Gripper Unloading Manual

What is Gripper Unloading?

The Gripper Unloading module is an optional software package that enhances the functionality of the CADCAM System. The features in Gripper Unloader were designed to support machines like the Behrens CB2011

.
The Gripper Unloading option is found on the Modules menu. To access the options on the Gripper Unloading submenu, you must first open the Modules menu, and then select the option (using the mouse or keyboard) to list the commands.


To ensure the options on the Gripper Unloading submenu are active when you begin your session, the following conditions must be in effect:

  1. Your machine driver must support gripper-unloading functions.

  1. Sheet view must be active. You cannot use the gripper unloading options if Part view is active.

  2. If the Info option is active, but the remaining options are disabled, you must use the Info option first to specify the gripper information.

Quick Start Guide

The Quick Start Guide summarizes the gripper unloading process. Review this outline of the Gripper Unloading features. For commands or tasks you do not fully understand, reference the appropriate section.

Start Gripper Unloading

To prepare for Gripper Unloading, launch the CAD/CAM System. Select Sheet from the View menu. Sheet view must be active before you can use any of the options on the Gripper Unloading submenu.

Load the Machine File

Select Open from the File menu, or click the Open File button in the Standard toolbar. When the Open File dialog box appears, select Machines (*.mac) from the Files of type: drop-down list. The system lists the machine files stored in the \Turrets directory by default. If necessary, use the Look in: drop-down list to navigate the hierarchical folder structure. Scroll through the file list window and click the name of the machine file. Click Open to load the machine file. If necessary, edit or load a material file. Click Close to exit the Open File dialog box.

Load the Machine Driver

Select Info from the Machine menu to open the Machine Setup window. Click the Driver  File button. The Open dialog box displays the machine drivers stored in the \Machine directory by default. If necessary, use the Look in: drop-

down list to navigate the hierarchical folder structure. Scroll through the file list window and click the name of the driver file. If necessary, edit or load a material file. Close the Machine Setup window.

Specify the Gripper Information

Open the Modules menu. Select Info from the Gripper  Unloading submenu to open the Unloading Gripper dialog box. Specify the Tab Tool Information, Gripper Clamps, Unloading Area and Unloading Direction by either typing the values in the text boxes or by selecting the appropriate option buttons. Click OK to save the gripper unloading information.

Create the Gripper Sheet

Load the parts onto the sheet and grid them if necessary. Use the Assign Tab for Gripper or the Assign Tab for Chute options on the Gripper Unloading submenu to place unloading tabs on the parts. You can also use the respective buttons on the Gripper toolbar to place tabs on the parts.

Sequence the Gripper Functions

Use the Reset, Auto, Manual, Undo, View and Reposition options on the Gripper  Unloading submenu to remove the parts from the sheet.
You can also use the respective buttons on the toolbar to define the gripper sequence.

Save the Gripper Sheet

Select Save As from the File menu, or click the Save As button in the Standard toolbar to open the Save As dialog box. Select Sheets (*.sht) from the Save as type:
drop-down list. Type an appropriate name in the File name: text box. Click the Save button to save the gripper sheet. Click the Close button to exit the dialog box.

Preparation

You must complete several steps before you can create a sheet having gripper-unloading functions:

Please reference Chapter 5: Sheet Layout in the CAD/CAM System manual for more details. Once you have completed the part layout, you can define the gripper-unloading functions for the sheet. The remainder of the process involves loading a machine file and gripper driver, and specifying the gripper information, assigning tabs for the gripper or chute, and sequencing the sheet.

Load the Machine File

A machine file contains the physical parameters of a machine. You must load the correct machine file before you can define a sheet having gripper functions. Machine files have the filename extension of *.mac, and are stored in the \Turrets directory by default.
To load the machine file:

  1. Select Open from the File menu, or click the Open File button in the Standard toolbar. The Open File dialog box appears.

  2. Click the Files of type: arrow and select Machines (*.mac) from the drop-down list.

  3. If necessary, use the Look in: list to navigate the hierarchical folder structure.

  4. Scroll through the file list window and click the name of the machine file you want to load.

  5.    

  6. Click Open to load the machine file, and then click Close to exit the dialog box.

 

Load the Machine Driver

The next step involves checking the machine driver, and if necessary, selecting the correct driver that supports gripper-unloading functions. Your machine driver must support gripper functions before you can use them. Please contact your CAD/CAM System representative for more information on custom drivers.

  1. Select Info from the Machine menu to open the Machine Setup window. The Setup Values page displays by default.

  2. Click the Driver File  button in the Machine Driver

    section. When the Open dialog box appears, the name of the current driver displays in the File name:
    text box.

