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MANUALS

Elements of the CNC-7 Pages

This chapter provides an introduction to the CNC-7 display pages. Elements of the basic display pages and page "button" color codes are discussed. Directions are provided on how to move between pages.

components

Components of the Display Pages

The following components appear on most CNC-7 page displays. They are discussed here to give you an introduction to basic CNC-7 use and display page operation.

Part Program and Status

Part Program and Status are located at the top left side of the display. Part Program indicates the selected device and file (refer to the chapter, Running a Basic Part Program, for information on device and file selection). Status indicates the state of the part program. Typical status readings might be "Program in Progress" or "Machine IDLE". The status report changes as the part program runs to indicate the latest program event.

Blocks

Blocks is located at the top right side of the display. Each line of a part program is referred to as a block. The left Block display indicates the number of blocks of the program loaded from the input device into the CNC-7's memory. The right Block display indicates the number of blocks written to the drill buffer.

Job Completion Bar

The Job Completion Bar is located at the top of the display, directly below Part Program and Status. It tells you how far along the program is. The bar changes from all gray (0% complete) to all red (100% complete) as the program progresses.
NOTE: The completion bar can't always show the whole job, only the part of the job that the CNC-7 knows about. The red line may fluctuate a little as the program is being loaded for the first time, and may even go backwards. Don't be alarmed. The bar will stabilize as the entire program is loaded into the machine, and the red line will begin a steady progression.

Hit Rate Speedometer

Routing Feedrate Display

The Hit Rate Speedometer displays the current hit rate of the machine in hits per minute. The scale of the speedometer is from 0 to 600 hits per minute. The speed is shown both as a number, and using the "needle". The speedometer takes as much as one minute to stabilize, because projections of hit rate are inaccurate until at least one minute's worth of data is gathered. For example, two seconds worth of data projected to hits per minute will be AT BEST plus or minus 30 hits. The speedometer will show changes in hit rate as the machine runs, such as where longer moves are being made rather than shorter moves. The speedometer shows a running average over the last one minute. The speedometer will reset whenever the machine is stopped and restarted, or after a toolchange. If the machine is routing, the speedometer will show the current routing table feed rate. This feed rate is shown in inches per minute or millimeters per second, depending on the current measurement mode. The scale of the speedometer is from 0 to 300 Inches per minute (or metric equivalent).

Machine Status Window

The Machine Status Window is located on the right half of the display. Messages will appear in the window during operation. Some messages will instruct you to press a page's button before the machine proceeds. Others will indicate that you've made a mistake, or that a machine sensor detects a problem, and that the program has been halted.

Operator's Buttons

Each display page is filled with a series of small colored rectangles referred to as "buttons". These buttons are used to operate most of the machine's functions during normal operating conditions. Since the display is touch sensitive, all you have to do to activate a button is to touch the display at that point. When a button is touched, the system's beeper will sound to acknowledge your choice. If your button selection is inappropriate for the current machine set-up, a message will "pop-up" in a red box in the center of the display. Not all buttons will appear on a page at the same time. When an action can't be performed at a particular time, the button that affects that action will either not appear on the display or it will fade to grey. For example, if the machine has not been homed yet, the JOG XY button will be faded. Once the machine has been properly homed, the JOG XY button will display normally. Anytime the JOG XY button cannot be used, it will fade to grey - this let's you know what belongs in that location on the screen, but also indicates that this action cannot be taken at this time. Options not present on your machine, e.g.: a Vision System, will also be faded to grey.

Keyboard Command Line

The Keyboard Command Line appears at the bottom left corner of the display. When a command is entered via the keyboard, the typed command will appear in this location.

Pop-Up Windows

When using the CNC-7 display page system, certain data items will appear on the display, overlaying the current page. These data items are referred to as "pop-up" windows. These are used to display menus of related functions, to provide information pertinent to an operational function, or to provide a warning that a requested action is (or may be) a mistake. You can use the pop-up windows to take a look at the cassette graphics (what the machine thinks the tool cassette looks like), tool parameter summaries, or the visual representation of the pecking cycle. A keypad will appear when you have to enter numbers. A red pop-up box will appear when the machine can't perform your request. Refer to the chapter, CNC-7 Display Pages, for more information on these pop-up windows.

