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Author Topic: Using The Knee For Tool Length Compensation  (Read 3171 times)

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Using The Knee For Tool Length Compensation
« on: January 03, 2010, 08:44:08 PM »
Below are my new macros for using the knee for tool length compensation.  This is a capability Mach3 does not currently really support, so I had to use a slightly kludgy, but perfectly functional, approach, that will be done away with as soon as v4 is released.  This means you cannot use G43 and G49, but instead must use M843 and M849 to perform the same functions.

Four macros are provided:

M808 is used for probing the length of the "master" tool.  It is strongly recommended that a "dummy" master tool be used that is as long, or longer, than any real tool  I use a piece of 1/2" rod, with a spherical end, in a spare endmill holder.

M809 is used for probing the length of all tools but the master tool.  The probing procedure is to first run the M808 macro on the master tool, then run the M809 on each subsequent tool.  See the header of the M808 macro for more details.

M843 is used, in place of G43, to enable tool length compensation.  The P parameter is used, in place of the H parameter, to specify the tool whose offset is to be used.

M849 is used, in place of G49, to disable tool length compensation.

The macros currently use one non-standard DRO, and one non-standard LED.  The macros themselves are quite simple to modify if you wish to change this, as only the main body of each macro uses the DRO or LED, and each is only a few lines of code.  All subroutines are identical to ones in the probing macros I posted earlier today in another thread.

Regards,
Ray L.
Regards,
Ray L.
Re: Using The Knee For Tool Length Compensation
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2010, 09:01:33 PM »
BTW - The rest of my probing macros are available here:

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,13624.0.html

Regards,
Ray L.
Regards,
Ray L.
Re: Using The Knee For Tool Length Compensation
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2010, 09:29:43 PM »
One clarification:  The M843 and M849 macros require only the (optional) LED, no DROs.  The M808 and M809 macros use the probing macros in the other thread, which require a number of non-standard DROs to set the probing parameters.

Regards,
Ray L.
Regards,
Ray L.