HEIDENHAIN TNC 310 (286 140) - Manual (Page 39)

27 HEIDENHAIN TNC 310
Reference system
A reference system is required to define positions in a plane or in
space. The position data are always referenced to a predetermined
point and are described through coordinates.
The Cartesian coordinate system (a rectangular coordinate system)
is based on three coordinate axes X, Y and Z. The axes are mutually
perpendicular and intersect at one point called the datum. A
coordinate identifies the distance from the datum in one of these
directions. A position in a plane is thus described through two
coordinates, and a position in space through three coordinates.
Coordinates that are referenced to the datum are referred
to as absolute coordinates. Relative coordinates are referenced to
any other known position (datum) you define within the coordinate
system. Relative coordinate values are also referred to as
incremental coordinate values.
Reference systems on milling machines
When using a milling machine, you orient tool movements to the
Cartesian coordinate system. The illustration at right shows how
the Cartesian coordinate system describes the machine axes. The
figure at right illustrates the “right-hand rule” for remembering the
three axis directions: the middle finger is pointing in the positive
direction of the tool axis from the workpiece toward the tool (the Z
axis), the thumb is pointing in the positive X direction, and the index
finger in the positive Y direction.
The TNC 310 can control up to 4 axes. The axes U, V and W are
secondary linear axes parallel to the main axes X, Y and Z,
respectively. Rotary axes are designated as A, B and C. The
illustration shows the assignment of secondary axes and rotary
axes to the main axes.
4.1 Fundamentals of NC
W+
C+
B+
V+ A+
U+
Y
X
Z
Y
X
Z
+X
+Y
+Z
+X
+Z +Y