Siemens 840D Training Course

Macro Programming Examples

This document is made available as a preliminary version (draft).

Questions and feedback should be sent to support@cimco.com

1
Macro Programming Examples using Siemens Arithmetic Variables & Programming Aids
and Cimco Editor, NC-Assistant, and Backplot
Example 1
There is a requirement to produce a range of plates with radial Keyhole Slots for a family of motor products. The
larger range require more slots in the radial array and the slot sizes vary dependent on the plate size. See below
the diagram of the keyhole slots and the variable sizes.

See below a section of the Header from the Program with the basic assignment of variables. The arithmetic R
variables can be edited to the sizes that are required for the current production run of parts. All sizes here are in
mm. The diagram is set at 0 degrees (3PM)

; KEY SLOT DETAILS

;------------------------------------------

R0=80 ;KEY SLOT LENGTH

R1=20 ;KEY SLOT WIDTH

R2=90 ;DIST TO START OF SLOT

R3=30 ;KEY HOLE DIAMETER

R4=20 ;TOTAL DEPTH

R5=4 ;NO. OF CUTS TO DEPTH

R6=10 ;NO. OF RADIAL SLOTS

R7=16 ;CUTTER DIAMETER

;-------------------------------------

2
When we have entered the variable details, we can test the program using the Cimco Editor Backplot facility.
Note the two screen shots below with different numbers of slots at different sizes.

Let’s look at the structure of the program that uses the ROT rotation of coordinates to achieve the multiple radial
keyhole slots and incremental depth cuts to machine through the plate. We need to have the end point

3
coordinates in X and Y to create the profile, we need to have the angle to rotate the coordinates depending on
the number of keyhole slots and we need to have the incremental depth from the number of cuts we have
decided on. See below the section of the program that assigns the variable and calculates the points we need to
make the program run. We are using the variables in the low digits for the basic assignment, and we are using
variables starting at R50 for the profile points and calculations. There are variables Savailable from R0 to R999.
See below the basic assignment and the description of the calculation blocks.

;KEY SLOT DETAILS

;------------------------------------------

R0=60 ;KEY SLOT LENGTH

R1=14 ;KEY SLOT WIDTH

R2=50 ;DIST TO START OF SLOT

R3=23 ;KEY HOLE DIAMETER

R4=20 ;TOTAL DEPTH

R5=4 ;NO. OF CUTS TO DEPTH

R6=8 ;NO. OF RADIAL SLOTS

R7=11 ;CUTTER DIAMETER

;-------------------------------------

R50=R2+R0/2 ;X CO-ORD OF KEY SLOT CENTRE

R51=R1/2 ;Y CO-ORD KEY OF SLOT EDGE

R52=R3/2 ;RAD OF KEY HOLE

R55=SQRT((R3/2*R3/2)-(R1/2*R1/2)) ;X START POINT OF KEY HOLE (POINT 2 & 3 see diagram)

R56=R0+R2-(R52+R55) ;X COORD TO START OF KEY HOLE

R57=R2+R1/2 ;X CO-ORD OF NEAR RADIUS

R58=360/R6 ;ANGLE BETWEEN SLOTS

R59=R4/R5 ;INC DEPTH

R60=1 ;DEPTH COUNTER

R61=0 ;ROTATION ANGLE COUNTER (0=3PM)

IF R7>=R1 ;TEST IF CUTTER IS TOO BIG GO TO LABEL "ERR" There is a requirement to test for errors in the
entry of variables in this type of programming.
GOTOF ERR1 Here is a simple example of a test to see it the
ELSE cutter selected is too big for the slot. A fully
formed program would have several tests to
GOTOF N1 safeguard the running of the program and the
correctness of part geometry, etc.

