A tool programmed as Ø10 but measured at Ø9.5 has a diameter difference of 0.5 and a radial difference of 0.25. The correct entry depends on two independent choices: whether NX CAM outputs the finished contour or the nominal tool-center path, and whether Setting 40 interprets cutter offsets as radius or diameter. Identify both before entering any value.
Supported compensation approaches
NX CAM and the Haas control can divide the compensation work in two ways. The offset table cannot correct a program reliably until its values match the generated path.
| Approach | NX CAM output | Geometry |
Wear |
Commissioning consequence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full control compensation | Finished contour; the control generates the tool-center displacement | Full measured cutter radius or diameter, according to Setting 40
|
Zero initially; use for small measured corrections | Requires a valid entry move with enough distance for compensation to become active |
| CAM compensation with control wear | Nominal tool-center path calculated for the programmed cutter | Zero | Difference between the programmed and effective cutter size | Produces only the small correction left after CAM has positioned the nominal tool center |
These approaches are not interchangeable at the machine. Applying a full tool radius to an already compensated centerline path shifts the cutter a second time. Leaving both columns at zero on a finished-contour program provides no tool-radius displacement.
Recommended offset model
Use the CAM-compensated centerline approach when the objective is a conventional axial path with only size adjustment at the machine. Configure NX CAM for the nominal Ø10 cutter, keep Geometry at zero, and place only the measured size correction in Wear. This avoids asking the control to reconstruct the complete tool-center path and reduces the compensation displacement required on the entry move.
Before anything else, standardize Setting 40. Radius mode makes a wear entry represent radial movement directly; diameter mode makes the entered diameter correction produce half that amount at the cutting edge. Either convention can work, but every setup sheet, presetter value, and offset entry must use the same convention. Do not change the setting merely to accommodate one unexplained test result.
Use full control compensation only when the posted coordinates follow the finished contour. Under that method, enter the complete measured cutter size in Geometry, then reserve Wear for subsequent corrections. Do not place the full value in both columns because the control combines them.
Setting 40 and offset calculation
Setting 40 determines whether a numeric cutter-offset entry represents a radius or a diameter. It does not change the physical cutter or repair a CAM-path mismatch. It changes how the control converts the stored number into lateral tool-center displacement.
| Quantity for the example | Calculation | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Programmed radius | Ø10 ÷ 2 | 5.0 |
| Measured radius | Ø9.5 ÷ 2 | 4.75 |
| Diameter difference | 9.5 − 10 | −0.5 |
| Radius difference | 4.75 − 5.0 | −0.25 |
For a nominal centerline path, the theoretical effective-size change is therefore −0.25 in radius convention or −0.5 in diameter convention. These values use the same length unit as the program. Confirm the sign with a controlled cut because the resulting feature-size change also depends on compensation side, contour direction, and whether the feature is internal or external.
For a finished-contour program using full control compensation, the corresponding complete Geometry value is 4.75 in radius convention or 9.5 in diameter convention. Start Wear at zero. Mixing 4.75 with diameter mode halves the intended radial displacement; entering 9.5 while radius mode is active doubles it.
Commissioning procedure
- Identify the posted path. Display or backplot the coordinates from NX CAM. Confirm whether they trace the finished contour or the centerline calculated for the nominal Ø10 tool. Do not move on until this is explicit.
-
Read
Setting 40. Record whether the control is using radius or diameter interpretation. Compare that selection with the convention used by existing offset records and setup documentation. -
Clear conflicting entries. For the recommended centerline-and-wear method, set
Geometryto zero for the selected cutter and remove any stale full-size value fromWear. Confirm that the active program references the intended tool-offset record. - Enter the calculated correction. For the Ø10 programmed and Ø9.5 measured example, use a correction magnitude of 0.25 in radius mode or 0.5 in diameter mode. Apply the algebraic sign required to reduce the effective programmed cutter size.
- Inspect compensation engagement. Check that the entry move allows the control to introduce the requested lateral shift before the cutting contour. A short or geometrically constrained entry can make an otherwise correct program unacceptable to the control.
- Run a controlled test. Use a safe proving condition and observe the position at compensation engagement. Stop if the displayed or physical displacement matches a full diameter when only a radial correction was intended.
-
Cut and measure. Machine a representative internal or external feature, measure it, and change only
Wear. Record whether a positive entry makes that specific feature larger or smaller before releasing the program.
Full-diameter shift diagnostics
A displacement equal to the cutter diameter normally points to an interpretation or duplication error, not ordinary wear. Check the causes in this order.
| Observed condition | Likely cause | Corrective check |
|---|---|---|
| Shift is twice the intended radial amount | A diameter value was entered while Setting 40 treats it as radius |
Match the entered number to the active setting; do not compensate by guessing a smaller value |
| Centerline path moves by a complete tool-size value | Full Geometry compensation was applied to a path already offset by NX CAM |
Use zero Geometry and retain only the wear delta |
| Unexpected total despite individually plausible entries |
Geometry and Wear both contain compensation |
Calculate their combined effective value and clear the duplicate |
| Control refuses the compensation move | The entry geometry cannot accommodate the requested displacement | Lengthen or revise the CAM-generated engagement move, then backplot again |
Verification criteria and recurring pitfalls
Verify displacement and part size separately. Position display or a dry proving pass confirms how the offset is interpreted; a measured cut confirms whether its sign changes the feature in the required direction. Do not infer the correct sign solely from the cutter being undersize.
- Do not alternate between radius and diameter conventions without converting every affected offset.
- Do not enter 0.5 automatically for a 0.5 diameter error. The radial error is 0.25.
- Do not use full measured size when NX CAM already produced the nominal centerline.
- Do not treat
GeometryandWearas independent corrections; the control uses their combined effect. - Do not approve a successful dry run as dimensional proof. Cutting load, runout, and deflection can still change the measured feature.
FAQ
What happens if Setting 40 is set to radius but I enter the cutter diameter?
The control interprets the diameter number as a radius, producing twice the intended lateral displacement. For the Ø9.5 cutter, entering 9.5 instead of the 4.75 radius creates this error.
What happens if Geometry and Wear both contain the full cutter value?
The values combine and overcompensate the path. Put the full measured size in Geometry only for a finished-contour program, or use zero Geometry with only the size delta in Wear for a CAM-generated centerline.
What happens if the compensation entry move is too short?
The control may reject compensation engagement or produce an unintended transition because it cannot establish the requested lateral displacement. Revise the NX CAM entry geometry and verify it in backplot before cutting.
How do I complete the final cutter-compensation verification?
Cut a representative feature, measure it, adjust only Wear, and repeat the measurement. Release the setup only when the measured feature is within its specified tolerance and the recorded offset convention matches Setting 40.