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Author Topic: Lifting Z first and always?  (Read 6120 times)

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Offline Leeway

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Lifting Z first and always?
« on: October 27, 2005, 07:22:10 PM »
Hey fellas. The other day I was learning some things on my machine in real mode. I was just using a cheap v cutting router bit in some lexan. I had been using a straight cutter. I came to the point in my program for the tool change.
I told Mach 3 to remember where it was, then I jooged over to where zero was once I had the v cutter installed. I was wanting to change the zero. Now I know how I should do this in the future. I should have my zero up and use a negative to cut and use a block to set zero after a tool change.

My problem was that once I had the Z zeroed where I wanted it, I told it to return to where it was when the tool change started. As luck would have it, the only screw I was using to hold down that corner was directly in the path of the return to pre-toolchange. Since my z didn't lift first, Snap. It returned perfectly to where I wanted and would have been at the right height as well had the point not been snapped off.
My question. Is there a way to force Mach to raise the Z before any rapid moves?
It does this fine when running otherwise. Just kinda curious. Thanks in advance.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2005, 07:25:34 PM by Leeway »
Lee
Re: Lifting Z first and always?
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2005, 11:44:16 PM »
My problem was that once I had the Z zeroed where I wanted it, I told it to return to where it was when the tool change started. As luck would have it, the only screw I was using to hold down that corner was directly in the path of the return to pre-toolchange. Since my z didn't lift first, Snap. It returned perfectly to where I wanted and would have been at the right height as well had the point not been snapped off.
My question. Is there a way to force Mach to raise the Z before any rapid moves?
It does this fine when running otherwise. Just kinda curious. Thanks in advance.

Lee I don't quite follow you. I am not using Mach3  ( Mach2) but the principal still should be the same. If your program has a tool change written in the code shouldn't it go to x0y0z0 as part of the program, or is your program written to alert you to a needed change and then you use MDI to do it??

Can you post the part of the code where the tc happened and include just through where the bit was snapped?

Mike

Offline Leeway

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Re: Lifting Z first and always?
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2005, 09:22:16 AM »
Thanks Mike. I'm not sure the code will help, But I can put it up later if needed.
When it gets to the tool change, it just alerts me that a TC is needed. It stops right there in mid program waiting for me to tell it to continue.
I had told Mach 3 to remember this position. There is a button in Mach 3 for this. Then I jogged back to my original HOME. I completed the tool change with my bit at this zero on the Z, which was the top surface of my lexan. I now know to make it about this at a guaged position so I can seet my tools up the same height always, and not be on the surface of my material. I would then use some negatives to do my cutting. Whatever my guage block is minus the cut, rather than just zero minus the cut. This will keep me off my plastic for tool changes and stuff.

I was just curious though if there is a setting in Mach 3 that will initialize a safe Z before any "return to" or jog mode to prevent such things?
Lee

ynneb

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Re: Lifting Z first and always?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2005, 08:15:33 AM »
Leeway, I think the two attached drawing may help.

Offline Leeway

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Re: Lifting Z first and always?
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2005, 09:18:12 AM »
Thanks Benny. I just knew I had that set that way already. I have it set at 1.5" for safe Z. I have the Safe Z activated on the house computer, not on my machine.  ::)
I have got to remember to transfer my settings out there every time I mess with it. Is there a string on finger button? Perhaps a "club operator now" key? Doh!
Thanks Benny. Its usually the simple stuff that can get me.
Lee