Mach 3 toolchange for dummies???

[Hood]

Is that your lathes toolchange macro?
Hood

[Hood]

Sorry my apologies, was looking at someone elses macro
Will have a look at yours in a bit.
Hood

[Hood]

Just to get this clear in my head, the tool number DRO is updating correctly with the tool number called, eg t1 called and the DRO shows 1 after the toolchange?

The offset of each tool is ok when called?

It is the toolchange position that is increasing each time?


How are you calling the tools?
Hood

[Flying Scot]

The tool number DRO  is updating correctly and the offset is ok when called.

The problem is when the tool returns to the original position before the change is called.

Changing from tool 1 to tool 2 is okay as tool 1 has no offset but changing from tool 2 to tool 4 the machine returns to the offset stated in tool table for tool2 not the original start point.

Calling the tools T0101 M06 etc.

Regards

Art

[Hood]

Ok think I see what you are saying now, you have a toolchange position and you want the machine to go there to change the tool, it does and then after that you want it to go to the same coords that the last tool was at?
If thats what you are meaning normall that is done in your GCode, ie you change the tool and the next line of code after the change takes the tool to where it is to start.

If thats not what you are meaning then let me know and I will try and understand again
Hood

[Flying Scot]

Thanks Hood,

Following our conversation on skype the other night the turret is now workiing well and there are no more strange moves after tool change.

One more question for you there is an NPN proximity switch on the x axis lead screw with a slotted disc. Should I be using this? it is not connected yet.

Regards

Arthur

[Hood]

No, that may have been used for threading with the original control possibly but with Mach you need a pulse from the spindle.
Hood

[Hood]

Actually just read again, you said X axis. Dont have a clue what that would have been for, only thing I can think of is its some kind of crude encoder to close the loop to the old control. If it was an opto that had a flag block it at the extent of travel then it would likely have been a limit switch but a slotted disc puzzles me.

Hood

[Flying Scot]

I have removed it and  I do have the pulse from the spindle.

Thanks again

Arthur