Help with programming

[30tooo]

Hi everyone ,

I am new to programming the Starmill and have managed to program a few simple jobs . However , there is a couple of problems that I have come across and can't workout how to do .

If I set a datum , how can I make sure that when I switch the machine and computer on again , they will remember where the datum was set ?

Also , if I wish to make several components from one piece of material , at one setting , how can I program in a "Datum Shift" . I.e , if I program a component with a profile in a piece of flat and want to program another 30mm away from the first , how do I shift the Datum 30mm in the program , or is it not possible with this software ?

[Martin]

What machine software & version are you using?

[30tooo]

Hi Mr Guru .

I have a Nee Starmill which is being run from a windows 98 pc with the software you pointed me to a couple of weeks ago .


https://www.denfordata.com/downloads/dos/starmill.zip

Hope this is all you need . Thank you .

[Denford Admin]

I don't know anything about the DOS software so aren't sure it actually saved the datums/offset data - I think it used to run off floppy disk, so maybe it wrote to a small file on there?
As for datum shift, you'd have to search through the manuals for ways of activating different offsets via G code or M code.
The newer software lets you activate different datums with G55,G56,G57,G58,G59

DOS Milling machine operating manual:
viewtopic.php?t=1636
Fanuc OM (offline milling) Programming Manual DOS version
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2325

[Martin]

If you save the offsets as the same name as the .exe file the software will load the offsets as it boots up.

Therefore you need to save the offsets as Starmill.

In some of the Dos software versions you can only save the offsets as a 4 digit number. If this is the case save as a number then exit to the opperating system & rename the file.