Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: radioactive on May 13, 2009, 10:55:41 AM

Title: very simple manual tool change question
Post by: radioactive on May 13, 2009, 10:55:41 AM
I'm using the NFS wizards to create some parts and have about 9 different wizard gcodes output into the same file.  This includes using three different tools.  Currently, I have it setup to ignore tool changes (because I didn't know any better), however once I change this to "Stop spindle, wait for Cyclestart", I would like to also move the tool away from the work piece so I can physically change it.  I don't mind manually placing the code into each file as needed.  What all do I need to include?


M6 (tool change) - should stop the spindle?
G0 Z1.0 (Raise it up)
G0 X6 Y0 (move the tool to the right of the work piece)
(Perform the tool change here)
(Press cycle start at this point and it should start the spindle again and begin the next section of Gcode) ???

My X, Y, and Z values would be different for each piece I'm working on.

Title: Re: very simple manual tool change question
Post by: jimpinder on May 14, 2009, 12:43:06 PM
You need to change the settings in Mach to "Auto tool changer"
This means that when Mach comes across an M6 command it follows a program written for it  in Macro M6 which as a default is just written as "get the selected tool - this is the tool" in other words it doesn't do anything.

The Macro M6 can be change. It is a visual basic program which you can write, to move the tool to a convenient position (usually expressed in absolute co-ordinates - to avoid difficulties with offsets) and then stop there until you change the tool - an M1 command. You can change the tool and press cycle start, and program the tool to return where it was, on move the tool (jog) to a new start position, before you press the Cycle Start.

The is an explanatory video about scripting, which specifically deals with tool changing.