1. ProLIGHT 1000 Control Software PLTW Computer Integrated Manufacturing

2. Program Interface Standard Tool Bar Output Tool Bar Input Tool Bar Operator Panel Position Readout Machine Information Panel Verify Window Jog Control Panel Program Window Status Bar Help Functions Homing The Mill Setting up Tool Libraries Editing Functions

3. Program Interface

4. Standard Tool Bar New File Open File Save File Print Help Jog Control Toggle Operator Panel Toggle Verify Prog. Run/Pause/Stop Program. Cut/Copy/Paste

5. Output Toolbar Spindle On/Off Output # 1 On/Off Output # 2 On/Off Robot # 1 On/Off Robot # 2 On/Off

6. Input Toolbar Emergency Stop Switch Safety Shield Indicator Plus Limit Input Indicator Robot # 1 Input On/Off Robot # 2 Input On/Off Minus Limit Input Indicator

7. Operator Panel Optional Stop - Stops when (M01) is reached in the program Optional Skip - Skips lines in the program that have a “/” at the beginning Run in Single Step Mode Stops Program Cycle Start Cycle Pause - Immediately Pauses program Feed Override - Overrides the feeds set in the program by a percentage Spindle Speed Override - Overrides spindle speed set in program by a percentage

8. Position Readout X Axis Position of Spindle Y Axis Position of Spindle Z Axis Position of Spindle The position readout is used to determine the current position of the spindle/cutting tool. It can be used like a digital readout on a manual milling machine.

9. Position Panel Menu Right click on the control panel to display the Fly-out Menu

10. Position Panel Menu Change between Inch and Metric Units Set the coordinate system to Work or one of six part coordinate systems Set The Machine Position Set the current position to 0,0,0 Send the Mill To a specified coordinate

11. Machine Information Panel Current Tool Number Current Feed Rate Set in Program The Number of Passes Made In The Current Program Block Sequence number of block being executed Elapsed Time of current job Current Spindle speed set in the program Current Coordinate System Total number of blocks in the program Diameter of current cutting tool

12. Verify Window The Verify Window is used to test the program code before attempting to cut a part. This option creates a simulation based on the code and the description of the tools in the tool library. (Click on the picture to show view a simulation)

13. Verify Setup Select solid or centerline to represent the tool and block Zoom In/Out or Fit the block in the window (All) Selects from three predefined views: Top, Front and Isometric Slide the bar rotate the block Slide the bar to tilt the block in the window

14. Verify - Setup Stock Set the size of the stock in the verify window Set the origin of the stock (0,0,0). Most parts use the upper left corner Identifies the initial tool position. This is only used for verify and provides a reference for the verify process

15. Verify - Setup Options Automatically refreshes the verify window when a change is made that would make the solid look different Centerline Options: Refresh the display when a change is made that would make the wireframe look different Shows rapid moves made by the tool when checked. Displays the tool when checked

16. Jog Control Panel The jog control panel is used to move the table and spindle. It is operated by the Mouse or Keyboard Enables Keyboard Control (F4) Identifies incremental step distances when jogging the machine Switches from incremental to continuous movement Adjusts the jog feed rate: Slow (1in/min), Med.(12in/min) and Fast(50in/min) Positive Y Axis jog (up arrow) Positive X Axis jog (right arrow) Positive Z Axis jog (plus sign) Negative Z Axis jog (Minus sign) Negative X Axis jog (Left Arrow) Negative Y Axis jog (Down Arrow) Step at.001 inch (A) Step at.010 inch (B) Step at.100 inch (C)

17. Jogging Click on the image. Notice how the position indicator changes as the machine is jogged

18. Jog Control Panel Right clicking on the Jog Control Panel will produce a Fly-out Menu. Here the mill can be homed, sent to a position, docked, hidden or setup.

19. Jog Control Panel Change the Feed rate for slow, medium and fast settings Set the incremental steps for A, B, and C

20. Program Window The program window is were the NC code is entered. The window can be locked to prohibit accidental edits while jogging the machine using the keyboard.

21. Program Window When the program window is gray the program is locked. To unlock the Program select - Edit - Unlock or hit Ctrl-L.

22. Program Window Right Click in the program window to produce the fly-out menu Standard Cut/Copy/Paste Will Evaluate selected code Jump to a specific line number Automatically renumbers the program Saves the file in its current location Run the program without prompting Verify the program without prompting Estimate how long the program will take to run

23. Status Bar Prompts the user or provides current information Shows whether current home position is valid Show the state of Caps Lock Show the state of Number Lock Indicates the line number of the edit cursor and the total number of lines Shows status of program lock Indicates whether the file has been modified since the last save Current Time

24. Homing The Mill Homing means to move the spindle or cross slide to a fixed known position on the machine. Homing commands perform two functions: 1. To check against a specified coordinate for calibration loss. 2. To provide for quick machine set up when the part location does not vary.

25. Help Functions The help function is easy to use and full of information. The four ways to access help are. Selecting the help icon in the Standard tool bar Selecting help from the main menu Select the Context Help icon in the Standard tool bar Context Help allows you to pick on an icon or area of the program interface to get help on that item. Selecting the Help button in some dialog boxes This is similar to context help. It only provides help on the elements of the current dialog box.

