G04: Dwell

Overview

The G04 command is used to pause or dwell the machine’s operation for a specified period. This command is designed to halt the tool movement, allowing for timed pauses in machining operations.

Command Format

• G04 P...
• P (msec):
  • The duration of the pause in the machine’s movement, specified in milliseconds.
  • A negative or zero length dwell results in a stop in motion before the next command is executed

Example

• G04 P1500
  • Commands the machine to pause for 1500 milliseconds (1.5 seconds).

Details

• Executing this command causes the NC system to flush the buffers and have motion come to a stop.
• This can be used in conjunction with variable reads or writes to better control the associated timing.

Errors

• Other Commands
  • The line or block used to specify dwell must not include commands other than G04 and P commands.