Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: panaceabeachbum on May 25, 2009, 05:49:52 PM
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can mach be set to remember which tool is loaded on shut down?
When I reboot I need mach to remember which tool is loaded. If i forget to manualy enter the tool number thats loaded when i start the machine and the program run calls out the tool already loaded it jams my tool changer which takes about 15 minutes to disassemble and resolve
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Mach will always reset to tool1 in Lathe anyway, not sure about Mill as I dont have a changer so never pay attention.
What I do is always have a T101 at the bottom of any code and that way when I home after starting Mach I can be sure its the right offsets loaded
Does the macro/ladder not see that its the same tool loaded as is being called and then exit? Thats what mine does and I thought thats what yours did as is it not basically the same as mine?
Hood
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Mine only sense which tool its at on the aproach and then drops the locking pin a few ms after getting the signal , at the point the turret is locked in position its not receiveing the signal to know which tool its on , only on aproach . I usualy start and end with tool 12 so when I start mach and launch a program it unlocks the turret , begins to rotate , aprox 3 degrees of rotation the plc sees tool 12 , drops the locking pin and binds the whole turret up . If Mach could simply write what tool was loaded to the xml file when the program was closed and the load that data when restarted it could save me lots of time spent banging my head against the desk .
If it always loads tool one when started , then I will just move tool 12 to position 1, although it would be nice if it would just remeber the last tool loaded.
I do notice when I launch Mach there is no number in the tool number window on screen. Is it tool 1 everytime and just not displayed?
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There is a "Use persistant tool offsets" box somewhere in Turn, mine boots up with the same tool I shut it down with every time.
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I waited until I could test on the lathe before I reposted just to make sure what was happening.
How I have my lathe set up may be an influence, Tool 1 is the master and I have no offsets for it, I have a Home Off distance set which will set the Home point to the Dia that tool 1 is sitting at when homed. All other tools are offset from this tool, I think this is the normal way but not sure?
When I start Mach it will be at the Tool number last used but as soon as I home the offset loaded will be for my master tool (ie no offset) even if tool 6 is in the DRO so basically it would be T0601 which would be wrong.
So upshot of it is always have your code resetting to your master tool and that way on a restart then you will have the correct tool showing in the DRO but more importantly when you home the correct offset will also be in place. It shouldnt matter whether Tool 1 or Tool12 is your master tool,.
Hood
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Thanks guys, I will be playing with this shortly , I def have to get some method going so that I dont have to pull the cover off the tool changer when I forget to specify which tool after start up.
I have many hours on a large commercial lathe and the way it works is you home the machine and then all the offsets are the distance from the home switch to the probe used to set tlo , no refrence tool.
It makes it very easy to set up a new tool , since your forced to home every time you start the machine the controller knows where its at and the probe is at a known position. I guess using a refrence tool is neccesary if you dont have a tool setter.
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I found the persistant tool check box and checked , it now has the last tool loaded when I launch mach .
I wonder why when I launch mach and it has tool 12 loaded in the dro and tool 12 is in place does it still send the signal to change to tool 12 when I run the program. If the software knows the tool called out is already loaded why would it send the signal to load that tool to my PLC? Am I missing some simple setting?
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Does you macro have the following at the start of the main VB?
If GetSelectedTool = GetCurrentTool Then
End
End If
That should stop that happening.
Also be aware as said previously that the offset loaded will not be the usual one loaded for Tool 12 (unless that is your master), that wont matter as long as you always remember to call that offset but it may catch you unawares sometimes.
Hood
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it does and it works as expected once its been running and the tool called out is already loaded , but for some reason it still trys to do the tool change even if the tool loaded is the one called out right after mach is started
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Just out of curiosty can you shutdown on T0101 and then when you restart and home then call T0101 and see what happens.
Hood
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still wishing mach would load the offset for the tool that was in que when the machine was shut down , broke a very expensive 12" long carbide internal threading tool today after a reboot today. I cant think of any CNC machine built in the last 30 years that doesnt rember which tool was loaded at shut down and load the proper off set when restarted. Wouldnt this be a simple and useful issue to correct?