5.2 The LPKF ProtoMat 92s Commands 
5.2.1 Command structure 
The SMCU (Signal Processor Control Unit) control unit of the machine interprets 
the HP-GL commands described below and converts them into set reactions. 

The syntax: 
Symbol Meaning 
{...} The contents can be repeated any number of times. 
() The command parameters are between these brackets. 
[] The content of these brackets is optional and does not have to be 
included. 

The SMCU expects a separator between the command parameters which is not 
any of the figures or capitals. A new command can follow a parameter without a 
separator. The last character in a command file which is sent must be a semicolon 
or a line feed symbol (0A hex.). 

Unknown commands are ignored by the control unit, but their parameters can lead 
to unwanted plot absolute or plot relative commands. 


5.2.2 HP-GL standard commands 

AA (x,y,a{,ß}){;} 
Arc Absolute  
Draws an arc around the absolute coordinate (x,y) starting from the current 
position with the arc angle a=[degree]. With a negative arc angle a, it is drawn 
clockwise, but otherwise counterclockwise. 

AR(x,y,a{,ß}){;} 
Arc Relative 
Draws an arc around the relative coordinate (x,y) starting from the current position 
with the arc angle a=[degree]. With a negative arc angle a, it is drawn clockwise, 
but otherwise counterclockwise. 

CI (r{,ß}){;}  
Circle 
Draws a complete circle around the current position with radius r. Resolution ß is 
ignored as the maximum resolution is always used when drawing. 

EA (x,y){;} 
Edge rectangle absolute 
Draws a rectangle defined by two corner points lying diagonally to each other. 
The first corner point is determined by the current position and the second by the 
absolute coordinate (x,y). 

ER (x,y){;} 
Edge rectangle relative 
Draws a rectangle defined by two corner points lying diagonally to each other. 
The first corner point is determined by the current position and the second by the 
relative coordinate (x,y). 

IN {;} 
Initialize 
Changes the control unit to the same status as after switching on. This restores all 
default settings. 

IW (x0,y0,x1,y1){;} 
Input window 
Restricts the working area on the XY axis to a window with the given corner 
coordinates. 

OH {;} 
Output hard clip limits 
The control unit automatically determines its maximum travel range within the limit 
switches and send the coordinates determined in this way as an ASCII string in 
the form ("W Xmin,Ymin,Zmin,Xmax,Ymax,Zmax<cr>") to the PC. 

OS {;} 
Output status 
The control unit sends its status line as ASCII hex ("S xxxx <cr>") to the PC. 

PA (x1,y1{,...xn,yn}){;} 
Plot absolute 
Draws a line from the current position to the absolute coordinates listed one after 
the other. The commands PU and PD can be given between the pairs of 
coordinates as parameters. If additional pairs of coordinates are sent, the 
command word PA is not necessary. All pairs of coordinates without a command 
word are taken to relate to the last PA or PR commands sent and are carried out 
accordingly. 

PD {;} 
Pen down 
Lowers the tool. 

PR (x1,y1{,...xn,yn}){;} 
Plot relative 
Draws a line from the current position to the relative coordinates listed one after 
the other. The commands PU and PD can be given between the pairs of 
coordinates as parameters. If additional pairs of coordinates are sent, the 
command word PA is not necessary. All pairs of coordinates without a command 
word are taken to relate to the last PA or PR commands sent and are carried out 
accordingly.  

PU {;} 
Pen up 
Lifts the tool. 

VS (v{,n}){;} 
Velocity select 
Defines the track speed in the XY level v=[µm/s] with the tool  lowered and 
allocates this speed to the tool with number n. 
 
 
 
5.2.3 Special commands 
All special commands begin with the symbol "!" and their syntax is otherwise like
that for HP-GL standard commands. 


!AS (a){;} 
Acceleration Set 
Defines a new acceleration constant a=mm/s². The valid value  value range is 
10...50000. 

!CC {;} 
Close channel 
Ends a data transmission introduced with !OC. 

!CM (n){;} 
Change mode 
Switches between the drill (n=0) and mill (n=1) working modes. 

!CT (n){;} 
Command counter 
Switches between echo mode (n=1) and non-echo mode (n=0). In echo mode, the 
machine acknowledges every correctly completed command with the message 
"C<cr>". 

!EM (n){;} 
External motor 
Switches the mill/drill motor on (n=1) or off (n=0). 

!ES (n){;} 
Enable stop 
Release (n=1) and block (n=0) the external stop function. After switching on, the 
external stop function is blocked. 

!FP {;} 
Full power 
Switches the motors of the XYZ axis to full power. 

!HP {;} 
Half power 
Switches the motors of the XYZ axis to half power. 

!OC {;} 
Open channel 
Opens a direct data transmission from serial data channel SER1 to serial data 
channel SER2. All characters received on data channel SER1 are sent to data 
channel SER2 until the character string !CC is received. 

!ON (a){;} 
Output nominal position 
The control unit sends the nominal position (target position) of the motor axis 
addressed with parameter a. The following addresses are attributed to the motor 
axes: 
0 = X,Y,Z axis 
1 = X axis 
2 = Y axis 
3 = Z axis 

!RD (a){;} 
Read port 
Effects the reading of the input port with the address a=<0..15>. The data is 
output via the serial interface from the which the command came, as an ASCII 
figure. 

!RS (r){;} 
Resolution set 
Gives the control unit the step size (r=µm/step) of the machine. The valid value 
range is 1...32000. 

!TA (x,y,z){;} 
Plot three-D absolute 
Carries out a physical movement from the current position to the absolute 
coordinate (x,y,z). 

!TD (t1,t2,t3,t4){;} 
Time for drilling 
Sets new drill times t=[ms]. 

!TM (t1,t2,t3,t4){;} 
Time for milling 
Sets new mill times t=[ms]. 

!TR (x,y,z){;} 
Plot three-D relative 
Carries out a physical movement from the current position to the relative 
coordinate (x,y,z). 

!TS (t){;} 
Time to stabilize 
Sets a stabilization time t=[ms] between the individual commands. 

!TW (t){;} 
Time to wait 
The following command is only carried out after a wait t=[ms]. 

!VU (v){;} 
Velocity if pen up 
Defines the track speed v=[µm/s] of the movement in XY plane when the tool is 
raised. 

!VZ (v){;} 
Velocity Z axis 
Defines the speed v=[µm/s] of the movement in the Z axis. 

!WR (a,d{,m}){;} 
Write port 
Effects an output of the data word d on the port address a=<0..15>, whereby a bit 
mask can be given. 

!ZA (z){;} 
Plot Z axis absolute 
Moves the Z axis from the current position to the absolute coordinate (z). 

!ZR (z){;} 
Plot Z axis relative 
Moves the Z axis from the current position to the relative coordinate (z). 

5.2.4 Direct commands 
Direct commands are special commands which, once they have been interpreted, 
are carried out via the command buffer. 

!CB{;} 
Clear buffer 
Deletes all commands from the command buffer. 

!GO{;} 
Go on 
Removes the stop command and continues the command implementation. 

!RC{;} 
Repeat command 
Repeats the last command carried out. 

!ST{;} 
Stop 
Interrupts command processing when the current command is completed. 
The command set implemented is a subset of the HP-GL. If the equipment is to be 
driven by any CAD system, with HP-GL commands, it must be ensured that the 
step size is substantially lower than with normal pen plotters. 

The step size is 7.9375 µm/step (0.0003125 inch/step).