Boxford Toolchanger WITH Index -need help-

Good morning!

first:

I use a Emco Pcturn 50 with retrofit to mach3.
The toolchanger is a 6 position ratchet style turret with a pawl thats lock when the turret steps back.
Original is a dc motor used. I change to a nema17 stepper.
I add a sloted disc with a lightbarrier to refernce the turret.
In mach3 i home the turret and Toolnumber 1 is selected.
The slot (Index) is adjusted to toolposition 1 locked.

I start with the boxford toolchanger comp.
I adjust the steps for rotating from tool to tool and adjust the steps for locking.

tool1 is the master tool. x0 z0 offsets in tooltable

but now i want:

when i home the turret on Startup .. tool1 is set and shown and g43 is send.

when i send m6t2 the g43 must be send automatic to get the correct offset from the tooltable.

tool 1 3 and 5 are external tools.
tool 2 4 and 6 are internal tools.

if i change from a external tool i need first move x away and then z.

if i change frome a internal tool i need first move z away and then x.

to get all this working on linuxcnc i need some help.

on mach3 it was easy to code the macro for the toolchange,go to toolchange position,home on start and set tool1....

but i want to leave mach3 behind.. over the years i look to go arround from linuxcnc but from week to week i saw so many problems with mach3 that i start to convert to linuxcnc.... after some weeks with linuxcnc and manual toolchanger i got accurate parts.. in mach3 was it luck...


i hope someone have the time and the joy to help me

thanks

hi andy

i use the parallelport with a 12/5 parallel interface.

i have no toolposition. i only have turret homed or better tool 1 indicator.

its not connected in the hal. this is what i must done next.

but i dont know to what i must connect it.

in mach3 the disc rotate.. find the slot.. drives back.. and the pawl is locked.
i step a little bit over the ratchet.. then it drives back and its locked.

but how can i do this in linuxcnc..

its homing A-axis.

but the a axis only drive forward to search or go to a tool. backward is locking.


thanks

thanks

mmmh i was thinking i can change the most ( if internal tool then first move z and then x or if external tool move first x then z) inside the boxford.comp.....


mmmh

today i was playing with homing the turett.

i have a disc with a slot.. a lightbarrier.

when linux find the slot its go back... turett is loose...

in mach3.. same setup... but when it goes back i drive 0.5mm forward and 0.75mm back. then tool 1 is locked... and safe.... tool1 is set and ready...

how can i done this in linux?!

the slot only marks tool1.
the locking over the pawl are 2 extra moves.

next thing is... how can i do a pyvcp that home the a axis in this process?

this is the only thing what is missed..
without a homed turret which is locked in tool 1 and tool 1 is set i cant go forward.

i dont know how to make this with the boxford toolchanger.comp.....


please help...

thanks

Good morning!

yesterday.. after i wrote the last reply.. i decide to restart the toolchanger coding.


i wired all as a a axis...
the stepper and the lightbarrier.
then i played with some homing sequenzes.

i found out that all can work like in mach3.

i home the turret (a axis) then i go some steps forward and then go back.
turret is locked.

the slot in the disc marks the position of tool 1.
the forward and backward move is need to lock against the pawl.

its all by hand! no m6t1 etc.

when i now compile toolchanger.comp from the boxford turret comp i cant home because i get error... i read that the problem is hijacking the stepgen of axis a... dont understand why...

but!

is it possible to home the a axis with a command over the mdi?

when i home the a axis like descriped above.. i close linux... compile the toolchanger.comp and add all to the .hal.. and i run linuxcnc with the manual homed turret to tool 1 all works perfect.

i need to link the manual homing together with the toolchange comp...

if i not home the turret but jog to the position tool1 locked ..again the complete toolchanger works correct.

thats why i ask if its possible to home the A axis when i dont have it in the traj/coordinates...

i see only x and z in my linuxcnc axis screen.

the stepgens linked the a axis only in the .hal.

thats why i asked if its possible to use a pyvcp button to home the turret and lock it and then set the actual tool to number 1.

please please help...i am realy near to my working mach3 setup. thanks