Creating a G code program 
  7.7 Machining plane, milling direction, retraction plane, safe clearance and feedrate (PL, RP, SC, F) 
Turning 
Operating Manual, 01/2015, 6FC5398-8CP40-5BA2 
225 
 
Machining plane, milling direction, retraction plane, safe clearance 
and feedrate (PL, RP, SC, F) 
In the program header, cycle input screens have general parameters that always repeat. 
You will find the following parameters in every input screen for a cycle in a G code program. 
 
PL 
 
Each input screen has a selection box for the planes, if the planes have not been speci-
fied by NC machine data. 
Machining plane: 
•  G17 (XY) 
•  G18 (ZX) 
•  G19 (YZ) 
 
Milling direction 
 - only for mill-
ing 
When machining a pocket, a longitudinal slot or a spigot, the machining direction (
or 
) and the spindle direction are taken into account in the tool list. The 
pocket is then machined in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. 
During path milling, the programmed contour direction determines the machining direc-
 
RP  Retraction plane (abs) 
During machining the tool traverses in rapid traverse from the tool change point to the 
return plane and then to the safety clearance. The machining feedrate is activated at 
this level. When the machining operation is finished, the tool traverses at the machining 
feedrate away from the workpiece to the safety clearance level. It traverses from the 
safety clearance to the retraction plane and then to the tool change point in rapid trav-
erse. 
The retraction plane is entered as an absolute value. 
Normally, reference point Z0 and retraction plane RP have different values. The cycle 
assumes that the retraction plane is in front of the reference point. 
mm 
SC 
 
Safety clearance (inc) 
The safety clearance specifies from which clearance to the material rapid traverse is no 
longer used. 
The direction in which the safety clearance is active is automatically determined by the 
cycle. Generally, it is effective in several directions. The safety clearance must be en-
tered as an incremental value (without sign). 
mm 
F  Feedrate 
The feedrate F (also referred to as the machining feedrate) specifies the speed at which 
the axes move when machining the workpiece. The unit of the feedrate (mm/min, 
mm/rev, mm/tooth etc. ) always refers to the feedrate type programmed before the cycle 
call. 
The maximum feedrate is determined via machine data.