Conditional Statements: Conditional statements allow for branching in the execution flow of a macro based on specific conditions. The most common conditional statements are "if," "else if," and "else." These statements evaluate a condition and execute different blocks of code based on the result. Conditional statements help customize the behavior of macros and handle different scenarios accordingly.
Logical Operators: Logical operators combine conditions and perform logical operations. The most common logical operators include AND (&&), OR (||), and NOT (!). They are used to evaluate multiple conditions simultaneously, create compound conditions, and perform logical negation. Logical operators are crucial for implementing complex decision-making processes within macros.
In CNC macro programming, macro logic or macro functions refer to the logical operations and decision-making processes incorporated within macros. They allow for complex calculations, comparisons, branching, and other logical operations to be performed during the execution of a macro. Macro logic helps automate tasks, control program flow, and make dynamic decisions based on certain conditions.
One type of macro logic/functions commonly used in CNC programming are:
Comparison Functions: These functions enable the comparison of values and conditions. They include operations such as equality (==), inequality (!=), greater than (>), less than (<), greater than or equal to (>=), and less than or equal to (<=). Comparison functions are useful for evaluating data and determining if certain conditions are met.
Looping Functions: Looping functions allow for the repetition of a sequence of code a certain number of times or until a specific condition is met. Common looping functions include "for" loops and "while" loops. These functions provide control over the iteration process within macros, enabling repetitive tasks or data processing.
WHILE is the function used to program loops for G-Code
Read the following Chapters of the Peter Smid book, "FANUC CNC Custom Macros: Programming Resources for FANUC Custom Macro B users":
Chapter 13: Branches and Loops
After reading, do the following:
Analyze your understanding of the concepts discussed in the book's chapters and throughout this submodule
Identify your key takeaways from the chapters - what did you learn that you didn't know previously, how does what you learned affect your perspective going forward, etc.