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Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 manual tool change help
« on: September 10, 2017, 09:39:41 AM »
Hi all,
I'm very new to CNC and attempted to make my first part yesterday. I'm using Tormach TTS holders and set up my tool library in fusion360 (and tool table in Mach4), I Checked the "manual tool change option" in fusion. I tried to make a part using 3 tools: 1. flycutter, 2. 3/8"endmill, and 3. Chamfer endmill.
When it was time to change from tool #1 to #2, the spindle went + on Z, I was expecting a pause/stop for me to change the tool but the machine sped back into the part under the impression tool#2 was in place. I was able to stop the z downward direction before a crash but my heart was racing and my palms got sweaty.
I jogged the spindle, changed my tool and continued the gcode. When the #2->#3 tool change came up, it increased z altitude like before but this time it waited for me to change tools. I hit cycle start and no problem.
The strange think about this is that I re-ran the gcode (no tools in spindle) and a couple of times it did stop to wait for the manual tool change. Seems like it should always fail to stop but it didn't.
I'm using a converted g0704 with Hicon integra controller, mach4, fusion 360 cam and the generic mach4 post processor.
This is the part of the gcode that didn't always wait for a manual tool change:
Z-0.1
X0. F15.
X2.25 F8.
G2 X2.63 Z0.28 I0. K0.38 F15.
G0 Z0.6
G17
G28 G91 Z0.
G90
(2D ADAPTIVE1)
M5
M9
M1
T2 M6
(38 2 FLUTE ENDMILL FLAT)
S2200 M3
G54
M8
G0 X-0.0368 Y-2.6765
Am I missing something? is there a setting in Mach4 to allow for manual tool changes every time (and wait for me to change the tool)? Should I add a dwell time after every tool change?
Any advice is appreciated!
Daniel
I'm very new to CNC and attempted to make my first part yesterday. I'm using Tormach TTS holders and set up my tool library in fusion360 (and tool table in Mach4), I Checked the "manual tool change option" in fusion. I tried to make a part using 3 tools: 1. flycutter, 2. 3/8"endmill, and 3. Chamfer endmill.
When it was time to change from tool #1 to #2, the spindle went + on Z, I was expecting a pause/stop for me to change the tool but the machine sped back into the part under the impression tool#2 was in place. I was able to stop the z downward direction before a crash but my heart was racing and my palms got sweaty.
I jogged the spindle, changed my tool and continued the gcode. When the #2->#3 tool change came up, it increased z altitude like before but this time it waited for me to change tools. I hit cycle start and no problem.
The strange think about this is that I re-ran the gcode (no tools in spindle) and a couple of times it did stop to wait for the manual tool change. Seems like it should always fail to stop but it didn't.
I'm using a converted g0704 with Hicon integra controller, mach4, fusion 360 cam and the generic mach4 post processor.
This is the part of the gcode that didn't always wait for a manual tool change:
Z-0.1
X0. F15.
X2.25 F8.
G2 X2.63 Z0.28 I0. K0.38 F15.
G0 Z0.6
G17
G28 G91 Z0.
G90
(2D ADAPTIVE1)
M5
M9
M1
T2 M6
(38 2 FLUTE ENDMILL FLAT)
S2200 M3
G54
M8
G0 X-0.0368 Y-2.6765
Am I missing something? is there a setting in Mach4 to allow for manual tool changes every time (and wait for me to change the tool)? Should I add a dwell time after every tool change?
Any advice is appreciated!
Daniel