Messages

31

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 15, 2014, 05:15:29 PM »

I came to a conclusion tool offsets don't work on my mach 3   I would love to speak t someone and see if it is just me

32

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 15, 2014, 04:39:55 PM »

OK I got all the tool lengths added in the mach 3 made sure everything was homed out now I am using mm not English just an FYI

I used tool 1 as reference tool just as the tormach video   shows followed step by step going over and over the video . I do a t16 m6 g43 h 6 and it has my number as a huge  negative number

what could I be doing wrong ??  this is driving me nuts .

33

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 09:04:42 PM »

Learn,
I will admit that tool length setting in Mach 3 REALLY had me going for a while!  It took me a couple of hours one day determined to get it to work before I finally got it.  So I'll try to save you some of the tools I broke by giving you one huge hint.  When you press reset or rewind a program in Mach 3 it executes a G40 tool length cancellation automatically.  This is deadly!!  Because if you make a move with the previous tool still in the spindle it will move the Z to a zero length tool and almost certainly crash it.  The correct length for the tool doesn't get set until the program reaches a tool change for that specific tool.

In mach3 and other CNC programs the tool length is kept in a table of offsets.  The tool length gets applied at the tool change if you call the H word along with the tool number and then do a G43, which actually moves the Z to make the end of the new tool exactly where the end of the reference tool would be.

On the Offsets screen in Mach 3 in the lower right portion of the screen is where you enter the tool number and then touch off the tool to get the length.  The reference tool, my edge finder is tool zero and it's length offset is zero in the table.  All other tools get an offset plus or minus the length of my reference tool. You'll see this if you click the Save Tool Offsets button.  These offsets are retentive even if you turn the machine off.  So if you power the machine back up and pick up Z zero using the reference tool all other tools will still be the correct length when they are called, and you don't have to set them again.

If you are smart about this you may keep certain tools always in a holder and mark the holder with the tool number, then always use that tool number in your programs for that tool.  You then don't have to touch off that tool again until you change it out because it is dull.

You need to play with this some. I'll bet you view what you do at work in a new light once you have this working on your own machine.

the crash was my trying to reset the machine as I made an MDI move and once I hit reset it just dives. it has happened before even when I was not trying to do anything with the offsets .


I already see things at work in a totally different way LOL.

OK let me see if I am getting this correctly

you use a center drill as our reference tool and is tool # Zero and the length you have is Zero as well?  how do you pick that reference tool up to get a length of zero?

I wish there  was a good video to watch to explain this . as the tormach one shows entering length that was from a height gauge.

34

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 06:57:33 PM »

Ok I am trying to get the lengths of the cutters and entering them in .

I am zeroing out a 123 block on the spindle face then putting in a cutter and moving up and getting length and trying to enter it in. Once I enter it in it looks as if it is in English. I work in metric. But that's only the tool table.


looks as if I scraped an endmill now with this last test . I'm getting frustrated with this as I can find the lengths and add them in but mach 3 is awkward for me going backwards I guess. I've been in the trade since the late 90's and thought this would be a bit easier to understand.  Grrrr

35

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 05:54:52 PM »

Gary thanks

so how do you find the length of your tool then ?



I guess I don't understand how you get your over all length then

36

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 11:35:33 AM »

home out = ref the X Y or Z

but I mis read it . you auto zero ti each time you tool change so that will take up time as well.


ok ill use my tool setter I have and measure the face of the spindle to the end of a holder and use that as my main cutter and store it as a tool that wont be used .


so pretty much get the length of the cutter (reference tool  ill use my edge finder)  store the number

follow this step for all other cutters

SAVE tool table

This is the part that confuses me
now do I pick that edge finder up on the work piece ? use the gauge length on the off set page  and then do I pick up all other cutters off the work piece s well??




when I post my paths make sure I use the G43 and tool number a?



Thanks for the help so far. As soon as I get off work I will go home and try this out .

37

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 09:43:31 AM »

Ger21 so basically if I home it out when I set each cutter then save the length in the table I won't need to use the g43 correct ?

38

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 09:33:31 AM »

we use g90g43h# in all of our paths along with the m6t# .

G43 is tool length offset, and uses the tool length to offset the tool.

I do understand  lengths as well as the fidia I have a laser and it picks the length off all the cutters sorta like I would have to do in mach 3

So the laser is measuring the tool length.

I'm pretty sure you're using the length at work, and you just don't realize it. Unless you touch off every tool before you use it, the lengths have to be stored. If you use an ATC without the control knowing the tool lentgh, then you're using an ATC like a manual tool change.

In Mach3, if you zero the tool each time you change it, then Mach3 doesn't need to know the length, UNLESS you use a G43 length offset.
Mach3 also doesn't need to know the diameter, unless you're using G41/G42 comp.

And Mach3 has no idea, and doesn't care what kind of tool it is.

ok cool I will try that out

39

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 09:32:38 AM »

we use the 123 block on the table with a known offset  that we key in the offset location

I know the machines have a tool table but it is done automatically .



so basically I need a tools that never changes as a ref tool. and a height gauge << both items I do not have.

I guess I will improvise

40

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Why does Mach 3 need a tool length?

« on: June 14, 2014, 04:55:53 AM »

Oh and another thing with the larger machines listed above besides the fidia we do not have to enter what kind of cutter it is. The fidia it has to know diameter and radius as it is a 3+2 machine and everything is to the center of ball for the rtcp.