Fundamentals of the graphical programming

Application

Graphical programming offers an alternative to conventional NC programming. You can create 2D sketches by drawing lines and arcs and generate NC blocks from this contour. In addition, you can import existing contours from an NC program into the Contour graphics workspace and edit them graphically.

Description of function

You can use graphical programming independently via a separate tab or in the NC program. If you use graphical programming on its own tab, you cannot open any other workspaces of the Editor operating mode on this tab.

Possible elements and colors

The Sketch plane allows you to generate a contour as 2D sketch using different elements.

First steps of graphical programming

You have the choice of the following elements for drawing a contour:

  • Line segment
  • Arc
  • Construction point
  • Construction line
  • Construction circle
  • Chamfer
  • Rounding arc

The control shows the elements in the following colors:

Icon

Meaning

Element

A drawn element that is not fully dimensioned is displayed in orange as a solid line.

Construction element

Drawn elements can be converted to construction elements. You can use construction elements to obtain additional points for creating your sketch. Construction elements are shown by the control in blue as a dashed line.

Reference axis

The reference axes shown form a Cartesian coordinate system. Dimensioning in graphical programming starts from the intersection of the reference axes. The intersection of the reference axes corresponds to the workpiece preset when exporting the contour data. The control shows reference axes as brown dashed lines.

Locked element

Locked elements cannot be edited. If you want to edit a locked element, you must unlock it first. Locked elements are shown by the control as red solid lines.

Fully dimensioned element

The control shows fully dimensioned elements in dark green. You cannot attach any additional constraints or dimensions to a fully dimensioned element, otherwise the element will be over-determined.

Contour element

The control shows the contour elements between the Start Point and End Point in the Export menu as green solid elements.

Creating a new contour

To create a new contour:

    1. Select the Editor operating mode

    1. Select Add
    2. The control opens the Quick selection and the Open File workspaces.

    1. Select Contour
    2. The control opens the contour in a new tab.

    Locking and unlocking elements

    If you want to protect an element from editing, you can lock the element. A locked element cannot be edited. If you want to edit the locked element, you must first unlock the element.

    To lock or unlock elements in graphical programming:

    1. Select the drawn element

    1. Select the Lock element function
    2. The control locks the element.
    3. The control displays the locked element in red.

    1. Select the Unlock element function
    2. The control unlocks the element.
    3. The control displays the unlocked element in yellow.

    Notes

    • Dimension each element immediately after drawing. If you do not dimension until the entire contour has been drawn, the contour may move unintentionally.
    • Use the +, -, *, /, (, and ) keys for calculations in the numerical input fields.
    • You can assign constraints to the drawn elements. To avoid unnecessarily complicating the design, work only with necessary constraints.
    • Icons of the Sketch area

    • If you select elements of the contour, the control highlights the elements in the List column in green.