Proper methods for a lathe tool changer?

I am very new to LinuxCnc. I had quite a bit of experience in Mach3. There is no similarity between the 2 that I can see. Just different.

Presently I have LCNC version 2.7.4 installed and connected via parallel port to a Dyna Mechtronics DM3000 with a 6 position turret tool changer.
I have control of X and Z,. Limits and homing are working as intended. My spindle is operable and accurate to within a few rpm's with no index sensor so far. That was all pretty easy to set up and was similar to Mach.

I am not sure of exactly how to obtain or set up control of the 3rd axis (tool changer). It appears I might have to use Gmoccapy and or Glade to customize my GUI. If this is the case. Is the macro that I used in Mach able to be used with LCNC? It would seem the commands and GCode would be the same. Is there an advantage to using Glade or Gmoccapy? Is one safer?

I used Classicladder to handle the tool change on my Harding CHNC.
gnipsel.com/shop/hardinge/hardinge.xhtml

JT

Fastest1 wrote: I am not sure of exactly how to obtain or set up control of the 3rd axis (tool changer). It appears I might have to use Gmoccapy and or Glade to customize my GUI. If this is the case. Is the macro that I used in Mach able to be used with LCNC? It would seem the commands and GCode would be the same. Is there an advantage to using Glade or Gmoccapy? Is one safer?

It is hard to know how to control the tool changer without a little more information on the tool changer hardware and how it is configured.

Is it configured as a G-code controlled axis, or as a separate motor? How does the changer report-back carousel position?

Andy, Thanks for the question. Sorry I didn't provide the info. The lathe itself is a Dyna Mechtronics DM3000
It is a 6 position vertically oriented changer. In the past when working with Mach I had it configured as an axis with steppers. The turret rotates 60 degrees per tool, then backs up against a pawl. Though the changer itself does have some various types of switches and solenoids that would even allow bidirectional access to tools. I have never seen anyone use it that way. I am not even sure I ever saw them do it running the original software (which I never had). To this date I have never had verification of tool position. Merely verify the correct tool was indicated at start up and work away.
During my conversion I have equipped the cabinet with the proper power supply and relay to operate the solenoid for the future. I do have a working copy of the Mach tool changer macro if that would help.
I have no clue as to how to rewrite a macro that would select which direction the turret would rotate for the fastest tool change.
I am using a Leadshine MX3660. I have the tool changers steppers connected on pins 6&7 (step/direction)

A stepper backing-up against a pawl sounds a lot like the Boxford changer:

wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Contri...oolchanger_component

That does sound like a possibility with a few changes due to the 8 vs 6 tool changers.

Now if I can only figure out what to do with all of those files and how.

Fastest1 wrote: Now if I can only figure out what to do with all of those files and how.

If you copy that entire folder into your "configs" directory you can see the component work.

To use it with your config you only need the .comp file installed on your system, and to copy the relevant parts of the HAL code across to your system.

The manpage is in the toolchanger.9 file, use to read it, though once you have installed it you should have the manual page in your MANPATH

To install the component you would use halcompile: You might need to install linuxcnc-dev if halcompile isn't found
You can make changes to the .comp file and re-install the new version the same way. Halcompile syntax is described here:
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/hal/comp.html

andypugh wrote:

Fastest1 wrote: Now if I can only figure out what to do with all of those files and how.

If you copy that entire folder into your "configs" directory you can see the component work.
When you say copy, you mean extract? If so, that went ok. I see it in the configs file. I dont "see anything work" so far

To use it with your config you only need the .comp file installed on your system, and to copy the relevant parts of the HAL code across to your system.

The manpage is in the toolchanger.9 file, use

Code:

man ./toolchanger.9

to read it, though once you have installed it you should have the manual page in your MANPATH
If I type this in a terminal I receive this: No such file or directory. No manual entry for ./toolchanger.9

To install the component you would use halcompile:

Code:

sudo halcompile --install toolchanger.com

After trying this a few different times with .com and realizing it was probably missing the p as in .comp. I tried that too. I get a list of a series of files (usr/bin/halcompile) then it ends with IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'toolchanger.comp'
You might need to install linuxcnc-dev if halcompile isn't found

Code:

sudo apt-get install linuxcnc-dev

When I type this I get: linuxcnc-dev is already the newest version
You can make changes to the .comp file and re-install the new version the same way. Halcompile syntax is described here:
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/hal/comp.html

Andy first of all Thank You!
Not that I am there by any means. Your explaining the exact steps is a big help to those of us who arent familiar with code at all. I am reading voraciously here, trying tutorials at code academy and anywhere else I can. Just waiting for the moment something will click. As stubborn as I am it just takes a little success to send me on my way. With my operation of Windows systems and that being my only reference, my concept of what is being achieved could be way off.

Fastest1 wrote: If I type this in a terminal I receive this: No such file or directory. No manual entry for

You need to be in the directory where you extracted the file to. And you probably need to extract it twice (so to speak).
But, if you are installing the .comp file there is no need, the manpage will come along "for free"

No such file or directory: 'toolchanger.comp'

Again, you need to be in the directory that you extracted the file into.

When you typed "sudo halcompile --install toolchanger.comp" at the command prompt, were you in the directory where the toolchanger.comp file is located?
(Andy must type faster than me.)