# Orientation programming (ori.*)

With 5-axis machining with active complete kinematic transformation, the Cartesian coordinates are programmed either in point/Euler angle representation or in a point/direction vector representation.

The orientation is specified by means of address letters A/B/C or also I/J/K.

In basic setting, the point/Euler angle representation is active in the NC channel (orientation specified via rotation angles A, B, C) where typically 2 rotation angles are sufficient for 5-axis machining. All 3 rotation angles are typically used only for machines with six axes (e.g. robots) to define the manual coordinate system.

In CAD/CAM systems, the coordinates of a workpiece are usually stored in vector representation and the axis coordinates are represented in vector notation in automatically generated NC programs.

To permit direct processing of these NC programs, the following channel parameters can be used to set whether the values programmed with A,B,C or I,J,K are interpreted as angle values or as vector components.

Alternatively, the default setting in the channel parameters in the NC program can be modified at any time by means of a corresponding NC command [PROG//Command #ORI].

## Additional information

- Type of orientation representation (P-CHAN-00177)
- Index of fixed rotation axis (P-CHAN-00178)
- Plane of parallel tool axis (P-CHAN-00436)