The MDI Application

Application

The MDI application allows you to execute individual NC blocks outside of the context of an NC program (e.g., PLANE RESET). When you press the NC Start key, the control will run the NC blocks separately.

You can also create an NC program step by step. The control remembers modally effective program information.

Description of function

If you program using the millimeter unit of measurement, the control will use the NC program $mdi.h by default. If you program using the inch unit of measurement, the control will use the NC program $mdi_inch.h.

AS_5_28_PGM_Mdi_Beispiel
Program workspace in the MDI application

Buttons

In the MDI application, the function bar provides the following buttons:

Button

Meaning

Klartext programming

If this toggle switch is active, then you are using dialog-guided programming. If this toggle switch is not active, then you are programming in the text editor.

Editing NC programs

Insert NC function

The control opens the Insert NC function window.

Inserting NC functions

Q info

The control opens the Q parameter list window, where you can see and edit the current values and descriptions of the variables.

Q parameter list window

GOTO block number

Mark an NC block to be run without considering any previous NC blocks

GOTO function

/ Skip block off/on

Hide NC blocks with a / character.

NC blocks hidden with a / character will be ignored during program run as soon as the Skip block toggle switch is active.

Hiding NC blocks

Skip block

If this toggle switch is active, the control ignores NC blocks hidden with a / character.

Hiding NC blocks

If the toggle switch is active, the control grays out the NC blocks to be skipped.

Appearance of the NC program

; Comment Off/On

Insert or remove a ; character in front of an NC block. If an NC block begins with a ; character, then the block is a comment.

Adding comments

FMAX

You activate a feed-rate limitation and define the value.

Feed rate limit FMAX

F limited

You activate or deactivate the feed-rate limitation for functional safety (FS).

Only on machines with functional safety (FS).

Feed-rate limiting with functional safety (FS)

ACC

If this toggle switch is active, the control activates Active Chatter Control (ACC, option 145).

Active Chatter Control (ACC, option 145)

Editing

The control opens the context menu.

Context menu

Internal stop

If an NC program is interrupted due to an error or a stop, the control activates this button.

Use this button to abort program run.

Interrupting, stopping or canceling program run

Reset program

If you select Internal stop, the control activates this button.

The control places the cursor back to the beginning of the program and resets any modally effective program information as well as the program run-time.

Modally effective program information

In the MDI application, you always run the NC blocks in Single Block mode. After the control has run an NC block, the program run is considered to be interrupted.

Interrupting, stopping or canceling program run

The block numbers of all NC blocks that you have successively run are shown in green.

  • The control saves the following data in this state:
  • The last tool that was called
  • Current coordinate transformations (e.g., datum shift, rotation, mirroring)
  • The coordinates of the circle center that was last defined

Notes

 
Notice
Danger of collision!
Certain manual interactions may lead to the control losing the modally effective program information (i.e., the contextual reference). Loss of this contextual reference may result in unexpected and undesirable movements. There is a risk of collision during the subsequent machining operation!
  1. Do not perform the following interactions:
    • Cursor movement to another NC block
    • The jump command GOTO to another NC block
    • Editing an NC block
    • Modifying the values of variables by using the window Q parameter list
    • Switching the operating modes
  2. Restore the contextual reference by repeating the required NC blocks
  • In the MDI application, you can create and execute NC programs step by step. Then you can use Save as to save the current contents with a different file name.
  • The following functions are not available in the MDI application:
    • Calling an NC program with PGM CALL, SEL PGM, or CALL SELECTED PGM
    • Test Run in the Simulation workspace
    • Manual traverse and Approach position while program run is interrupted
    • Block scan function