, speeds and feeds must be specified, tools
must be called, tolerances must be given for circular interpolation, and so forth.

There are four basic types of statements in the APT language:

A. Geometry statements, also called definition statements, are used to define the geometry elements that comprise the part.

B. Motion commands are used to specify the tool path.

C. Postprocessor statements control the machine tool operation, for example, to specify speeds and feeds, set tolerance values for
circular interpolation, and actuate other capabilities of the machine tool.
D. Auxiliary statements, a group of miscellaneous statements used to name the part program, insert comments in the program and
accomplish similar functions.

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

2
The statements are constructed of APT vocabulary words, symbols, and numbers, all arranged using appropriate punctuation.

▪ APT vocabulary words consist of six or fewer characters.

▪ Most APT statements include a slash (/) as part of the punctuation.

▪ APT vocabulary words that immediately precede the slash are called major words, whereas those that follow the slash are
called minor words.

A. Geometry Statements:
SYMBOL = GEOMETRY TYPE/DESCRIPTIVE DATA
Points
P1 = POINT/20.0,40.0,60.0
P2 = POINT/INTOF,L1,L2

[Commas are used to separate the words and numerical values in the descriptive data].

Lines: A line defined in APT is considered to be infinite length in both directions. Also, APT treats a line as a vertical plane that is
perpendicular to the x-y plane.

L3 = LINE/P3,P4
L4 = LINE/P5,PARLEL,L3

Circles: In APT, a circle is considered to be a cylindrical surface that is perpendicular to the x-y plane and extends to infinity in the z-
direction.

C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P1,RADIUS,25.0
C2 = CIRCLE/P4,P5,P6

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

3
Planes: In APT, a plane extends indefinitely.

PL1 = PLANE/P1,P2,P3
PL2 = PLANE/P2,PARLEL,PL1

Rules for formulating APT geometry statements:

1) Coordinate data must be specified in the order x, then y, then z.
2) Any symbols used as descriptive data must have been previously defined.
3) A symbol can be used to define only one geometry element.
4) Only one symbol can be used to define any given element.

Example Part Geometry Using APT

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

4
P1 = POINT/0,0,0
P2 = POINT/160.0,0,0
P3 = POINT/160.0,60.0,0
P4 = POINT/35.0,90.0,0
P5 = POINT/70.0,30.0,0
P6 = POINT/120.0,30.0,0
P7 = POINT/70.0,60.0,0
P8 = POINT/130.0,60.0,0
L1 = LINE/P1,P2
L2 = LINE/P2,P3
C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P8,RADIUS,30.0
L3 = LINE/P4,PARLEL,L1
L4 = LINE/P4,P1

B. Motion Commands:
MOTION COMMAND/DESCRIPTIVE DATA
GOTO/P1

•The statement consists of two sections separated by a slash. The first section is the basic command that indicates what move the tool
should make. The descriptive data following the slash tell the tool where to go.

At the beginning of the sequence of motion statements, the tool must be given a starting point. This is likely to be the target point following
statement:
FROM/PTARG
•Where FROM is an APT vocabulary word indicating that this is the initial point; and PTARG is the symbol assigned to the starting point.
Another way to make this statement is the following:
FROM/-20.0,-20.0,0
[The FROM statement occurs only at the start of the motion sequence].
CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil
5
Point-to-point motions.
There are only two commands: GOTO and GODLTA.
•The GOTO statement instructs the tool to go to a particular point location specified in the descriptive data.

Examples:
GOTO/P2
GOTO/25.0,40.0,0
In the first command, P2 is the destination of the tool point. In the second command, the tool has been instructed to go to the location
whose coordinates are x=25.0, y=40.0, and z=0.

The GODLTA command specifies an incremental move for the tool. To illustrate, the following statement instructs the tool to move from
its present position by a distance of 50.0mm in the x-direction, 120.0mm in the y-direction, and 40.0mm in the z-direction:

GODLTA/50.0,120.0,40.0

[The GODLTA statement is useful in drilling and related machining operations]

The tool can be directed to go to a given hole location; then the GODLTA command can be used to drill the hole, as in the following
sequence:
GOTO/P2
GODLTA/0,0,-50.0
GODLTA/0,0,50.0

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

6
Contouring Motion Commands

❖ The tool's position must be continuously controlled throughout the

move. The tool is directed along two intersecting surfaces until it
reaches a third surface, see the Figure on the left.
❖ Drive surface. This surface guides the side of the cutter.
❖ Part surface. This is the surface on which the bottom or nose of the tool
is guided.
❖ Check surface. This is the surface that stops the forward motion of the
tool in the execution of the current command. One might say that this
surface "checks" the advance of the tool.

There are several ways in which the check surface can be used. This is determined by using any of four APT modifier words in the
descriptive data of the motion statement. The four modifier words are TO, ON, PAST, and TANTO.

[The modifier word TANTO is used when the drive surface is tangent to a circular check surface].

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

7
In writing a motion statement, the part programmer must keep in mind the direction from which the tool is coming in the preceding motion.
The programmer must pretend to be riding on the top of the tool, as if driving a car. after the tool reaches the check surface in the preceding
move, does the next move involve a right turn or left turn or what? The answer to this question is determined by one of the following six
motion words, whose interpretations are illustrated in the following Figure:

Use of the APT motion words. The tool has moved from a previous position to its present
position. The direction of the next move is determined by one of the APT motion words
GOLFT, GORGT, GOFWD, GOBACK, GOUP, or GODOWN.

