Hello Everyone

We are almost finish with our Machine Retrofit. The Machine is a router with 5 high speed spindle and 5 Z Axis Which are independently controlled by Electronic Servo Drive (totally independent from Mach 3) . The Axis and tool head is being activated by an Output. Which I have use M61 to M67 = to turn output 1 to output 7 and M60 will turn output 1 to output 7. When you call M61 the z lowers the Motor and is ready to cut.

My question is which is the best way to offset the tools
I Have attached photo of the Machine and a Program that use to run on the old controller

Thanks
Renato

I'm a little new to this but my understanding and experience leads me to:

A macro m61-m67 created that also has the spindle position and gets tool offset.
Do you call a tool change for the spindle used?
After all everything is just a variable and is calculated at runtime.

What are the red buttons?

Are those air driven spindles? I assume you have a macro that turns on a valve for the spindle you need, and then turns the others off?

Cool idea just seems a little expensive and a loss of axis travel. ( not sure how soft limits would handle this, but it should  )
Tool change time is almost instant.
Out of the box thinking, and Using what one has is always smart.

Hello Ya-Nvr-No,
Thank you very Much for your reply. the red Buttons are pneumatic switch that releases the collet of the individual tools manually. the Spindle Motors are AC Two phase Precise High Speed spindles capable of running 60,000RPM.

I am currently using a DSPMC controller from Vital System and was able to configure the motion system and Brains without any problem. The Vital system works great and I will recommend the controller. At the moment the motion is running without any problem.

This is the only part that i got stuck. I don't know where to begin in regards to the tool change and offset off individual tools. At the moment what is set on M61 to M67 macro is ActivateSignal() only.

I would appreciate it very much if you could give me an idea where to Start

Cheers
Renato

Why not just create workoffsets for each spindle call them G61-G67 for simplicity? When you call a new tool/spindle a new workoffset can be called too. That way you can go back to any spindle and tool and use it again in the same program. All that can be done in the gcode then.

As far as the tool lengths and diameters they are in the Tool offset file. When a tool is called up it looks in the table for its values. It sure doesn't care what spindle it uses, the workoffsets will take care of the position in X & Y  of the spindle to table position. You will have to do some careful touch offs for each spindle to a relative point to see what each spindle position is to the first one. Once you know the offsets of each spindle and the spindles dont get moved its just a matter of checking one and calculating the rest. There is some fancy and cool ways to do this in a script but this is the basic idea to get you going. Guess Id load each tool in the spindles and touch off the first call it Zero touch off the rest and enter in the differences for the tool lengths. Maybe i'm all wet but thats the quickest way to get a handle on it that I see. Any more and I charge by the hour.  just a joke.

When you say Workoffset are you refering to G54 and so on.......

yep those are the buggers, work great, and there are a bunch of em.

I have tried using workoffset G54 and so on last week as seen on the gcode program that was attached on my initial post, but have some glitches, i think i will check my gcode program again

I'd had spent about 30 seconds looking at the file but seen there were no comments telling me what you were trying to attempt.

I always felt that if a programmer didn't write some notes/comments to remind him of whats going on why should he expect others to try to read his mind. Use line numbers or at least use a Block line number. Makes it easier to find code.

Spend the time to document and write your code in sections. Use M1 (Optional Stop)and "/' (Block Delete) at the end of sections. Makes it easier to prove out a program. and you don't just jump to a new spindle and tool without making sure it is ready and safe to cut.

In the years to come you will find it worth while.

Yes I understand your point. As mentioned on my initial post  the GCode program use to work on the older controller. And the GCODE PROGRAM was generated by our CADCAM software and the post processing was written by someone before me. I am trying to figure out the best best way to clean up and make the Machine safer.