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<h1 CLASS=ChapName>Introduction</h1>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>This GPM Legacy Postprocessing online help is for a 
 postprocessing module that was used in the 1980's and 1990's. It is now 
 obsolete but is still in common use at many sites. Because it is obsolete 
 the documentation will no longer be updated or maintained in any way. 
 </p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>This online help contains the following sections:</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>An introduction to 
 postprocessing</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>A description of 
 postprocessing with the Graphics Postprocessor Module (GPM)</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>A description of 
 postprocessing with the Manufacturing Output Manager (MOM) Postprocessor</p></li>
</ul>

<h5>Postprocessing in General</h5>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>Your primary use of the Manufacturing application is 
 to generate tool paths in order to manufacture parts. Generally, you cannot 
 just send an unmodified tool path file to a machine and start cutting 
 because there are many different <span style="font-style: italic;">types</span> 
 of machines. Each type of machine has unique hardware capabilities and 
 requirements; for instance it can have a vertical or a horizontal spindle, 
 it can cut while moving several axes simultaneously, etc.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>Furthermore, each machine is controlled by a computer 
 (i.e., <span style="font-style: italic;">controller</span>). The controller 
 accepts a tool path file and directs tool motion and other machine activity 
 (e.g., turning the coolant or air on and off). Naturally, just as each 
 <span style="font-style: italic;">type</span> of machine has unique hardware 
 characteristics, controllers also differ in software characteristics. 
 For instance, most controllers require that the instruction for turning 
 the coolant on be given in a particular code (e.g., M08). Some controllers 
 also restrict the number of M codes that are allowed in one line (i.e., 
 block) of output. This information is not in the initial tool path.</p>

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<p CLASS=Paragraph
	style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Figure 
 1-1</span> The tool path file hits the controller's brick wall of incompatibility. 
 The tool path data is not formatted for the KNT machine.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>Therefore, the tool path must be modified to suit the 
 unique parameters of each different machine/controller combination. The 
 modification is called <span style="font-style: italic;">postprocessing</span>. 
 The result is a postprocessed tool path.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>Two elements are essential for postprocessing. They 
 are:</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tool 
 path data</span> - This is a tool path file or a tool path <span style="font-style: italic;">cutter 
 location source file</span> (.cls).</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet><span style="font-weight: bold;">A 
 postprocessor</span> - This is a program that reads the tool path data 
 and reformats it for use with a particular machine and its accompanying 
 controller.</p></li>
</ul>

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<p CLASS=Paragraph
	style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Figure 
 1-2</span> The tool path data is reformatted by the KNT postprocessor 
 for the KNT.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The postprocessor program is usually dedicated to a 
 single type of machine/controller combination. You can modify postprocessor 
 file parameters for functions of that particular type of machine/controller 
 combination. However, you cannot modify the program for use with another 
 type of machine/controller combination.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>NX provides two generalized postprocessor programs. 
 The first is GPM (Graphics Postprocessor Module) which uses the <span 
 style="font-style: italic;">cutter location source file</span> (.cls) 
 as input. The second is the MOM (Manufacturing Output Manager) Postprocessor 
 which uses NX tool path data as input. Both output machine readable tool 
 path data for a specific machine tool/controller combination.</p>

<p style="margin-bottom: 0;">&nbsp; </p>

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