26. Help Functions These options are available when you select help from the main menu bar

27. Help Functions Covers menus, toolbars, windows and screen elements Things that aren't quite common procedures but still crop up frequently. Descriptions of concepts and features not covered elsewhere. CNC codes and programming, Linear Interpolation, Circular Interpolation, Canned Cycle, Subprogramming, Polar Programming, Homing the Machining Center, Using Cutter Compensation. About Light Machines Corporation Customer and Technical Support.

28. Help Functions Enter the text you are looking for here As you type options related to you text appear here. The index function allows you to search for help by entering keywords and then selecting from a list of related topics

29. Help Functions The save settings option prompts you to select which settings you wish to save

30. Help Functions The restore setting allows you to restore settings to a user default or factory defaults

31. Help Functions Selecting Tip Of The Day will produce a tip on using the WPLM1000 software. By default the program offers a tip every time the software is booted.

32. CNC Milling Machine Axis The Milling machine moves along three Axis - X, Y and Z. When programmed the mill moves to coordinates along the three axis. The origin is the point at which the three axis meet. The graphic shows the orientation of these axis.

33. Work Envelope CNC Milling Machine Machine Zero or Home Position Workpiece Part Reference Zero X Y Z Table

34. Xp Yp Part Reference Zero (PRZ) Position D= tool diameter (0,0,0) PRZ Position Work Piece Xm Ym Machine Axes Part Axes - y offset = D/2 Top View - x offset = D/2 Cutting Tool

35. (0,0,0) PRZ Position Xp Zp Note:x offset = y offset = D/2 z offset= 0 Part Reference Zero (PRZ) Position Front View Work Piece

36. Checking PRZ Send the Mill to a point above the x and Y zero to make sure the center of the cutting tool is over the top front corner.

37. Tool Library Setting up the tool library properly is a critical step. Once the tool library is setup, however, it does not need to be changed unless a new tool is loaded into a an existing tool holder. During setup the tool is defined by its geometry, size, number of teeth and relative length (Height Offset).

38. Tool Library Some of the information in the tool library is simply used when verifying programs. For instance, the NC program only directs the center of the tool so the verify program needs to know the diameter of each tool to show how much material is removed. The tool offsets and tool numbers, however, are very important when running programs with multiple tools. Each tool must be defined with a Tool Height Offset.

39. Tool Setup The first step in setting up a tool library is to home the machine. The homing process send the mill to a known position along all three axis. The machine can be homed by: Selecting Setup in the menu bar and then “Set/Check Home” Holding the “Control” key and typing “H” Right Clicking on the Jog Control Panel and selecting “Set/Check Home”

40. Tool Height Offsets Tool Height offset Where does the mill spindle go when it is directed to a height of.5? When a tool offset is established the control program calculates its Height move using the offset

41. Tool Setup Wizard A wizard is available for setting up tools. Select “Tool - Setup Tool Wizard” from the main menu The first tool established a reference height Click Next

42. Tool Setup Wizard Put the reference tool in the spindle click here. Click on Next

43. Tool Setup Wizard After inserting the reference tool use the jog control panel to put the end of the cutting tool on the top of the block Offset gage - Works as a continuity check. The light shine when a complete circuit is made by touching the tool and table. Click Next to continue

44. Tool Setup Wizard Your Done! Note that the Z coordinate in the Position Panel changes to zero. The current height is now the reference point. All other tools heights will now be compared to it. Remove the reference tool and then select next

45. Tool Setup Wizard If the tool library has other tools defined you may now select them to set the tool height offset If the tool is not in the library you will need to set it up first.

46. Setting Up The Tool Library Select the tool number. This will be identified as tool 1 (M06T1) Type in a tool description Enter the Diameter

47. Setting Up The Tool Library Select the type of Tool A Bull Mill has a nose radius on its corners - Define the radius here An End Mill has a flat bottom. A center cutting is recommended since plunging is often required

48. A Ball Mill has a constant radius (1/2 Diameter) on its end. Setting Up The Tool Library A Standard Drill (118° Point) Select the type of Tool Define the taper angle Define the diameter at its end point An engraving tool is a type of tapered cutter

49. Setting Up The Tool Library Load the tool in the spindle and set the parameters

50. Setting Up The Tool Library Jog the machine so the tool is touching the top of the reference point (Tool offset Gage)

51. Setting Up The Tool Library Set the tool Height offset by clicking “Current Z”

52. Setting Up The Tool Library Note that the position panel shows a z height of zero. The control software has calculated the difference between the reference tool and tool 1

53. Setting Up The Tool Library Tool Height offset Continue setting up as many tools as necessary in the library. Any time that a tool is removed from the tool holder (not the spindle) the height offset must be reset. Now lets take a closer look at some more options in the tool library.

54. Setup Tool Library Station locations are used for mills equipped with automatic tool changers. Number of teeth (flutes) in the cutting tool Identify tool Material (High Speed Steel is a good general purpose tool) Always apply any changes before continuing to the next tool.

55. Editing Programs The following techniques are helpful when editing programs: Find - In the Edit Menu, Find can be used to search for specific text. This might be used to find a moves made to negative Z depths.

56. Editing Programs The following techniques are helpful when editing programs: Replace - In the Edit Menu - Used to find specific text and replace it with a correction. Helpful in changing feed rates that have been placed all throughout the program.

57. Editing Programs The following techniques are helpful when editing programs: Goto - Found in the Edit menu - Sends the edit cursor to a specified program line. This is helpful when it is necessary to make a change on a line that has been identified by the software as having an error.