Professional machinist GUI

I am not bashing or trashing here I am just giving my opinion that was asked for. I am just the maintenance guy so I don't spend all day in front of one of these machine running parts. Off the top of my head and it has been a few days not using either GUI. Axis is cumbersome to use. Things just aren't where you think they should be. It might have all the right parts but if not in the right place its no good. The Axis tool path screen might be great for engraving but for actual parts it looks like a blob of color. Axis is not so touch screen friendly which means there has to be a keyboard and mouse of some sort. Touchy is for touch screens but for the most part is missing the needed features. Tool editor, program editor. button size and layout don't really work for me. We have several machines with different controls on them and I guess for me its about the show. I am not saying that either is bad and maybe I am just inexperienced but if using the control is not the best it can be then change it. When I walk up to a machine i expect to see a Fanuc control. Maybe not actually a Fanuc control but that is what my mind pictures so I start looking for screens and buttons that I recognize. The gscreen GUI gave me that feeling while looking at screen shots. From reading this post you are far more into this than just being a machine operator/machinist and that is where LinuxCNC falls short. If you back away from everything you know and just go back to being an operator/machinist you will see it in a different light. When Tech-schools train machinist they use the latest machines. They might start on manual controls but end up on high dollar CNC's with high dollar controls. I cant walk away from a CNC with a Fanuc 30i and use Touchy or Axis. I have been wanting to create a new GUI for LinuxCNC since April. I support and encourage the development of LinuxCNC and its GUI I am kind of at home base (MPM Inc.) I will be more than glade to talk to operators and get there opinions but I suspect it will not be far from mine.

Since I highjacked "cmorley"s thread for gscreen I decided to see if this would generate some interest. I work at MPM Inc. (Stuart Stevenson's shop) and as many of you know there are multiple machines running LinuxCNC. We have the machines, we have the machinist, we don't have a GREAT GUI.

"If a professional machinist were to design a GUI, what would it look like?"

well lets break this up a bit.
1 Running a machine
2 setting up a machine

1 When running a machine:
- What machine info is needed first hand and what can be a button press away.
- What adjustment controls are needed first hand and what can be a button press away.
- are screen controls for say overrides handy enough or do pros prefer real dials and switches
- are there buttons that are quintessential 'Fanuc' like ? are they always in a certain position?
- is the concept of every thing on screen all the time the way to go or are modes the way to go ? if modes where are the divisions?
- is editing the program on machine common? what would make that easier.
- is touchscreen inputs useable or are real button (soft buttons) preferable ?

2 setting up a machine:
- much of the same questions also apply
- is probing screen/routine a must?
- I know a more pro like tool offset and wear offset editing has been asked for but some of this is beyond screen building.
- do you routinely (or would like to) build programs on the machine or always download them?

overall is there something everybody loved or hated about a particular control ?

Chris M

Chris,

I will get you answers on those questions. Plus add option 3, Maintenance. I added a hacked and choped theroitical screen shot of where this might be headed. Let me know if it is way out of line? It is a Fanuc and your gscreen mockup. Everything shown is a touch screen GUI not physical button.

I have also posted these questions here here and asked our guys that have used several different controls and machines as well as the LinuxCNC controled machines to anwserw these questions.

John when you small machine shop and older machines what are you refering to? I concider MPM to be a small machine shop with older machines? We have 10+ CNC's 40+ employees and out newest machine is from the late 90's.

"If a professional machinist were to design a GUI, what would it look like?"

I was asking me the same question. As a job shop owner i have some thoughts:

- Do NOT put everything in only one screen.
# Use 1 screen for the machine preparator (machine startup, jog, mda, g-code input, gremlin, tool setting,
step-by-step testing, feed override, spindle override, ...)
# Use 1 screen for the machine operator (run, stop, feed override, speed override),
general machine status visualization and tool monitoring.
# Use 1 screen for machine maintenance if something fails (HAL, drive status, internal parameters, ...)

- Do NOT use a mouse, it is risky in a production environment.
- Only use the keyboard for g-code input and other number/letter entry.
# It means that is risky to use a keyboard in a production environment for start, stop, feed override,
spindle override, ...

- It should looks like a Fanuc or Siemens controls with more hardware buttons.

Victor.

From my perspective:

What machine info is needed first hand and what can be a button press away.
Always needed; ESTOP
Button press away; everything else depending on what modes you are in.

Are screen controls for overrides enough or do you prefer Physical dials and switches?
Screen controls are fine for overrides as long as they are controlable, by selecting somthing,

Are there buttons that are quintessential 'Fanuc' like?
MDI, JOG, Position, System or Debug

Ae they always in a certain position?
not all of them but are often grouped together

Is the concept of every thing on screen all the time the way to go or are modes the way to go ?
Modes

If modes where are the divisions?
More on this later it will take some time and thought.

Is editing the program on machine common?
Yes

What would make that easier?
on screen keyboard, keeping machinset at there stations

Are touchscreen inputs useable or are real button (soft buttons) preferable?
That goes back to modes. you can have a soft button in your touch screen

Is probing screen/routine a must?
Not for me

Do you routinely build programs on the machine or always download them?
Both

Do you have a favorite control?
I like Fanuc, and Haas controls

What makes that control better?
Fanuc uses a touch screen and physical button interface. Even between different models of control everything seems to be where you think it should be.
Haas controls are always the same. Haas has becaome a popular CNC because it uses almost the same equipment across all its platforms.

Is tool offset and wear offset editing a must have?
Not for me

Agreed, ESTOP should be a hard wired switch outside the touch panel. On the Fanuc control there are several physical buttons that could be made availibe as touch button and always on screen. I will try to get some images of one of our Fanuc controls for refference layout.