PUNCHED TAPE AND TAPE FORMAT

In this section we examine the details of the punched tape and how it is coded to contain the
part program. Except for the physical form of the coding (punched holes), many of our
comments on the program formatting and coding apply equally well to other forms of input
media such as diskettes and magnetic tape.

The NC tape

The punched tape used for NC is 1 inch wide. It is standardized as shown in Figure 9.1 by the
Electronics Industries Association (EIA), which has been responsible for many of the important
standards in the NC industry. The tape can be made out of several materials. Paper tape is
common. Although its cost is low, it is not durable and therefore not appropriate for repeated
use. Stronger tape materials suitable for higher production use include Mylar-reinforced paper,
Mylar-coated aluminum, and certain plastics. Paper is often used for the initial preparation and
testing of the part program. Then, a production tape is duplicated out of one of the more
durable materials for shop floor use. The punched paper tape is retained as the master copy.

Holes are punched in the tape using a tape punch machine. Tape preparation is accomplished
either manually or using the computer. In the manual method, the tape punch machine
operates in conjunction with a typewriter-like machine, early versions of which were called Flex
writers. Each character typed on the Flex writer is converted to a set of hole patterns in the
punched tape. With the computer method, the tape punch machine is controlled by the
computer according to high-level instructions that have been prepared by the part
programmer. The end result with either the manual or the computer method is the same: a
punched tape representing commands to operate the NC machine. The punched tape is fed
through the tape reader of the MCU using one of the reading techniques described in Section
8.4.

Tape coding As shown in Figure 9.1, there are eight regular columns of holes running in the
lengthwise direction of the tape. There is also a ninth column of holes between the third and
fourth regular columns. However, these are smaller and are used as sprocket holes for feeding
the tape. Figure 9.1 shows a hole present in nearly every position of the tape. However, the
coding of the tape is provided by either the presence or absence of a hole in the various
positions. Because there are two possible conditions for each position-either the presence or
absence of a hole-this coding system is called the binary code, it uses the base 2 number
system, which can represent any number in the more familiar base 10 or decimal system.
In the binary system, there are only two numbers, 0 and 1. The meaning of successive digits in
the binary system is based on the number 2 raised to successive powers. The first digit is 2°, the
second digit is 21, and the third is 22, and so on. The value of 2 0 is 1, 21 = 2, 22 = 4, 23 = 8, and so
on. The two numbers, 0 or 1, in the successive digit positions indicate either the presence or
absence of the value. Table 9.1 shows how the binary system is used to represent numbers in
the decimal system. For example, the decimal number 5 is represented in the binary system by
0101. The conversion from binary to decimal systems makes use of the following type of
computation:

The reader can see from Table 9.1 that four digits are required in the binary system to
represent any of the single-digit numbers in the decimal system. Yet there are eight regular
columns of holes in the standard NC punched tape. The reason eight columns are needed on
the tape is because there are other symbols that must be coded on the tape besides numbers.
Alphabetical letters, plus and minus signs, and other symbols are also needed in NC tape
coding. The standard EIA tape coding is shown in Figure 9.2. Eight columns provide more than
enough binary digits to define any of the required symbols. In fact, the fifth-column position is
used exclusively as a check, called parity, on the correctness of the tape. The way the parity
check works is this: The NC tape reader is designed to read an odd number of holes across the
width of the tape. Whenever the particular number or symbol being punched calls for an even
number of holes, an extra hole is punched in column 5, hence making the total an odd number.
For example, the decimal number 5 uses a punched hole in columns I and 3, an even number of
holes. Therefore, a parity hole would be added. The decimal number 7 already uses an odd
number of holes (columns I, 2, and 3), so a parity hole is not needed. The parity check helps to
assure that the tape punch mechanism has perforated a complete hole in all required positions.
If the tape reader counts an even number of holes in the tape, it would signal the operator that
a parity error had occurred.
How instructions are formed

A binary digit is called a bit. It has a value of 0 or 1 depending on the absence or presence of a
hole in a certain row and column position on the tape. (Columns of hole positions run
lengthwise along the tape. Row positions run across the tape.) Out of a row of bits, a character
is made. A character is a combination of bits, which represents a letter, number, or other
symbol. A word is a collection of characters used to form part of an instruction. Typical NC
words are x-position, y-position, cutting speed, and so on. Out of a collection of words, a block
is formed. A block of words is a complete NC instruction. Using an NC drilling operation as an
example, a block might contain information on the x and y coordinates of the hole location, the
speed and feed at which the cut should be run, and perhaps even a specification of the cutting
tool.
To separate blocks, an end-of-block (EOB) symbol is used (in the EIA standard, this is a hole in
column 8). The tape reader feeds the data from the tape into the buffer in blocks. That is, it
reads in a complete instruction at a time.

NC word

Following is a list of the different types of words used in the formation of a block. Not every NC
machine uses all the words. Also, the manner in which the words are expressed will differ
between machines. By convention, the words in a block are given in the order below:

SEQUENCE NUMBER (N-WORDS). This is used to identify the block.

