I've been using tool length offsets for quite sometime without any problems. I've got a rush job, and now I have the problem.
I've got two operations: one drill and one pocket. The drill is one inch longer than the endmill, so I set the drill as tool 1 and use it for z calibration as well( this tool is set to zero. The endmill is tool number two, and after creating an offset, I save it in the tool table. The difference is one inch, and as tool 2 there's a -1.00 offset in tool offset table. What this tells me is that the program will start with tool 1, and then, after asking for a tool change, it will "remember" the 1" offset for tool two.
Now when I run the program, as soon as the program starts running the part with tool 2, the offset light goes out and I lose the offset.
So my offset is gone and tool 2 is not cutting. The offset on light in Mach 3 shuts off and I cannot keep it on manually.
I am stuck. the code has g43, and I simply don't know what makes the Mach 3 not see the tooloffset.
thanks in advance.
tc