Programming,
Planes
Three different planes of operation are available on most CNC machines. These are controlled by three G-Codes, G17, G18 and G19.
The plane affects cutter radius compensation, tool length compensation and arc programming.
G17, G18 and G19 are group modal.
The default plane is XY G17.
XY Plane G17
The X and Y axes are the plane axes.
The Z axis is the tool length axis.
The direction of the arc is either clockwise or counter clockwise as viewed from the positive end of the tool length axis, Z+, usually looking down from above the machine.
XZ Plane G18
The X and Z axes are the plane axes.
The Y axis is the tool length axis.
The direction of the arc is either clockwise or counter clockwise as viewed from the positive end of the tool length axis, Y+.
YZ Plane G19
The Y and Z axes are the plane axes.
The X axis is the tool length axis.
The direction of the arc is either clockwise or counter clockwise as viewed from the positive end of the tool length axis, X+.