Generating random numbers during program execution...??

[doug98105]

The Centroid macro language doesn't include a random number function.

Is there a way to generate random numbers during program execution using existing macro functions ? Why???, because I'm doing a project where I want to drill a random pattern of holes with each run of the program giving a different hole pattern.

I can do this in CAD/CAM, but it's cumbersome because of having to create a separate program for each program run. In other words if I want, for instance, 50 random hole pattern parts I'd have to create 50 separate programs.

[tblough]

Based on Wikipedia:

#100 = (1103515245 * #25012 + 12345) % (2^31);

Parameter #25012 is the time in seconds from CNC12 as a seed

[eng199]

The system variables should allow you to put something together. #25011 or #25012 times could work in some cases, or could be a seed for a pseudorandom calculation you can find online.

If your machine has a spindle encoder, it should be a good random number in most cases, if you are machining between calculations. Spindle encoder should be somewhere in #5021 - #5028, depending on mapping.

[doug98105]

Thanks for the replies. Using #25012 seems to do the trick. I'll do some testing the next few days to verify.

My machine doesn't have a spindle encoder so that method is out.