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 Automatic programming tool(APT) is the most

powerful, comprehensive and universal geometric


processor language.

 NC languages are broadly divided into three groups:


 Machine tool oriented
 APT like
 Special Types
 Machine tool Oriented system

 These are generally developed by the machine tool manufactures for


generating NC tapes to be used for their machine tool.

 These systems are normally single pass tape preparation system with
no post processors.

 The examples of such languages are SPLIT (Standard Processing


Languages Internally Translated), which is used for standard machine
tool.
 APT Like systems:
 Since APT is the most powerful, comprehensive and universal geometric
processor language used all over the world by a large number of companies.

 The basic advantages of the APT system is the versatility with which even
complicated geometrical configurations of workpieces can be described.

 Often, this versatility of the system becomes a great disadvantage particularly to


be used for a class of components of for a particular type of machine tool.

 To alleviate these disadvantages, the other system have been developed


such as NELAPT,UNIAPT, EXAPT,IFAPT, ADAPT,etc.
 In the following, some features of these languages which are different
from APT are discussed.

 NELAPT:
 NELAPT developed by the National Engineering Laboratory, UK is a
subset of APT with a few advanced features not available in APT.

 Vocabulary of NELAPT is same as APT.

C for CIRCLE

V for VECTOR

GB for GOBACK

YS for YSMALL
 The storage requirements for the complete NELAPT system is 40
k words (24 bites length)

 EXAPT:
 The most important development of APT is probably EXAPT
(Extended subset of APT).
 One of the basic specifications for the EXAPT system was that the
language is to be both geometrically and technologically
oriented and task for the machine tool is simplified.
 Further ,three versions of EXAPT are available:

 EXAPT-1: For positioning machines, such as drilling.

 EXAPT-2: For turning centers.

 EXAPT-3: For milling operations for straight line and continuous


path control system.
 The complete APT programming consist of the following four
types of statement :

 Geometry

 Motion

 Post Processor

 Compilation Control
 The point geometry is normally broken into a number of surface
elements that could be defined from the data given in a part print.

 In this section, we would discussed the geometrical definition which


are more generally used.

 With these geometrical definitions ,it is possible to define most of


the parts except for the very complex ones.

 Before we discussed the geometric definition it is pertinent to


explain some convention that are followed in presenting the
information in the definitions.
 For each of the definitions the general form is presented in which
the following rules are observed:

I. The symbol in lower case letters underlined represents the surface


type specified,

II. A symbol in lower case letter without underline represent a scalar,

III. The word shown in the upper case letters are the MINOR
keywords,And

IV. All possible modifier are presented one below the other enclosed
by an opening brace from among which only one appropriate for
the definition is to be selected.
 GEOMETIC COMMANDS:
o POINT
o LINE
o CIRCLE
o PLANE
o VECTOR
o PATTERN
o SPHERE
o GCONIC
o TABCYL
LINES:
Syntax : <Symbol>=LINE/<parameter
string>.
 Lines do not have a direction and are of
infinite length. Lines must not be
perpendicular to the XY plane. Lines are
planes perpendicular to the XY plane.
 CIRCLES:
Syntax: <Symbol>=CIRCLE/<parameter
string>
 A circle is always considered as a circular
cylinder perpendicular to the XY plane of
infinite height.The radius value must not be
negative.
These statements governs the motion control of the machine and
defines the tool path as per the geometry defined.
The syntax of APT Motion statement is :
Major Word / Minor Word , Scalar
The Desired path of the 3-dimensional cuting tool is described by
means of three intersecting surfaces.

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