Touching off on manual tool change?
07 Feb 2016 02:46 #69726
by spinnaker
Touching off on manual tool change? was created by spinnaker
I need to make manual tool changes. LinuxCNC is promoting me for the changes as I expect but during the tool change, how can I be certain I set the tool in place in the exact height of the previous tool? Or what if the tools are of slightly different lengths? I would think touching the Z axis off again would solve the problem but the tool change dialog pops up and does not allow me to touch off the Z axis again.
I am sure this is a common issue. How do I solve it? Do I need to measure the tip of the tool to the material? Seems there should be a better way.
I am sure this is a common issue. How do I solve it? Do I need to measure the tip of the tool to the material? Seems there should be a better way.
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- kornphlake79
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07 Feb 2016 03:10 #69727
by kornphlake79
Replied by kornphlake79 on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
You'll need to break up your program into separate programs for each tool. There isn't a good way to perform manual tool changes within a program unless you have preset height tool holders (HSK, BT, CAT, etc.)
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07 Feb 2016 03:31 #69729
by spinnaker
Thanks. Will I need to touch off x and y then too? Or leave them alone?
The reason I ask is I was running a job tonight trying to get it to work just right. When I ran it a second time my x axis was off. Now am am a newb so maybe I accidentally touched off the axis or maybe pcbgode (a gcode wizard for printed circuit boards) generated the X axis differently the second time. I just want to be sure that simply breaking the job up into 2 jobs won't mess up my x/y touch off point just by loading a new job.
Replied by spinnaker on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
You'll need to break up your program into separate programs for each tool. There isn't a good way to perform manual tool changes within a program unless you have preset height tool holders (HSK, BT, CAT, etc.)
Thanks. Will I need to touch off x and y then too? Or leave them alone?
The reason I ask is I was running a job tonight trying to get it to work just right. When I ran it a second time my x axis was off. Now am am a newb so maybe I accidentally touched off the axis or maybe pcbgode (a gcode wizard for printed circuit boards) generated the X axis differently the second time. I just want to be sure that simply breaking the job up into 2 jobs won't mess up my x/y touch off point just by loading a new job.
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07 Feb 2016 09:27 #69731
by tommy
Replied by tommy on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
Wouldn't touch-off sensor solve the problem with different tool length after manual tool change ...
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07 Feb 2016 13:45 #69735
by spinnaker
Can you explain? The video has no audio and is not real clear.
I do have a touch off probe working. It is easy to do as I am milling and drilling PCBs. But the probe can't work nor can I touch off again because the dialog locks things out.
Replied by spinnaker on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
Wouldn't touch-off sensor solve the problem with different tool length after manual tool change ...
Can you explain? The video has no audio and is not real clear.
I do have a touch off probe working. It is easy to do as I am milling and drilling PCBs. But the probe can't work nor can I touch off again because the dialog locks things out.
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- kornphlake79
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08 Feb 2016 03:35 #69759
by kornphlake79
Replied by kornphlake79 on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
When you change tools you only need to touch off the z axis the x and y should stay the same.
At this point there is no provision for using a touch off probe when making an m6 tool change, as I recall there was some discussion about using a sub routine and some other m code for manual tool changes a little while ago, but I don't know if any effort was put into developing the code.
At this point there is no provision for using a touch off probe when making an m6 tool change, as I recall there was some discussion about using a sub routine and some other m code for manual tool changes a little while ago, but I don't know if any effort was put into developing the code.
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08 Feb 2016 10:03 - 08 Feb 2016 10:06 #69766
by cncbasher
Replied by cncbasher on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
if your using pcb drills etc , they usually come with plastic collars , you can slide the collars to give you the same length
of tooling for each drill or mill bit ,
for such a simple operation for pcb milling that's the fast way , you can use the auto probe , but without a toolchanger your making matters over complicated .
once you have set your x & y in the touch off , so long as you don't switch off the machine , these points will remain
unless you change them . z is usually set to the top surface of the material , so this varies in use , each value can be set separately .
of tooling for each drill or mill bit ,
for such a simple operation for pcb milling that's the fast way , you can use the auto probe , but without a toolchanger your making matters over complicated .
once you have set your x & y in the touch off , so long as you don't switch off the machine , these points will remain
unless you change them . z is usually set to the top surface of the material , so this varies in use , each value can be set separately .
Last edit: 08 Feb 2016 10:06 by cncbasher.
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08 Feb 2016 19:21 #69778
by andypugh
One way is to add an automatic tool-length measurement to the tool change routine.
This is quite an advanced topic, but it is possible, and has been done.
Replied by andypugh on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
I need to make manual tool changes. LinuxCNC is promoting me for the changes as I expect but during the tool change, how can I be certain I set the tool in place in the exact height of the previous tool?.
One way is to add an automatic tool-length measurement to the tool change routine.
This is quite an advanced topic, but it is possible, and has been done.
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08 Feb 2016 20:45 #69782
by cahlfors
Replied by cahlfors on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
I think the general consensus is to keep things simple as Kornphlake suggests above. However, if you want to get into measuring automatically, I did a writeup here:
forum.linuxcnc.org/forum/38-general-linu...rements?limitstart=0
/Chris
forum.linuxcnc.org/forum/38-general-linu...rements?limitstart=0
/Chris
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08 Feb 2016 20:58 #69784
by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Touching off on manual tool change?
I have a pneumatic drawbar and repeatable-length tools (BT30) all measured off into a tool table.
I still tend to put each toolpath into separate files even though I don't need to.
It makes it easier to re-do a part with a modified toolpath. It means that you can switch parts rather than tools, which sometimes ends up making more sense (ie do 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 rather than 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3)
Most CAM systems make this very easy. In fact with Fusion and HSM I often do it by accident
If I need to be there to swap the tool then it's no big deal to select the next programme at the same time.
I still tend to put each toolpath into separate files even though I don't need to.
It makes it easier to re-do a part with a modified toolpath. It means that you can switch parts rather than tools, which sometimes ends up making more sense (ie do 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 rather than 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3)
Most CAM systems make this very easy. In fact with Fusion and HSM I often do it by accident
If I need to be there to swap the tool then it's no big deal to select the next programme at the same time.
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