FreeAngle

Standard Word: CoordinateFreeAngle

Variable: Coordinate.FreeAngle

Type: Double

This word/variable is needed when you use angular heads (90 degree heads) on your CNC.

Angular head is activated by adding the UDE(User Define Event) shown below in the APT/CL file.

“$$UDE: MANUSPOST - ANGLE HEAD/ANGLE HEAD POSITION=-X,FREE ANGLE DEGREE=58”

You can either add this line manually to the APT/CL line at the beginning of operations, or add it inside your CAM system as a comment line at the beginning of operations. We also define some key words in some CAM systems like Siemens NX and Catia to write this line in the APT/CL file.

When you add this line to the APT/CL file at the beginning of an operation, MANUSpost understands that angular head is activated for this operation.

The “FREE ANGLE DEGREE” parameter in the above UDE line is used by MANUSpost to find “Rotary Axis 1” or “Rotary Axis 2” value, when the cutting tool vector on the angular head aligns with the rotation vector of “Rotary Axis 1” or “Rotary Axis 2”. This happens sometimes on 5 axis CNCs when angular head is used. In some operations the cutting tool vector on the angular head aligns with the rotation vectors of “Rotary Axis 1” or “Rotary Axis”. In such cases, MANUSpost can not calculate either “Rotary Axis 1” or “Rotary Axis 2” and you should define these values manually by assigning a value to “FREE ANGLE DEGREE” parameter.

This value calculated with the information from the APT/CL file is first assigned to the “Coordinate.FreeAngle” variable. This variable can be used in any script.

In addition, the word “CoordinateFreeAngle” can be created from this variable. This word is then used in Format Motion Linear., Format Motion Rapid. and other linear motion commands.

Important Note: This variable may also need to be used in some special cases other than angular heads. In some special machine types where the tool axis is not in the Z axis direction, this variable can be used to find the position of “Rotary Axis 1”.