  3. If the driver is correct, then click the Close button to exit the Open dialog box. To load an alternate driver,
    navigate through the file list and click the name of the driver you want to load.

  4. Click the Open button to load the driver. You may be prompted to create or load a material file. See the
    Material Files section in Chapter 7: Machine Files of the CAD/CAM System manual for more information    .

  5. Click Save in the Machine Setup window.

 

Unloading Gripper Window

You must specify the gripper information before you can use any of the gripper functions. If this information already exists in the machine file, then you only need to examine the values to ensure they are correct. If necessary, you can view and edit the values using the Unloading Gripper window.

To display the Unloading Gripper window:

  1. Make sure Sheet view is active. If necessary, select Sheet from the View menu.

  2. Open the Modules menu, and highlight (select) Gripper Unloading to open its

    submenu.

  3. Select Info from the Gripper Unloading submenu. When the Unloading Gripper window opens, the contents of the Location 1 text box in the Tab Tool Information section are selected by default.

  4. Type the values in the various text boxes. You can navigate the text box fields within the window using a combination of the <Tab> and <Shift> keys. Press <Tab> to move to the next field, or <Shift> + <Tab> to select the contents of the previous field.

  5. When the information appears correct, click the OK button to save the changes and to exit the Unloading Gripper window.

 

Tab Tool Information

The Tab Tool Information options allow you to specify the values for the tab locations on the part as measured from the bottom left corner of the part.

Tab Tool Information Options

Location 1 This is the first tab measured from the bottom left corner of the part.

Location 2 This is the second tab measured from the bottom left corner of the part.

Width The X dimension of the microjoint depicting the tab on the part.

Height The size of the slitting tool between parts.

Gripper Clamps

Note: You will use the Assign Tab for Gripper or Assign Tab for Chute options to assign tabs.

The Gripper Clamp values specify the locations of the first and second clamps, as measured from the bottom left corner of the part. You may need to change this information according to the sheet layout and part sizes.

Gripper Clamps Information Options

Location 1 The first Y dimension measured from the bottom left of the part.

Location 2 The second Y dimension measured from the bottom left of the part.

Width The X dimension for the gripper clamps.
Height The Y dimension for the gripper clamps.

Unloading Area

The Location X and Location Y values for the unloading area are derived from the machine's zero
(center of the tool). The information for the Unloading Area (Location X, Location Y, Height,
Width and Min. Y Safe Zone) is found in your machine's manual.

 

Unloading Direction

 

 

The Unloading Direction section allows you to specify the direction for the gripper.

 

Unloading Direction Options

X-Axis (Line by Line) This instructs the CAD/CAM System to move in the X-axis before moving in the Y- axis.

Y-Axis (Line by Line) This instructs the CAD/CAM System to move in the Y-axis before moving in the X- axis.

 

Creating a Sheet with Gripper Functions

Once you have loaded the correct machine file and gripper driver, and specified the correct values in the Unloading Gripper window, you can add the actual gripper functions to the sheet. This involves placing either gripper or chute tabs on the sheet. See Assign Tabs for the Gripper and Assign Tabs for the Chute.

Note: Make sure to check the gripper information before you begin. Use the Info option on the Gripper  Unloading submenu to open the Unloading Gripper window.

 

Assign Tabs for the Gripper

   For parts large enough for the gripper, use the Assign Tab for Gripper option on the Gripper Unloading submenu, or click the Assign Tool Tab for Gripper button in the Gripper toolbar.

The system prompts you to “Move into the work window and click on a part to assign tabs for the tab cutter.” Move the crosshair over each part or grid of parts you want to unload using the gripper. The gripper tabs appear when you click an individual part or a grid of parts.

Notes:

  1. If the message, “The part is too small to assign tool tab for gripper unloading” displays, try the Assign Tabs for the Chute option instead. The Tab Tool Information values in the Unloading Gripper window determine the size of parts that can be unloaded using the gripper.

  2. If you click a grid, all parts belonging to that grid are assigned gripper tabs.

 

Assign Tabs for the Chute

If the parts or grids of parts are too small for the gripper, you can try using the Assign Tab for Chute option on the Gripper Unloading submenu. You can also click the Assign Tool Tab for Chute button on the Gripper toolbar to activate the command.

The system prompts you to “Select an arc or a line to place a bridge microjoint.” Move the crosshair over a part or grid of parts you want to drop down the chute. Move the crosshair over a part or a grid of parts and click the left mouse button. A dashed outline that represents the chute and two bridge microjoint indicators snap to the nearest line or arc.
The system now prompts you to “Select a bridge microjoint location.” Move the mouse from left to right until the microjoint indicators are in the correct position. Click the left mouse button to place the tabs.

