Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: greenene on February 26, 2015, 07:22:05 AM

Title: Still getting procedures wrong with tool depths
Post by: greenene on February 26, 2015, 07:22:05 AM

I use only two tools, and most of my work is nesting. My table may be off by .020, depending on humidiity or quality of material( mdf). The tool length may vary depending on the type of brand name.

Step 1. place material on machine
Step2.  I calibrate tool 1 as tool 1 in Mach. It's usually the shorter tool of the two.
Step 2. I send tool 1 to zero to check depth.
Step 3. I check tool 2  for depth by zero it in the dro. I do this only when the difference in the tools is almost negligeable. If a tool is much longer, I save a tool length offset.
Run the job.
Since tool 1 is used for drilling, and tool 2 is used for profiling, when it's time to run tool 2, at times I need to lower the tool a bit to make sure that the cut goes all the way through the material.
I do this by,
1. lowering the tool until it touches the material or goes slightly below the material
2. zero the Z dro
3. Send it home
4. send it to zero again to check for accuracy

Here's where the problem occurs.

I go to my code and do a "run from here" with the number 2 tool It goes to the correct depth.
Now, when I press "cycle start", the tool will always go into the material beyond the expected depth.
At this point, I am forced to stop, and "adjust the tool height" and zero the dro" in order to make it cut at the right length.

I've yet figured out a "safe way" to adjust for height in the middle of a job.

My question...,  how do I make 100% sure that I clear the memory of any trace of tool 2 length in Mach 3 from the previous job?

tony

Title: Re: Still getting procedures wrong with tool depths
Post by: BR549 on February 26, 2015, 06:38:04 PM

You should not have to STOP in the middle of a job to adjust tool height. Get it all right from the start and it will do as told and be correct.

Each tool can be set for height offset in the tool table. Start with the longest tool as the Master tool. Set Master tool as ZERO tool height then offset all other tools from the master. When you start the job SET the master to the top of material as Z0.000. Then everything should work out fine. At tool change each tool will COMP itself with the (G43 Htool#) call.

(;-) TP