superimposed control
there are alot of multi turret and multi spindle lathes about now, old controls etc so needing some love of a new control , but to get the best from them you need run multi programs at once, superimposed if machine layout allows etc.
more so when you want to use two turrets on the main and do "pinch turning"
with super imposed you can offset pinch turn also so one tool will be slighly infront of the 2nd tool doing the finish.
you can start to do machines like this
this is superimposed control, where other axis sets must follow a master
basicly you "offset" the slave X Y Z to the master X Y Z which gives you axis following each other as you see.
yes there are macros that you call todo all this, (citizen call these sync codes) but its only setting up the system to group axis for use in each program, defind what will follow what and who and how.
the macro will also postion the machine in place for you to a setup drive on point. so the operators never see anything complex and scary to program as its been done for them interms of axis selection
you just program as if it was a normal X Z lathe.
i only have back ground on citizen machiens which have a lot of macros todo this alot of this, but have a good back ground how its basicly working things in the back ground. i think star has a different way todo things in terms of sync codes but i dont know never seen a program for one etc.
here is a video of my M20 sliding head Citizen, quick part i had to make.
here is a video of the program running
here you have 3 programs that run together using sync codes and wait codes.
these are kept in 1 file on citizens they just define each program by a $ sign for each program start $1,$2,$3 , when loaded on machine its displayed as 3 programs as seen in the video
here main slid on main spindle is working at its own speed while bottom turret is working on back end of the part in the sub spindle
once done, it waits for the main to be ready for turret to work on the main (you can use turret and main slid at the same time also, also can use the turret to say drill/bore on main and sub can drill or bore on turret also)