N1 G54 ;WORK SHIFT

G0 Z100

4
X0 Y0

T11

D1

ROT RPL=R61 ;SET ROTATION TO ZERO

ANGLE: ;LABEL

G0 Z10

G1 Z0 F1000 S350 M3 ;FEED DOWN TO Z ZERO

;--- SLOT PROFILE & Z MOVES---

SLOT: ;LABEL

X=R50 Y=0 ;MOVE TO SLOT CENTRE

G91 Z-R59 ;INCREMENT Z DOWN

G90 ;BACK TO ABSOLUTE

G1 G41 Y=-R51 ;ENGAGE CUTTER COMP

X=R56

G3 X=R56 Y=R51 I=R55 J=R51

G1 X=R57

G3 Y=-R51 I0 J=-R51

G1 X=R50

G40 Y0 ;DISENGAGE CUTTER COMP

ENDLABEL: ;END OF PROFILE

R60=R60+1 ;INCREMENT DEPTH COUNTER

IF R60>R5 ;TEST DEPTH COUNTER

GOTOF N2 ;GOTO FORWARD TO N2 IF R60 GT R5

ELSE

GOTOB SLOT ;ELSE GO BACK TO LABEL SLOT REPEAT PROFILE

ENDIF

N2 R60=1 ;RESET DEPTH COUNTER

G0 Z10 ;MOVE Z UP CLEAR

R61=R61+R58 ;INCREMENT ANGULAR ROTATION

IF R61>=360 ;TEST ANGULAR ROTATION

GOTOF END ; GO TO END LABEL

ELSE

ROT RPL=R61 ;SET NEW ROTATION ANGLE

5
GOTOB ANGLE ; GO BACK TO ANGLE LABEL

ENDIF

END:

G0 Z100

ROT ;CANCEL ANGULAR ROTATION

G0 X-200 Y-200 ;MOVE TO UNLOAD POSITION

M30 ;END OF PROGRAM AND RESET

;***** ERROR SECTION *****

ERR1: ;LABEL FOR CUTTER DIA TEST

MSG ("CUTTER DIAM GREATER THAN SLOT WIDTH")

M00 ; STOP PROGRAM AND THE MSG ABOVE WILL BE EVIDENT ON THE CNC HMI

6
Example 2
There is a requirement to produce an elliptical hole in a plate to accept a pipe to be welded to the plate that has
been cut at an angle. See drawing below.

From the start of the program, you can see the basic R variable assignment that will be used to control the size
and shape of the Ellipse.

R1=125 ;CENTRE IN X

R2=80 ;CENTRE IN Y

R3=61.5 ;RADIUS IN X

R4=47 ;RADIUS IN Y

R5=0 ;START ANGLE

R6=360 ;END ANGLE

R7=100 ;NO OF STEPS

See below the resulting Solid Animation Backplot. The program to create the ellipse is listed below with
comments attached to the blocks with explanations. We have only considered the elliptical shape here and some
area clearance or pilot holes may be required for Z axis entry etc.

7
%_N_0110_MPF

;$PATH=/_N_WKS_DIR/_N_SIEMENS_TEST_JB_WPD

;DESCRIPTION-ELLIPSE PARA SUB

Program Header with comment details
;DRAWING NO-00000 ISSUE-A

;OPERATION-MILL ELLIPSE PROFILE

;PROGRAMMER-JOE SMITH

;DATE/TIME-08/10/2021 10:50:44

;---------------

R1=125 ;CENTRE IN X

R2=80 ;CENTRE IN Y
Variable Assignment
R3=61.5 ;RADIUS IN X

R4=47 ;RADIUS IN Y

R5=0 ;START ANGLE

R6=360 ;END ANGLE

R7=100 ;NO OF STEPS

The Ellipse can be rotated to an angle with
R8=0 ;ROTATIONAL ANGLE OF ELLIPSE this variable. Zero degrees is at 3 O/Clock

