Panel Machines

Components of the types 'rod', 'profile rod', 'panel', 'shaped part' and 'wall' can be stored for machine control. The function 'store with contour' is specifically intended for machines that process panel-like components, e.g. Hundegger PBA (V7), HOLMAG - dowel system, etc. For the transfer to assembly machines, transfer to modern panel machines (e.g. Hundegger PBA, SPM, Technowood Panel, etc.) is integrated. However, the settings (see below) are the same in both cases.

The storage writes the outer contour, the contour of openings and additional lines of the visible side. If a contour was generated from an arc, an arc will be re-created from the segments for the storage. For all contour lines, processing operations that should be executed along that contour line are determined where possible. These are contour segments, contour rebates and contour cutouts, each along a line or an arc. As with the normal machine storage, all machine operations such as drillings, recesses, etc. are also written into the storage.

The result of the storage can be influenced by the following settings. The settings can be saved under a name with the upper input elements and recalled at any time:

• Component side on the machine table Components can be stored in two basic orientations: with the front side (F) or the rear side (D) on the machine table. This is specified here by the user. Thus the desired orientation can be preset. If machining from both sides is required, storage is performed twice, whereby the 'component side on the machine table' must be set differently each time. Specifically with the settings 'Front side All' and 'Rear side All', the operations from both sides are stored at once. In addition, more machine operations can be stored with these settings; more checkboxes on the right side become active. This setting is intended for the newer PBA machines (PBA with bvx2 control).

• Correct coordinate system: During the analysis of the component outline, various complex analyses are performed. In one of these analyses the coordinate system of the component is recalculated by default. Since this has led to issues in isolated cases, this option can be disabled. In general, however, this option can remain enabled.

• Reduce outline to final component: During the analysis of the component outline, this outline is reduced to its actual outline including the operations. This is necessary because components are often drastically reduced in size by operations. If this reduction did not take place, a much larger outline would be transferred to the machine than necessary. Although the operations would subsequently bring it back to the correct size, the large outline could, depending on the machine, lead to other problems. However, the reduction of the outline can lead to problems in individual cases because these recalculations are very complex. Therefore, this reduction can be disabled to achieve a better result for problematic components.

• Transfer bays as: Bays in the panel outline can optionally be created as a bay in the outline or as a cutout. A bay is integrated into the outline when transferred. In some cases it may be useful to remove the bays from the outline and transfer them as separate cutouts.

• Transfer openings as: Like bays, openings in the panel (for example window openings) can be optionally created as an internal outline in the outline or as a recess. An internal outline is integrated into the outline when transferred. In some cases it may be useful to remove the openings from the outline and transfer them as separate recesses.

• minimum width of a bay: On an edge of the component there is a cutout or similar protrusion. This interrupts the edge or lies between two edges. If the width of this protrusion is smaller than the value 'minimum width of a bay', the adjacent edges are extended and connected so that this protrusion is bypassed. On the machine, the outer shape is processed first and then this protrusion is processed afterwards. If the width is larger than this value, the protrusion remains in the outer contour and is processed together with it in one pass. If the protrusion is not created as a bay in the outline, it will in that case be generated with additional contour cuts. How these contour cuts are transferred to the machine is configured in the postprocessor.

• Decompose outer polygon: The outer polygon can be stored as a contiguous polygon or as individual lines. For a contiguous polygon, necessary extensions of the cutting path on the machine are calculated automatically at inclined edges. Only the first and last line are possibly extended by the value 'extend contour line by'. If the outer polygon is decomposed, a number of individual lines are produced, each of which can be extended.

• Extension of contour lines: It can be selected whether contour lines should, if possible, be extended at the start, end or both sides. Contour lines are automatically never extended into the finished component. It is also checked for the extended lines whether the tool (e.g. for a rebate) would intrude into another part of the component. If this is the case, that line will then receive no operation.

• Extend contour lines by: Affected lines are extended by this value at each end.

• max. ratio of rebate width to length: If a rebate is limited in length, it could be machined as a narrow long rebate (along the long side) or as a very short wide rebate (along the short edge). By specifying that the rebate must, for example, be at least twice as long as wide (factor 2.0), the rebate along the long edge will be chosen automatically. This setting is only necessary for rebates that are generated by the shape analysis. Rebates that were entered as machine operations are already fully defined.

• Transfer rebates on underside: Rebates on the underside may not be possible to perform depending on the machine. Therefore, it may be sensible not to transfer rebates on the underside and instead transfer them in a second transfer for the other component side.

• Max. groove depth or max. rebate depth on underside: This is the maximum depth for rebates and grooves on the panel underside.

• Min. clearance outside groove: This is the space that must be available outside (in front of) a groove at minimum for the groove to be created. This is important when the groove lies in a bay and the width of the bay may not provide sufficient space for the tool to produce the groove.

• min. segment length for roughing arcs: Arcs are finished with the router. First, where possible, they are 'freed' by the saw. The arc is thus preworked as far as possible with straight cuts. The minimum length of these straight cuts, the segments, can be specified here. The program then determines the next possible segment length with which the arc can be evenly divided.

• Thickness of the saw blade: With the thickness of the saw blade it is checked for contour segments whether the tool would destroy other parts of the component.

• Width of the rebate cutter: If a rebate is only 0.04 m wide, it can in principle also be produced with a 0.12 m wide cutter. However, we check whether the cutter would, due to its width, damage other areas of the component. If this is the case, the rebate is marked so that it may only be machined at its original width, in our case with a 0.04 m wide cutter.

Right side: Transfer operations as operations:

• Transfer machine operations as operations (otherwise as contour operation): Machine operations such as recesses, cutouts, etc. change the shape of the component. These can optionally be stored as machine operations; then they will be processed separately and not with the contour. If they are stored as contour, they may be processed within the contour (i.e. the outline). Example: There is a cutout in a longitudinal edge: If it is stored as a machine operation, it will be processed separately after contour processing. If it is stored as a contour, it will possibly be processed together with the other lines of the contour (the outline) in one pass (observe minimum width of a bay).

• Transfer machine operations as operations (otherwise as contour line): The operations in this group cannot be identified as contour operations. If they are not to be transferred directly as machine operations, a contour line without operation information will be transferred to the machine. With this contour line, it is easier to define the desired operation manually in the machine software.

File settings:

This part applies only to the function 'store with contour' for modern panel machines; for those that run via the transfer for assembly machines, the file setting is performed as with the assembly machines.

• Selection It is set whether 'All' or only the 'Active' components of the selected component types should be written into the storage.

• Position number The filename consists of the five-digit project number and this three-digit position number.

• Comment This comment can be used to describe the storage for the selection more precisely in the DIMAS postprocessor. The comment is also transferred to the Hundegger PBA as 'BvName'.