Hello Everyone,
I work in the machine shop at a small college. We design and build things to to support the Science Departments. There is one 3 axis programmable mill in the shop, a Southwest Industries Proto Trak Quick Cell that we bought in 2002. I’m learning Fusion through the Titan Academy and trying to make it work with the Quick Cell. Not an easy task. I can draw the parts and do the CAM in Fusion. The tool paths look great in the simulation. When I load them into the mill, it gets converted into mill and arc events and then it tells me that it can’t run the program for several reasons. I’ve found a few ways to make things work but it’s mostly trial and error. I’m using the post processor for Proto Trak GCD which seems to be the only one that even gets accepted by the mill.
The controller is running windows 95 and Southwest Industries no longer supports this machine. There are no plans by my boss to upgrade our machine to something more modern.
Does anybody have any experience with this machine and Fusion or have any ideas about getting Fusion and the mill to communicate better?
This is a cut and past of your question I put on FB. I do hope it helps you out. @RobC
Spencer Robert Vincent Sometimes the older “trak” machines have a limit to the amount of code they can have in the program. Usually it’s a # of lines issue. Or it could also be a limitation to the memory the controller. Just thoughts.
try saving your posted nc code in widows notepad as a text document. Then save the text document in .GCD format (when you open the text document click “save as” then select all file types and manually input the .GCD extension in the file name). Not sure if your older control will read this extension but there is no conversational translation here. If it picks up the .GCD format you will not be able to edit the program with the mill/arc events, you’ll be forced to use a keyboard and mouse to edit a g&m program. I usually only post in .GCD when I have over about 300,000 lines of code because of buffering speed.
ignorant to autodesk, but in mastercam you have a “computer” comp option. Essentially delivers a toolpath on G40 (called tool center in prototrak control, no left/right) once you have this posted and loaded into the machine, set your tool diameter to zero or modify the diameter down to equal zero. Usually the alarm that #2 will solve is something like “mill to mill/arc fail” Trying to get cutter comp is funky using CAM on a Pototrak. I’m sure prefect post processors are out there, just never had my hands on one. Generally in the Trak LPM I program, I program without comp, add some spring passes, then spin it and send it. Go for gold baby!!
Please tell the people on Facebook “Thanks” . And thanks to you for posting it for me.
I was finally able to cut the pocket in the Titan 1-M and it came out perfect
I think I’m finally getting a handle on what I need to do to get the Quik-Cell and Fusion to communicate. I’ll see what happens with the other operations.
Just an update for anyone who is interested.
After doing some more searching, I found out that I needed a DNC key to make the QuikCell operate as a full 3 axis machine. Southwest Industries no longer sells them but I was able to buy one from a guy that services Southwest machines.
Now I can design parts and write programs in Fusion and get the machine to do what I want it to do.
Thanks to everyone who offered help.