Header bar

At the top of nearly every page and popup display is a header bar that runs the width of the display. The bar displays the page or popup title. Touching anywhere on the bar will return you to the previous page display. In the case of a popup, touching the bar will dismiss the popup. The header bar at the top of each page display (except for the Front Page) also includes two grey "Return to Front Page" buttons. These buttons are located one at each end of the bar. Touching either button returns you direct to the Front Page, without having to back step through intermediate page displays.

button-colors

Button Color Coding

There are several types of buttons on each page. Some allow you to move from the current page to another page. Some let you set the parameters of the drill program you're working on. Some will change a designated value. The buttons on the CNC-7 are color coded by function as follows:

Blue

Blue buttons allow you to move from one page to another or access a pop-up window. They don't directly cause any machine actions. They just take you to another page, or provide you with additional information.

Yellow

Yellow buttons are used to set parameters, such as the table feedrate or table location. Some of the yellow buttons, when touched continuously, will cause a value to rise or fall. Touching the TABLE FEEDRATE UP button for a few seconds causes the rate to climb. Once you remove your finger from the button, the rate change stops.

Orange

Orange buttons are action buttons. They allow you to significantly affect important data in the machine or cause machine movement. Using the orange buttons, you can home the worktable, select a part program, change tools, delete files, reset tool data, or raise the machine's spindles.

Green and Red

The START JOB button is green. The RESET and STOP buttons are red. These buttons have been given their traditional colors so that you can quickly identify them. In addition, the YES button found on some pop-up windows is green, and the NO and QUIT buttons are red.

White and Black

Several buttons cause a system switch to toggle from on to off, or vice versa. The text of these buttons change color when the switch changes state, in order to give the visual impression that the button is "lit up" when the switch is in the ON positon. For example, the SINGLE CYCLE button's text is displayed in white when single cycle mode is ON. When the button is touched, the switch moves to the OFF position, and the text changes to Black.
NOTE: The figures in this guide are not in color. All buttons have been shaded gray to make them stand out on the printed page.

common-buttons

Common Buttons and Their Functions

Help

The HELP button (blue) is located near the lower right corner of the display. It allows you to access the CNC-7 Help system. Refer to the chapter, The CNC-7 Help System, for a detailed description of the Help system and its use.

Front Panel

The FRONT PANEL button (blue) is located at the bottom center of the page. Touching this button returns you to the system's first display page.

Start Job

The START JOB button (green) is found at the lower left corner of many of the pages. It's used to start a part program, or to restart a program after the program has been paused. The button is removed from the page while the program is in progress.

Reset or Stop

The RESET button (red) is located near the lower right corner of the page, next to the HELP button. It is present when the machine is idle. It allows you to reset a program at any time. The STOP button (red) appears when the machine is running a program. It's used to halt a part program or toolchange that is in progress. Touching the STOP button stops the machine. The RESET button then appears, and you have the choice of aborting the program completely or restarting after adjustment.

Home Worktable

HOME is the name given to the position of the system reference zero on the machine. This HOME position is established by Excellon for each machine and remains permanently fixed. When the CNC-7 is powered up, it's not sure where the worktable is located in relation to the HOME position. Until the worktable is homed, many commands will be disallowed or ignored. The display will prompt you to HOME THE WORKTABLE. Touching the HOME WORKTABLE button (orange) moves the worktable to the HOME position, then to center PARK position. The CNC-7 now knows where the table is and can proceed with a part program after set up. Once the HOME WORKTABLE button has been touched, it will disappear, and a PARK WORKTABLE button will appear.

Park Worktable

The PARK WORKTABLE button (orange) is found in the center of the bottom row on may of the pages. It's used to move the worktable to a preset PARK position, allowing you to examine the worktable, tools, or part you're working on. Drilling/routing machines are normally programmed with three park positions: center, left, and right. Touching the PARK WORKTABLE button raises the spindles and moves the table to the next park position.
NOTE: The worktable may also be moved using the TOUCH POINT JOG button. Refer to the chapter, CNC-7 Display Pages, for operation.