 

Correcting the Sheet Setup

If while placing gripper or chute tabs produces unwanted results, you can choose to display the microjoints, and if necessary, remove them from the sheet.

View Tabs

To determine which parts have gripper tabs or chute tabs, select View Tabs from the  Gripper Unloading submenu, or click the View Tool Tabs button on the Gripper toolbar.

Delete

To remove a tab for the gripper or chute, select Delete from the Gripper Unloading submenu, or click the Delete Tool Tab button on the Gripper toolbar. Move into the work area and click the part or grid of parts. The tabs are deleted from the sheet.

Note: If you click a grid using the Delete option, all the tabs are removed from that grid on the sheet.

Sequence the Sheet

Sequence the sheet as you normally would using the options on the Punch Sequence menu, the Sequence Features menu, and the items listed in the Sequence Options window.

When you arrive at the point where you want to sequence with gripper features, see Sequencing Gripper Features.

Sequencing Gripper Features

The gripper options remove the parts from the sheet. The Auto, Manual, View and Reposition options sequence the gripper features. The Undo and Reset options allow you to correct errors in the gripper sequencing.

Auto

Use the Auto option on the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the Auto Unload button on the Gripper toolbar, to automatically sequence the unloading of parts. The CAD/CAM System uses the gripper to remove the parts using the gripper tabs. For parts that have chute tabs, the system automatically drops them down the chute. If the parts marked for the chute do not fit within the chute's boundary, the system asks if the part should drop down the chute. Press <Y> for “Yes” or <N> for “No.” If the parts are out of range, you must reposition the sheet before you can use the Auto command. See Reposition.

Manual

Use the Manual option on the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the Manually Unload Part button on the Gripper toolbar when you want to decide which parts to unload using the gripper or to drop down the chute. Select Manual from the Gripper  Unloading submenu, and then move into the work area. Click each part you want to remove. If you click a part that does not fit within the chute's boundary, the system prompts you to confirm. Press <Y> for “Yes” or <N> for “No.”

Undo

Use the Undo command on the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the Undo Unloading button on the Gripper toolbar, to reverse the last gripper command you selected. You can then continue with your sequencing.

Reset

The Reset option on the Gripper  Unloading submenu allows you to clear any previous gripper sequences. To clear the gripper sequence, select Reset from the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the Reset Unloading button in the Gripper toolbar. The system prompts you to confirm the action. Press <Y> to reset the sequence or <N> to cancel.

View

To see the gripper sequence, select View from the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the View Unloading button in the Gripper toolbar.
 Note: To specify the viewing speed, use the Viewing Speed command on the Options menu.

Reposition

Repositioning allows you to use sheet sizes longer than your machine's maximum X travel. The repositioning function opens the clamps and moves them so you can complete the remainder of the sheet. You can also reposition in the reverse direction to return the clamps so the sheet does not hang off the edge of the table. To reposition the clamps during a gripper sequence, select Reposition from the Gripper  Unloading submenu, or click the Reposition for Unloading button on the Gripper toolbar. The prompt instructs you to move into the work area and set the reposition location. As you move the pointer across the sheet, the reposition line appears and prompt asks you to choose its location. The location of the reposition line relative to the lower left corner of the sheet indicates the direction and distance you want the clamps to move.


As you move closer to the left edge of the sheet, you will see a rectangle following the pointer. This represents the machine bed. The patterns that appear inside this rectangle are within range. When the patterns you want to sequence with gripper functions appear inside the rectangle, click the left mouse button. The repositioning line locks onto the sheet, and two solid blocks that represent the repositioning posts appear. The
repositioning posts follow the pointer around the work area and a prompt instructs you to choose their placement. Make sure the posts do not fall inside a cutout on the part. When you are satisfied with the location, click the left mouse button. Use the other options to complete the gripper sequencing after repositioning.

 

Saving the Gripper Sheet

You should save your sheet frequently to prevent data loss during power outages or computer crashes. If you press the <F10> key while in Sheet view, the system saves your sheet under its assigned name in its default folder.

Note: If you have not yet named the sheet, pressing <F10> saves the sheet with the default name of NEW SHEET.

To save the sheet:

  1. Make sure you are in Sheet view. To save the sheet under a new name, select Save As from the File menu, or click the Save As button in the Standard toolbar. The Save As dialog box appears.

  2. If necessary, select Sheets (*.sht) from the Save as type: list. Type a name in the File name: text box. You need not add the filename extension; the system automatically adds the *.sht extension.

  3. Click the Save button to save the sheet. Click the Close button to exit the Save As dialog box.