COMPUTER ASSISTED PART PROGRAMMING (CAPP)

Introduction
Computer assisted programming methods are much faster and more reliable than manual programming techniques. There are a variety of forms of computer assisted programming. The common feature of these programs is that the part and machining paths are not defined directly with G-code but through English-like statements or through interactive graphic instructions.

Two Main Tasks in CAPP

When utilizing one of the NC programming languages part programming can be summarized as consisting basically of two tasks:
Defining the Geometry of the workpart

Tool Path Construction

Defining The Geometry of the workpart

No matter how complicated the workpart may appear it is composed of basic geometric elements e.g. lines, circles, points, etc. It is the part programmers task to enumerate the component elements out of which the workpart is formed. Each geometric element must be identified and the dimensions and location of the element explicitly defined. An example of defining a point in APT language is as follows: P1=POINT/6.0,1.2,0

Tool Path Construction

After defining the workpart geometry, the programmer must next construct the path that the cutter will follow to machine the part. This toolpath specification involves a detailed step by step sequence of cutter moves. The moves are made along the geometry elements which have previously been defined. An example of toolpath statement in APT language is as follows: GOLFT/L3, PAST,L1

NC Part Programming Languages

Following are the important NC part programming languages:
APT ( Automatically Programmed Tools ) AUTOSPOT ( Automatic System For Positioning Tools ) SPLIT ( Sundstrand Processing Language Internally Translated ) ADAPT ( Adaptation of APT ) EXAPT ( Extended Subset of APT )

AUTOMATICALLY PROGRAMMED TOOLS (APT)

Introduction of APT
The APT language was the product of MIT development work on NC programming systems. Its development began in June 1956, and it was first used in production around 1959. Today it is the most widely used language in NC part programming. Although first intended as a contouring language , modern versions of APT can be used for both positioning and continuous path programming.

Types of Statements in APT

The four types of statements in the APT language are: 1. Geometry Statements: which define primitive elements such as points, lines, circles, planes, cones and spheres. They are also sometimes called definition statements 2. Motion Statements: which describe the tool path in relation to the part geometry 3. Postprocessor Statements: which give specific machine tool code information as well as feeds and speeds 4. Auxiliary Statements: which give part and tool tolerances

1. GEOMETRY STATEMENTS
The general form of geometry statements is: symbol = geometry type / descriptive data An example of such statement is: P1 = POINT/100.0, 200.0, 300.0 The statement is made up of three sections. The first is the symbol use to identify the geometric element. Normally the alphabet P is used for defining a Point, C for Circle, L for Line and Pl for Plane. The second section of the geometry statement is an APT vocabulary word that identifies the type of geometry element. e.g. POINT, LINE, CIRCLE, PLANE, etc. The third section of the geometry statement is the descriptive data that define the element precisely, completely and uniquely.

DEFINING A POINT IN APT

GENERAL RULES: Every point definition will have the same basic format: Symbolic name = POINT / definition of a point When a point has been defined it will have coordinates in all three axes. If there is no allowance in a definition for quoting the z coordinate this will automatically be made zero

DEFINITION OF POINT-1: ( Coordinate Values )

Y

P1 = POINT/2,2,2

P1 2

X 2

DEFINITION OF POINT-2: (Intersection of two previously defined lines)

P2 = POINT / INTOF,L1,L2

L1

P2

L2

DEFINITION OF POINT-3:
(Intersection point of a previously defined line and circle)
P3 = POINT / XSMALL, INTOF, L1, C1 P3 = POINT / YSMALL, INTOF, L1, C1 P4 = POINT / XLARGE, INTOF, L1, C1 P4 = POINT / YLARGE, INTOF, L1, C1

Or Or

C1
P4 L1 P3

DEFINITION OF POINT-4: (Intersection point of two previously defined circles)

Or Or P3 = POINT / XSMALL, INTOF,C1,C2 P3 = POINT / YLARGE, INTOF, C1,C2 P4 = POINT / XLARGE, INTOF, C1,C2 P4 = POINT / YSMALL, INTOF, C1,C2

P3

C1

C2

P4

DEFINITION OF POINT-5: (On the circumference of a previously defined circle )

P2 = POINT / C1,ATANGL,75
P2

75

C1

DEFINITION OF POINT-6: (Center Point of a previously defined circle )

P2 = POINT / CENTER, C1

P2

C1

DEFINITION OF POINT-7:
(On a previously defied Line and a known X or Y dimension from datum )
or
Y

P2 = POINT / L1, XCOORD, 2 P2 = POINT / L1, YCOORD, 3

P2 3

L1

X 2

DEFINING A LINE IN APT

GENERAL RULES: Every line definition will have the same basic format: Symbolic name = LINE / definition of a line Lines are of infinite length. Lines do not have a direction

DEFINITION OF LINE-1: (Passing through two previously defined points)

L1 = LINE/P1,P2

P2

L1

P1

DEFINITION OF LINE-2:
(Passing through a previously defined point and tangent to a previously defined circle)
L3 = LINE / P1, RIGHT, TANTO, C2 L4 = LINE / P1, LEFT, TANTO, C2 The RIGHT or LEFT modifiers are applied by looking from the point to the circle and deciding whether the line will pass to the right or left of the circle.
L4 C1

P1

L3

DEFINITION OF LINE-3:
(Tangent to two previously defined circles)
L1 = LINE / LEFT, TANTO, C1, LEFT, TANTO, C2 L1 = LINE / RIGHT, TANTO, C2, RIGHT, TANTO, C1 The RIGHT & LEFT modifiers are applied looking from the first circle quoted to the second

L1

C2 C1

DEFINITION OF LINE-3: contd.