To begin the sequence of motion commands, the FROM statement is used. The statement following the FROM command defines the initial
drive surface, part surface, and check surface. With reference to the following figure, the sequence takes the following form:

FROM/PTARG
GO/TO,PL1,TO,PL2,TO,PL3
The symbol PTARG represents the target point where the operator has set up the tool. The GO command instructs the tool to move to the
intersection of the drive surface (PL1), the part surface (PL2), and the check surface (PL3). Because the modifier word TO has been used
for each of the three surfaces, the circumference of the cutter is tangent to PL1 and PL3, and the bottom of the cutter is on PL2.
[The three surfaces included in the GO statement must be specified in the order: (1) drive surface, (2) part surface, and (3) check
surface].

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

8
[Note that GO/TO is not the same as the GOTO command. GOTO is used only for PTP motions. The GO/ command is used to
initialize a sequence of contouring motions and may take alternatives forms such as GO/ON,GO/TO, or GO/PAST].

Suppose it is now desired to move the tool along plane PL3, with PL2 remaining as the part surface. The following command would
accomplish this motion:

GORGT/PL3,PAST,PL4

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

9
Example APT Contouring Motion Commands Let us write the APT motion commands to profile mill the outside
edges of our sample work-part.
The tool begins its motion sequence from a target point PTARG
located at x=0, y=-50mm and z=10mm.
We also assume that "part surface" PL2 has been defined as a plane
parallel to the x-y plane and located 25mm below the top surface
of the part. The reason for defining in this way is to ensure that the
cutter will machine the entire thickness of the part.

FROM/PTARG
GO/TO,L1,TO,PL2,ON,L4
GORGT/L1,PAST,L2
GOLFT/L2,TANTO,C1
GOFWD/C1,PAST,L3
GOFWD/L3,PAST,L4
GOLEFT/L4,PAST,L1
GOTO/P0

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

10
C. Postprocessing and Auxiliary Statements

A complete APT part program must include functions not accomplished by geometry statements and motion commands. These additional
functions are implemented by postprocessor statements and auxiliary statements.
Examples:

UNITS/MM indicates that the specified units in the program are INCHES or MM.
SPINDL/1000,CLW specifies spindle rotation speed in revolutions per minute. Either CLW (clockwise) or CCLW (counterclockwise)
can be specified. (SPINDL/OFF)

CUTTER/20 defines cutter diameter for tool path offset calculation

FEDRAT/40,IPM specifies feed rate in mm/min or in/min as specifies in UNITS statements. (FEDRAT/40,MMPM)
RAPID engage high feed rate for next moves.
COOLNT/FLOOD turns fluid one.
COOLNT/OFF
LOADTL/01 used with automatic tool changing.

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

11
Example:
Drilling
a. Drill tool diameter = 7 mm
b. Tool number 1
c. N = 1000 r.p.m clockwise
d. Vf = 0.05 mm/min

Milling
a. End mill tool diameter = 20 mm
b. Tool number 2
c. N = 1000 r.p.m clockwise
d. Vf = 50 mm/min
e. Starting point (PTARG) at 0,-50,10

Let us write the

Example:
CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil
12
PARTNO DRILLING AND MILLING REMARK Start Milling Operation GODLTA/0,0,-20
UNITS/MM FROM/PTARG GODLTA/0,0,20
CUTTER/20 LOADTL/02 RAPID
PTARG = POINT/0,-50,10 SPINDL/1000,CLW GOTO/P6
P1 = POINT/0,0,-10 FEDRAT/50,IPM FEDRAT/0.05,IPM
P2 = POINT/160,0,-10 COOLNT/FLOOD GODLTA/0,0,-20
P3 = POINT/16,60,-10 GO/TO,L1,TO,PL1,TOL4 GODLTA/0,0,20
P4 = POINT/35,90,10 GORGT/L1,PAST,L2 RAPID
P5 = POINT/70,30,10 GOLFT/L2,TANTO,C1 GOTO/P7
P6 = POINT/120,30,10 GOFWD/C1,PAST,L3 FEDRAT/0.05,IPM
P7 = POINT/70,60,10 GOFWD/L3,PAST,L4 GODLTA/0,0,-20
P8 = POINT/130,60,10 GOLFT/L4,PAST,L1 GODLTA/0,0,20
L1 = LINE/P1,P2 RAPID
L2 = LINE/P2,P3 REMARK Start Drilling Operation GOTO/P8
L3 = LINE/P4,PARLEL,L1 RAPID FEDRAT/0.05,IPM
L4 = LINE/P4,P1 GOTO/PTARG GODLTA/0,0,-20
C1 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P8,RADIUS,30 SPINDL/OFF GODLTA/0,0,20
PL1 = PLANE/P1,P2,P3 COOLNT/OFF RAPID
LOADTL/01 GOTO/PTARG
RAPID SPINDL/OFF
GOTO/P5 COOLNT/OFF
COOLNT/FLOOD FINI
SPINDL/1000,CLW
FEDRAT/0.05,IPM
⇒count…

CAD/CAM By Layth Fadhil

13