PREPARATORY WORK (G-WORDS). This word is used to prepare the controller for instructions
that are to follow. For example, the word g02 is used to prepare the NC controller unit for
circular interpolation along an arc in the clockwise direction. The preparatory word is needed so
that the controller can correctly interpret the data that follow it in the block. Some typical
examples of g-words are given in Table 9.2.
COORDINATES (X-, Y-. AND Z-WORDS). These give the coordinate positions of the tool. In a two-
axis system, only two of the words would be used. In a four- or five-axis machine, additional a-
words and/or b-words would specify the angular positions. Although different NC systems use
different formats for expressing a coordinate, we will adopt the convention of expressing it in
the familiar decimal form: for example, x-7.235 or y-0.500. Some formats do not use the
decimal point in writing the coordinate. The + sign to decline a positive coordinate location is
optional. The negative sign is, of course, mandatory.

FEED RATE (F-WORDS). This specifies the feed rate in a machining operation. Units are inches
per minute (in/min) by convention.

CUTTING SPEED (S-WORD). This specifies the cutting speed of the process, the rate at which
the spindle rotates. Units are revolutions per minute (rev/min). In a machining operation it is
usually desirable for the tool engineer to specify the speed in terms of the relative surface
speed of the tool and work. The units would be feet per minute (ft/min). It is therefore
necessary for the part programmer to make the conversion from using the machining process
equations given in Chapter 8.

TOOL SELECTION (T-WORD). This word would only be needed for machines with a tool turret
or automatic tool changer. The t-word specifies which tool is to be used in the operation. For
example, 105 might be the designation of a ½ in. drill bit in turret position 5 on an NC turret
drill.

MISCELLANEOUS FUNCTION (M-WORD) The m-word is used to specify certain miscellaneous or

auxiliary functions which may be available on the machine tool. Of course, the machine must
possess the function that is being called. A partial but representative list of miscellaneous
functions is given in Table 9.3. The miscellaneous function is the last word in the block. To
identify the end of the instruction, an end-of-block (EOB) symbol is punched on the tape.

Tape formats

The organization of words within blocks is called the tape format. Three tape formats seem to
enjoy the most widespread use:

1. Word address format

2. Tab sequential format
3. Fixed block format

The tape format refers to the method of writing the words in a block of instruction. Within each
format them are variations because of differences in machining process, type of machine,
features of the machine tool, and so on.
WORD ADDRESS FORMAT. In this format, a letter precedes each word and is used to identify
the word type and to address the data to a particular location in the controller unit. The x-prefix
identifies an x-coordinate word; an s-prefix identifies spindle speed, and so on. He standard
sequence of words for a two-axis NC system is

n-word
g-word
x-word
y-word
f-word
s-word
t-word
m-word
EOB
However, since the type of word is designated by the prefix letter, the words can be presented
in any sequence. Also, if a word remains unchanged from the previous block or is not needed, it
can be deleted from the block.

TAB SEQUENTIAL FORMAT. This tape format derives its name from the fact that words are
listed in a fixed sequence and separated by depressing the tab key (TAB) when typing the
manuscript on a Flex writer. The TAB symbol in the EIA standard is coded as 01111100 (holes in
columns 2 through 6) on the tape. Since the words are written in a set order, no address letter
is required. The order of words within the block follows the previously mentioned standard. If a
word remains the same as in the previous block, it need not be retyped. However, the TAB code
is required to maintain the sequence of the words.

FIXED BLOCK FORMAT. This is the least flexible and probably the least desirable of the three
formats. Not only must the words in each block be in identical sequence, but the characters
within each word must be the same length and format. If a word remains the same from block
to block, it must nevertheless be repeated in each block.

EXAMPLE 9.1
In an NC drilling operation, two holes must be drilled in sequence at the following coordinate
locations :
Hole 1: x = 2.000 y = 2.500
Hole 2: x = 4.000 y = 2.500
No prepatory or miscellaneous words are required. Tooling is changed manually, so no t-word is
required. The holes are to be drilled to ½ -in. diameter at 75 sfpm and 0.005 in. /rev. Write the
two instruction blocks in each of the three tape formats.
Solution:
First we must convert the surface speed to spindle rotational speed in rpm using Eq. (8.8)

Now to convert 0.005 in. /rev into in./min, multiply by spindle speed as given in Eq. (8.9) :

There are live words to be coded on the NC tape for each hole :
Hole I Hole 2
n-word 001 002
x-word 2.000 4000
y-word 2.500 2.500
f-word 2.87 2.87
s-word 573 573
In the word address format, the two statements would read
n001 x2.000 y2.500 f2.87 s573 EOB
n002 x4.000 EOB
In the tab sequential format, the two blocks would be
001 TAB 2.00 TAB 2.50 TAB 2.87 TAB 573 EOB
002 TAB 4.00 TAB TAB TAB EOB
We are using TAB and EOB to denote the codes for the tab key and end-of-block (carriage
return) on the Flex writer. In the fixed block format, the two blocks would be
001 +02.000 +02.500 2.87 573 EOB
002 +04.000 +02.500 2.87 573 EOB
Now that we have considered the manner in which the NC tape is coded and the type of data
that must be provided to the numerical control system, let us next examine the part
programmer’s place in the procedure.