(Tangent to two previously defined circles)
L3 = LINE / LEFT, TANTO, C1, RIGHT, TANTO, C2 L4 = LINE / RIGHT, TANTO, C1, LEFT, TANTO, C2

L3 C2

C1

L4

DEFINITION OF LINE-4:
(Passing Through a previously defined point at a specified angle to the X-axis)
L2 = LINE / P1, ATANGL, 30 L2 = LINE / P1, ATANGL, -150
L2

P1 150

30

DEFINITION OF LINE-5:
(Passing through a previously defined point, parallel to a previously defined line)
L3 = LINE/P3,PARLEL,L2

P3

L3

L2

DEFINITION OF LINE-6:
(Passing through a previously defined point, perpendiculat to a previously defined line)
L3 = LINE/P1,PERPTO,L2

P1

L2 L3

DEFINING A CIRCLE IN APT

GENERAL RULES: Every circle definition will have the same basic format: Symbolic name = CIRCLE / definition of a circle Circles defined in APT are complete circles. Circles do not have directions

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-1:
(Coordinates of center of circle, with a given radius)
C1 = CIRCLE/X,Y,R

C1 R (X,Y)

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-2:
(Previously defined center point with a given radius)
C2 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P1,RADIUS,5

C2 5R P1

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-3:
(Previously defined center point and tangent to a previously defined line)
C2 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P1,TANTO,L2
L2

P1

C2

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-4:
(Previously defined center point and passing through another previously defined point)
C2 = CIRCLE/CENTER,P1,P2
P2

P1 C1

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-5:
(Passing through three previously defined points)
C3 = CIRCLE/P1,P2,P3

P2 P1

C3

P3

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-6:
(Previously defined center point and tangent to a previously defined circle)
C3 = CIRCLE / CENTER, P1, SMALL, TANTO, C2 C4 = CIRCLE / CENTER, P1, LARGE, TANTO, C2

DEFINITION OF CIRCLE-7:
(Tangent to two previously define lines, with a given radius value)
C3 = CIRCLE / YSMALL, L1, XLARGE, L2, RADIUS, 5 C4 = CIRCLE / YLARGE, L1, XSMALL, L2, RADIUS, 5

DEFINING A PLANE IN APT

GENERAL RULES: Every plane definition will have the same basic format: Symbolic name = PLANE / definition of a plane

A plane is used to construct a surface of constant Z level to which the cutter should be referenced when machining in the XY plane Planes can only be defined parallel to XY plane Planes are of infinite area

DEFINITION OF PLANE-1:
(By three previously defined points)
PL4 = PLANE/P1,P23

2. MOTION STATEMENTS
APT motion statements have a general format: motion command / descriptive data e.g. GOTO / P1 At the beginning of the motion statements tool must be given a starting point FROM / P0 Or FROM / -2, -2, 0 The FROM is an APT vocabulary word which indicates that this is the initial point from which others will be referenced. The FROM statement occurs only once at the start of the motion sequence. In APT there are two basic types of motion statements: a) Point to Point motion b) Contouring motion

a) POINT TO POINT MOTION

There are only two basic point to point motion commands GOTO: The GOTO statement instructs the tool to go to a particular point location specified in the descriptive data. e.g. GOTO / P2 GOTO / 2, 7, 0 GODLTA: The GODLTA command specifies an incremental move for the tool. e,g, GODLTA / 2, 7, 0 instructs the tool to move from its present position to 2 units in x-direction, 7 units in y-direction and 0 units in z-direction

EXAMPLE OF POINT TO POINT MOTION

Drill three holes of 0.5 diameter at P1, P2, P3. The part is 0.5 thick.

EXAMPLE OF POINT TO POINT MOTION

P1=POINT/1,2,0.5 P2=POINT/1,1,0.5 P3=POINT/3.5,1.5,0.5 P0=POINT/-1,3,2 FROM/P0 GOTO/P1 GODLTA/0,0,-0.5 GODLTA/0,0,0.5 GOTO/P2 GODLTA/0,0,-0.5 GODLTA/0,0,0.5 GOTO/P3 GODLTA/0,0,-0.5 GODLTA/0,0,0.5 GOTO/P0

b) CONTOURING MOTION
In contouring motion commands the tool position must be continuously controlled throughout the move. For contouring movements, the tool is directed along intersecting surfaces. These surfaces have specific names in APT.

b) CONTOURING MOTION
The Drive Surface (DS) guides the side of the cutter, the Part Surface (PS) defines the position of the bottom of the cutter, and the Check Surface (CS) defines the limit of current tool motion. The part surface may or may not be an actual surface of the workpart.

How to approach the check surface

Modifier words, such as TO, ON, PAST or TANTO, are used to govern the position of the tool in relation to the check surface.

How to use the drive surface

Motion statements, GOLFT (go to the left), GOFWD (go forward) and GORGT(go to the right), are also used to control the cutter motion.

EXAMPLE OF CONTOURING MOTION STATEMENTS

EXAMPLE OF CONTOURING MOTION STATEMENTS

FROM/P0 GO/TO,L1,TO,PL1,TO,L5 GORGT/L1,PAST,L2 GOLFT/L2,TO,L3 GORGT/L3,TANTO,C1 GOFWD,C1,PAST,L4 GOFWD/L4,PAST,L5 GOLFT/L5,PAST,L1 GOTO/P0

3. POST PROCESSOR STATEMENTS

APT motion statements have a general format: motion command / descriptive data e.g. GOTO / P1