Export Machine configuration from VMID to Cimco *.MCFG file

[Jelena Rosic]

Every customer needs to have the option to export the machine kinematics from VMID to a Cimco *.MCFG file. In that way, users don’t need to create Machine configuration manually, but they can easily export it from VMID and select it in the Cimco Backplot menu.

The workflow:

• Open VMID file
• Go to the Working Style Tab
• Click on Cimco Editor Configuration Data
• When you click on Machine Configuration, an info message on the bottom left corner of VMID will be displayed:
  1.png

• Right-click on Machine Configuration
• The Export VMID to Machine Setup option is visible:
  2.png
• Clicking on Export VMID to Machine Setup option, the machine kinematic is exported from the VMID file to *.MCFG file which is placed C:\Users\Public\Documents\SolidCAM\CimcoEditor\Mac hineCfg. The exported *.MCFG file has the same name as the exported VMID:
  3.png
• If the .mcfg file with the same name does exist, the software has to pop up a message Like "The file does exist, would u like to overwrite it?"
  4.png
• Now, that new created *.MCFG file could be selected for CIMCO Machine Setup:
  5.png

Limitations:

• The MachineCfg folder, where all *.MCFG files are saved, will be created the first time when the user runs Cimco so the VMID file cannot be exported before Cimco is not opened even once by the user.
  If the Cimco has not been opened even once, and if we try to export VMID, the error "The path folder 'C:\Users\Public\Documents\SolidCAM\CimcoEditor\Ma chineCfg\', not exist. Export Failed" will appear, and the *.MCFG file will not be exported
• Inside the CIMCO Editor, we are able to simulate the G-code for turning machine, but for turning Controller, we are not able to select Machine configuration (Machine Setup), and because of that Turning machine can’t be exported to *.MCFG file
• CIMCO Editor doesn’t have Mill-turn controllers and they cannot simulate the tool path for Mill-turn machines. For that reason, we do not export VMID files with defined channels to *.MCFG file.
• Inside Cimco Editor we don’t have the possibility to define more than one Table or more than one Spindle, also there is no possibility to define Linear or Rotary turret, and because of that only Machines with one Spindle and one Table could be exported from VMID to *.MCFG file.
• If we have defined Milling Machine with a Turning option (for example Hermle-C42U), we should be able to export VMID to *.MCFG file and use it as Machine Setup for Milling.

Best regards,
Jelena Rosic