R9=16 ;TOTAL DEPTH

R10=100 ;FEED FOR PLUNGING

R11=350 ;FEED FOR MILLING

8 Variable Assignment
R12=2 ;SET UP CLEARANCE
Variable Assignment
R13=50 ;RETRACT PLAIN

R14=30 ;PROFILE OFFSET INSIDE IN X

;-----------------------------

M6 T12 ;CALL THE TOOL INTO THE SPINDLE

D1 ;ACTIVATE TOOL OFFSET

G0 Z=R13 ; RAPID TO Z RETRACT PLANE

TRANS X=R1 Y=R2 ; TEMP WORK SHIFT TO CENTRE OF ELLIPSE

ROT RPL=R8 ; ROTATION ANGLE OF ELLIPSE (0=3PM)

R35=(R6-R5)/R7 ;CALC INCREMENTAL ANGLE

R36=R5 ;START ANGLE Angle count set to -1 to get a one-step

blend overlap
R37=-1 ;SET ANGLE COUNTER

R21=R3*COS(R36) ;CALC X END POINT OF CURRENT ANGLE

R22=R4*SIN(R36) ;CALC Y END POINT OF CURRENT ANGLE

R23=R3-R14 ;CALC SAFE START POSITION

S2000 M3 ;START SPINDLE

G0 X=R23 Y=R22 ;MOVE TO ELLIPSE SAFE START POSITION

Z=R12 ;RAPID DOWN TO SAFE START POSITION IN Z

G1 Z=-R9 F=R10 ;FEED DOWN TO DEPTH

G41 X=R21 Y0 ; MOVE ONTO ELLIPSE PROFILE

LBL1: ;LABLE

R36=R36 +R35 ;CALC NEW ANGLE

R37=R37 +1 ;INCREMENT COUNTER +1

R21=R3*COS(R36) ;CALC X END POINT OF CURRENT ANGLE

R22=R4*SIN(R36) ;CALC Y END POINT OF CURRENT ANGLE

G1 X=R21 Y=R22 F=R11 ;MACHINE CURRENT ELLIPSE INCREMENT

IF R37 < R7 GOTO LBL1 ;TEST INCREMENT COUNT

ENDLABEL: ;END LABEL

G0 G40 X=R23 Y=R22 ;MOVE BACK TO START POSITION

TRANS ;CANCEL TEMP WORK SHIFT TO ELLIPSE CENTRE

ROT ;CANCEL ROTATION OF ELLIPSE

G1 Z=R12 ; FEED UP TO Z SAFE POSITION

G0 Z=R13 ; RAPID UP TO Z RETRACT PLANE

9
G53 X0 Y0 ;MOVE TO MACHINE ZERO X & y TO UNLOAD

M30 ;END OF PROGRAM RESET

10
Example 3
There is a requirement to produce multiple profiled parts from a sheet on material in rows and columns. See
below the profile programmed here that can be found within the body of the program. A sub program machining
a more complex part could be called from this program instead of the profile here. From the diagram below see
the points as indicated 0-14 used to create the program blocks that will change family shape dependent on the
variables entered. A program that can be seen below further down the will facilitate the simple editing of these
variables to create multiple parts form a given sheet of material.

See the basic variable entries below:

;---NOTCHED PROFILE DETAILS ---

R1=80 ;WIDTH

R2=80 ;DEPTH

R3=20 ;CORNER RAD

R4=16 ;NOTCH RAD

R5=20 ;TOTAL DEPTH

R6=3 ;NO. OF CUTS TO DEPTH

;--- ROW, COLUMN, Z DETAILS ---

R7=50 ;RETRACT HEIGHT

11
R8=2 ;R PLANE Z POSITION

R9=4 ;NO OF ROWS Y

R10=3 ;NO OF COLUMNS X

R11=60 ;POSN OF 1ST PROFILE X

R12=86 ;POSN OF 1ST PROFILE Y

R13=132 ;DIST BETWEEN ROWS Y

R14=100 ;DIST BETWEEN COLUMNS X

R15=1500 ;Z PLUNGE FEED RATE

R16=2000 ;PROFILING FEED RATE

From the entries above the program can be tested. See the Tool path Backplot below showing the correct number
of depth cuts and regular spacing as per the entries …..

