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Engraving

An-112, Copyright © by Gil Hagiz
Last updated Nov-21-2005
For version 5.11 and higher
(For version 6.02)

Introduction

The engraving sub program can be called from any program for engraving characters.
The program is provided by the installer/retrofitter.
The text to engrave is written in English characters and its source can be plain text, received from a data entry program, functions that return text, e.g. date$, or a variable, e.g. part number.
To produce the test-pattern below, comment the line: menuhelp and run Engrave as a program.

Engraving Explained

The text to engrave is entered in a string variable A$.
The associated numerical data is entered under letter addresses.
A$ must be defined in the beginning of the user program before other arrays:

dim A$(80)

A$='TODAY IS '+date$
A$=str$(123456)         \converted according to the last programmed Format)
A$=str$(#10)            \#10 can be set as a part counter

To call the engraving sub-program a line like this is used:

g4 x-5 y-1 z.1 k-.1 @r-1 @p180 E2 call 'engrave'

G4 Required if G0 priority for Z is not set (some 5-axis machines)
XY Beginning of text
Z  Rapid plane
K  Cutting depths
@R Scale
@P Rotation
E  Spacing

Notes:

• The assigned values are modal and can be used for subsequent text.
• XYZ data is given in the current unit (inch-mm).
• The programmed feedrate applies to all motions except Z-down, which is done at half the feedrate.
• The character size depends upon the scale and not on the current unit.
• The default character box is 10x5 mm plus 2 mm spacing.
• @R Scale: if zero the default is 1:1. Use negative scale for mirror in Y.
• @P Angle of rotation in degrees (CCW).
• E     Additional spacing in mm.

Once all variables have been assigned, for the next text the most likely changes are the position, so it is enough to enter:

g4 x-5 y-1 z.1 call 'engrave'

The available character set is:

Space, 0 to 9, A to Z,  +  -  :  .  /

Sample Program

Notes:

• The called engraving program must be in the user's cpl directory.
  Since the source is in the CNX directory it is compiled into the cnx\bin directory, therefore it should be copied to the cpl directory at the beginning of the program.
  (The cpl directory may be deleted occasionally).
• A$ should be the first to be defined in the calling program if more than one array is defined. That way A$ is identical to A$ in Engrave (The same memory is allocated to both, regardless of the name).
• A$ can be used in the calling program for other purposes, as long as it holds the desired text before calling Engrave.
• Engrave uses Scale and sets it to 1:1 before terminating, therefore if the calling program uses Scale it should be re-defined after calling Engrave.

dim A$(80)
copy(cnx$+'bin\engrave.cpl', cpl$)

. . . .

A$='ACME INC'
X-5 y2 z.1 k-.1 f40 Call 'engrave'

. . . .

format(1,0) A$=str$(#20)
x2 y-4 z.1 Call 'engrave'