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

Icons and buttons

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

Icon or button

Meaning

Execution cursor

The execution cursor shows which NC block is currently being executed or is marked for execution.

Klartext editor

If this toggle switch is set to active, then you are using dialog-guided programming. If this toggle switch is not set to active, then you are programming in Text mode.

Possible methods for editing

Insert NC function

The control opens the Insert NC function window.

Areas of the Insert NC function window

Q info

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

The 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 the / 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 the toggle switch is active, the control does not execute NC blocks dimmed with a / character.

Hiding NC blocks

If the toggle switch is active, then the control dims 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

F LIMIT

Use this function to activate a feed-rate limit and define its value.

Feed rate limit F LIMIT

ACC

If this toggle switch is active, the control activates Active Chatter Control (ACC (#145 / #2-30-1)).

Active Chatter Control (ACC) (#145 / #2-30-1)

Tool Retract

If the NC program is stopped during a thread cycle, you can retract the tool.

Retraction with stopped NC program

Edit

The control opens the context menu.

Context menu

Tools

The control opens the Tool management application in the Tables operating mode.

Tool management

Internal stop

For example, 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 resets any modally active program information as well as the program run-time.

Modally effective program information

In the MDI application, you always execute NC blocks in Single Block mode. After the control has executed 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 Q parameter list window
    • 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 of an NC program with PGM CALL
    • Test run in the Simulation workspace
    • Manual traverse and Approach position functions while program run is interrupted
    • Block scan function
  • The execution cursor is always displayed in the foreground. The execution cursor may cover or hide other icons.