12
 If we now wish to test the program in Solid Animation the Solid Setup must be set to depict the sheet size to test
the nesting of the multiple parts. To do this we need to fix the first part using variables R11 and R12 and then set
the Solid Setup X, Y, Z, plus and minus to represent the area of sheet material that our Rows and Columns will fit.

To set R11 and R12 see the guide below: The simple formula below will fix the first part on the sheet and other
parts will be spaced as per the other variables.

R11=R1/2+20 (Position of 1st part in X)

R12=R2/2+R4+20 (Position of 1st part in Y)

In Solid Animation, Solid Setup needs setting to represent the sheet so that the resultant sheet size shown on the
Editor screen, will accommodate all the parts. To achieve a sensible Solid Setup block size, use the formula below
and enter the Solid Setup box as indicated below:

X- (Min) = 0 --- X+ (Max)=(R10-1)*R14+R11*2 (EG (3-1)*100+60*2=320)

Y-(Min) = 0 --- Y+ (Max )=(R9-1)*R13+R12*2 (EG (4-1)*132+86*2=568)

Enter Block sizes here for X, Y, Z,

Min and Max sizes Open Solid Setup Box here

When finished tick here to retain

these sizes so that you can repeat
the test a few times if necessary.

13
See the resulting Solid Animation from the Cimco Editor below.

See the whole program set out below with comment descriptions on each block.

