Messages

41

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 09, 2011, 08:14:04 AM »

OK.. making some changes... Gonna make you guys happy for now. I will also add the offset DRO to the control overrides.

42

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 09, 2011, 08:07:48 AM »

See what I mean about being confusing? 

43

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 09, 2011, 12:49:48 AM »

Can not imagine more that 99 tools on a lathe

Its not hard with specialty forming tools, broaches, taps, drills, multi point thread formers.. the list goes on and on.

44

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 09, 2011, 12:46:52 AM »

Hmm I gotta think on this one.

As far as not needing to know the slot its in.. you really dont need to care. You just setting up another tool. U push Turret fwd and thats the next tool. The way your doing it is almost the same but there are no checks in place to know what the 2nd offset is. It can be anywhere.  This is because T102 is actually tool one using tool 2 offsets. The only way to set offset 2 is to go to tool slot 2 and touch off the tool.  But lest say there is already a tool in that slot.. you 1- erase it (knowingly and fixed anything else that uses it) or 2- crash as soon as you call tool two accidentally. I am really not sure how to handle a setup screen for the method you guys are using. How are you doing it right now with a turret?

About the only way I can think of is using a UserDRO for the number of the imaginary tool (what your calling up as an offset) and using SetToolParam to set all the offsets when you touch off the tool. You basically get the turret set to the correct slot using tool number and then enter in the offset you want to set everything to. Maybe I can make 2 different tool setup screens. You will have the option in the settings page to choose the method you want to use.

45

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 08, 2011, 11:13:03 PM »

OK, this helps visualize it for me. The thing I don't understand is no matter how you do it there will be "ghost tools". The "offset" is really just a tool number that is never used for anything but the offset. Am I correct? If so.. I am going to have to look into modifying the tool table of a non current tool. Basically providing a DRO to input the ghost tool number you want to save the offset to. Like I say wouldn't it be much easier for the guy setting up the machine and the programmer to just specify a tool number and let the CNC machine figure out the rest?

Example...

Turret has 8 slots

Tool is in slot 1

Tool one is for front face so set the tool offsets for tool 1

Now we need to do the back face....

Tool 9 is the turrets physical slot 1 again when called up.

Call up tool 9 and set the offset as tool 9.

This method works for multiple offsets as well as multiple tools such as gang tooling plates.


Screen allows you to input the number of turret slots for your machine in settings. It will then display the physical slot number when a tool number is called. This slot number can be also referenced in the macro to position your turret. I will admit that the industrial machines (mostly Haas machines) run production and we do have a tool library but I couldn't imagine my guys not screwing up if they were given a setup sheet with tool numbers with variable offsets that can be anything.

Let me know your thoughts.

46

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 08, 2011, 08:13:20 PM »

I have been thinking about the tool number without matching offset a bit more. Trying to come up with a simple solution for people with turrets. What if I created a way to input the number of tool slots your turret/tool changer has. Tool numbers will be sequential to the slots as I stated above. It will Display the calculated tool slot as well as the tool number and offset. This will allow you to reference the screens DRO for the calculated tool slot in your macro. Maybe you can post the macros you are using.

47

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 08, 2011, 03:37:47 PM »

Wes, just a note from a non-pro CNC lathe user. I know you're spending a lot of time on this (and it shows!), but making tutorial videos on how to utilize the features of this screenset would sell a LOT more of these. Especially to guys like myself who would benefit from all the "extras" in a screen set, but aren't sure how to go about using them.

Good luck to you-
Dave

I plan on making some videos as time permits. Right now all of my free time is going into making the screen. This thing is a ton more work than I thought it would ever become.   I am also planning on doing .html based help files that are accessed directly for the screen you are on and having issues with. I would classify myself as as high end user since I own a machine shop with the real cnc controls. I program them (mostly in cad/cam) set them up and run them every day. This doesn't however mean I know it all. There is always a different way to skin a cat sort of speak.  What I am trying to do is bring that level to mach. I started with the lathe side since that was by far lacking the most. Its great to have feedback on this as it helps me to understand other methods. It should create a better product that more users will benefit from.

Dan, if you still wanna do some testing I will send ya a copy and let you play with it. I would love to get this offset issue straightened out.

48

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 08, 2011, 03:23:26 PM »

I think I need to understand why this tool number vs offset issue is such a big topic? I think it might be due to how people are handling their turret macros. On just about any industrial machine I have ever used that has a tool changer or turret gives you a huge number of tool slots. Now this is how they handle offsets. Basically if you have say a 10 tool changer/ turret. To get to the 2nd set of tool offsets you start at tool 11 and go up to tool 20. Basically tool 11 = slot 1 and so on. Third set of tools would be 21 = slot one. Mach has the capability to do this as well. Why would you ever need to have multiple offsets for the same tool number when they can each have there own offset? Only reason I can think of is the tool changer macro isn't smart enough to handle anything past its physical number of tool slots?? If there is another reason could someone explain it to me?  If the tool changer macro if the issue I might be able to help with that as well. Seams like a simple fix.

Wes

49

Works in progress / Re: New IPS (Interactive Programming System) Professional Screen for Turn

« on: September 08, 2011, 01:54:08 AM »

Another screen just about finished... Once again if you see something not there that you feel should be. Please let me know.

Features on this that may not be obvious...

*Full tool list (tools 1-20) right on the page.
*Tool nose radius button takes to to a diagram screen where you chick on the appropriate tool nose type. Eliminates guess work.
*DROs for using Go/No Go gauge pins when setting tools to the stock. This can be turned on/off with a simple check box so you can leave the values in place when you dont want to use them.
*Full tool configuration from screen including Turret angle for those that use that to position your turret. (Cant be left zero if using an external macro or brain to control the turret)
*Full machine controls including jog, spindle, rapids, feeds, functions, MDI, etc.

50

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Filter for Start LED, OemLed(804)

« on: September 07, 2011, 12:16:05 AM »

Would be really nice to have a bug list somewhere too. Sick of locating them only to find out they were there there since 2006 or better.