%_N_0110_MPF

;$PATH=/_N_WKS_DIR/_N_SIEMENS_TEST_JB_WPD

;DESCRIPTION-MULTIPAL PROFILES

;CPN-000
Program Header
;DRAWING NO-00000 ISSUE-0

;PROGRAMMER-JOHN BRIDGE

;DATE/TIME-21/10/2021 10:47:45

;------------------------------

;---NOTCHED PROFILE DETAILS ---

R1=80 ;WIDTH

R2=80 ;DEPTH

R3=20 ;CORNER RAD

R4=16 ;NOTCH RAD

R5=20 ;TOTAL DEPTH

14
R6=3 ;NO. OF CUTS TO DEPTH

;--- ROW, COLUMN, Z DETAILS ---

R7=50 ;RETRACT HEIGHT

R8=2 ;R PLANE

R9=4 ;NO OF ROWS Y

R10=3 ;NO OF COLUMNS X

R11=0 ;POSN OF 1ST PROFILE X

R12=0 ;POSN OF 1ST PROFILE Y

R13=132 ;DIST BETWEEN ROWS Y

R14=100 ;DIST BETWEEN COLUMNS X

R15=1500 ;Z PLUNGE FEED RATE

R16=2000 ;PROFILING FEED RATE

;--- Y COORD CALCS ---

R101=0 ;NOT USED

R102=R2/2-R3 ;Y START CORNER RAD

R103=R2/2 ;HALF DEPTH Y

;--- X COORD CALCS ---

R111=0 ;NOT USED

R112=R4 ;NOTCH RAD START X

R113=R1/2-R3 ;X START CORNER RAD

R114=R1/2 ;HALF WIDTH X

;--- DEPTH, COUNTER, SET ---

R55=R5/R6 ;INC DEPTH

R56=R6 ;DEPTH COUNTER

R57=0 ;ROW COUNTER

R58=0 ;COLUMN COUNTER

R60=0 ;Y TRANS POSN

R61=0 ;X TRANS POSN

;----------------------

;****** PROGRAM START ********

TRANS ;CANEL ALL TEMP ORGINS

G54 ;ACTVATE MAIN WORK ORIGIN

TC("7.3_ENDMILL") ;TOOL CHANGE

15
M00 ;PROGRAM STOP - CHECK TOOL

D1 ;ACTVATE TOOL OFFSET

G0 Z=R7 ; MOVE Z TO RETRACT HEIGHT

TRANS X=R11 Y=R12 ;ABSOLUTE TEMP ORIGIN

G0 X0 Y0 ;MOVE THE TEMP ORIGIN ZERO

Z=R8 F2000 S350 ;MOVE TO R PLANE

Z0 F=R15 ;MOVE TO Z ZERO

;----------------------

;***** COLUMN PROGRAMMING *****

REPEAT PROF1 ;JUMP TO PROF1

Z0 ;MOVE TO Z ZERO

R58=R58+1 ;INC COLUMN COUNTER

COL1: ;LABEL

G0 Z=R8 ;MOVE TO R PLANE

G0 Z0 ;RESET TO Z0

R58=R58+1 ;INC COLUMN COUNTER

R56=R6 ;RESET DEPTH COUNTER

ATRANS X=R14 ;SET COLUMN OFFSET

G0 X0 ;MOVE TO X0 Y0

Z0 ;MOVE TO Z0

REPEAT PROF1 ;CALL PROFILE SECTION

G0 Z=R8 ;MOVE TO Z R PLANE

IF R58<>R10 GOTOB COL1 ;TEST COLUMN COUNT

;--------------------

;***** ROW PROGRAMMING *****

R58=0 ;RESET COL COUNT

R57=R57+1 ;INC ROW COUNTER

IF R57==R9 GOTOF END ;TEST ROW COUNT

R60=R57*R13 ;CALC ROW COORDINATE

TRANS ;CANCEL ALL TEMP ORIGINS

TRANS X=R11 Y=R12 ;RESET TEMP ORIGIN

ATRANS Y=R60 ;SET ROW TEMP ORIGIN

G0 X0 Y0 ;MOVE TO NEW ROW

16
Z R8 F2000 S350 ;MOVE TO Z R PLANE

Z0 F=R15 ;MOVE TO Z ZERO

R56=R6 ;RESET DEPTH COUNTER

REPEAT PROF1 ;JUMP TO PROF1

R58=R58+1 ;INC COLUMN COUNTER

IF R57<>R9 GOTOB COL1 ;TEST ROW COUNT

GOTOF END ;JUMP TO END

;--------------------

;-- PROFILE --

PROF1: ;LABEL

R56=R56-1 ;INCREMENT COUNTER

G91 Z =-R55 ;INCREMENT Z DOWN G91

G90 ;BACK TO ABSOLUTE G90

G0 G41 X0 Y0 ;POINT 0

G1 X=R114 Y0 ;POINT 1

G1 X=R114 Y=R102 ;POINT 2

G3 X=R113 Y=R103 I=-R3 J0 ;POINT 3

G1 X=R112 Y=R103 ;POINT 4

G3 X=-R112 Y=R103 I=-R4 J0 ;POINT 5

G1 X=-R113 Y=R103 ;POINT 6

G3 X=-R114 Y=R102 I0 J=-R3 ;POINT 7

G1 X=-R114 Y=-R102 ;POINT 8

G3 X=-R113 Y=-R103 I=R3 J0 ;POINT 9

G1 X=-R112 Y=-R103 ;POINT 10

G3 X=R112 Y=-R103 I=R4 J0 ;POINT 11

G1 X=R113 Y=-R103 ;POINT 12

G3 X=R114 Y=-R102 I0 J=R3 ;POINT 13

G1 X=R114 Y0 ;POINT 14

G0 G40 X0 Y0 ;POINT 15

IF R56>0 GOTOB PROF1 ;TEST COUNT

ENDLABEL: ;END LABEL

;-------------

END: ;LABEL
17
G0 Z=R7 ;GO TO RETRACT HEIGHT

TRANS X0 ;CANCEL ALL TEMP ORIGINS

G0 X-100 Y-100 ;MOVE TO UNLOAD POSITION

M30 ;END OF PROGRAM RESET

18