hi, i am having a problem and i am sure it is me not the machine . here is whats going on i use cambam to write my programs and i am running a part i need to drill 5 different hole sizes. and mill a slot . the program will not use the tool offsets . i know i must be missing something . any help Will be great . thanks guys

Do you have the tool table set up for your tools? How is your CAM calling the tools? Is your CAM producing a true tool path based on the tool Dia or is it expecting Mach to do the dia offset?

Hood

Hi spr203 are you using a drawing and setting the parameters in the TOOL section at the bottom of Cambam's MOP. if so cambam should set tool paths. Post you cambam file here or in CAMBAM forum and I'll take a look

hi here is my program i am using .

( 4in Roller Post Spider Crossmember 6/25/2012 3:00:24 PM )
( T5 : 0.5 )
( T6 : 0.78 )
( T7 : 0.81 )
( T19 : 0.5 )
( CUTVIEWER )
( FROM/0,0,5 )
( Select dummy tool to avoid warnings )
( TOOL/MILL,1,0,20.0,0 )
( STOCK/BLOCK,,,,,, )
G20 G90 G91.1 G64 G40 g43
G0 Z0.125
( T5 : 0.5 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.5,0.0,0.0,0 )
T5 M6
( Drill1 )
G17
M3 S1000
G0 X15.0376 Y9.3985
G98
G81 X15.0376 Y9.3985 Z-0.7 R0.125 F10.0
G81 X10.2757 Z-0.7
G81 X5.7644 Z-0.7
G81 X1.0025 Z-0.7
G81 X2.005 Y7.4767 Z-0.7
G81 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 Y2.0471 Z-0.7
G81 X4.01 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 X12.0301 Z-0.7
G81 X14.0351 Y2.0471 Z-0.7
G81 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 Y7.4767 Z-0.7
G80
( Drill2 )
( T6 : 0.78 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.78,0.0,0.0,0 )
T6 M6
M3 S1000
G0 X2.005
G98
G81 X2.005 Y7.4767 Z-0.7 R0.125
G81 Y2.0471 Z-0.7
G81 X14.0351 Z-0.7
G81 Y7.4767 Z-0.7
G80
( Drill4 )
G0 Z0.25
( T7 : 0.81 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.81,0.0,0.0,0 )
T7 M6
M3 S1000
G0 Y4.7619
G98
G81 X14.0351 Y4.7619 Z-0.8 R0.25
G81 X12.0301 Z-0.8
G81 X4.01 Z-0.8
G81 X2.005 Z-0.8
G80
( Profile1 )
( T19 : 0.5 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.5,0.0,0.0,0 )
T19 M6
M3 S1000
G0 X3.4375 Y9.3226
G1 Z-0.125
G1 F8.0 X0.3
G1 Y9.4744
G1 X15.7401
G1 Y9.3226
G1 X3.4375
G1 F10.0 Y9.2726
G1 F8.0 X0.25
G1 Y9.5244
G1 X15.7901
G1 Y9.2726
G1 X3.4375
G1 F10.0 Y9.3226
G1 Z-0.25
G1 F8.0 X0.3
G1 Y9.4744
G1 X15.7401
G1 Y9.3226
G1 X3.4375
G1 F10.0 Y9.2726
G1 F8.0 X0.25
G1 Y9.5244
G1 X15.7901
G1 Y9.2726
G1 X3.4375
G0 Z0.25
M5
M30

You have no G43 H(whatever tool number) on the M6 line. Should look like this:

T5M6G43H5 for your first drill

and also... you don't have the tools rapiding to a safe Z position, you are looking for a crash....

should look like this:

T5M6G43H5
G0Z.1

Then proceed with the drilling or milling.

thanks guys . i got it working about 75% i would say . i have about 4" difference in length of tools . when i but my 3rd tool in it drills the hole to correct depth but it retrats almost to z home . i know i'm missing something there also .

G49 Z0

That will cancel the tool length offset and retract the machine to Z0 of the machine, on a mill, that's usually all the way up, or retracted on the quill.

i must not be doing something correct . here is how my program looks now . when i go to tool number 7 it drill hole fine but after drilling moves up away from part 3" . this isn't the end of the world just looking to cut time . also is there any better way to mill a slot other than the way i have it cutting now ? thanks

( STOCK/BLOCK,,,,,, )
G20 G90 G91.1 G64 G40
g0z.125


( T5 : 0.5 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.5,0.0,0.0,0 )
T5 M6
( Drill1 )
G17
g43 h 5 m8
M3 S1000
G0 X15.0376 Y9.3985
G98
G81 X15.0376 Y9.3985 Z-0.7 R0.125 F3.5
G81 X10.2757 Z-0.7
G81 X5.7644 Z-0.7
G81 X1.0025 Z-0.7
G81 X2.005 Y7.4767 Z-0.7
G81 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 Y2.0471 Z-0.7
G81 X4.01 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 X12.0301 Z-0.7
G81 X14.0351 Y2.0471 Z-0.7
G81 Y4.7619 Z-0.7
G81 Y7.4767 Z-0.7
G80
g0 z.25 x-.5 y 2.5 m9
( Drill2 )
G0 Z0.125
( T6 : 0.78 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.78,0.0,0.0,0 )
T6 M6
g43h6m8
M3 S1000
G0 X2.005 Y7.4767
G98
G81 X2.005 Y7.4767 Z-0.8 R0.125
G81 Y2.0471 Z-0.8
G81 X14.0351 Z-0.8
G81 Y7.4767 Z-0.8
G80
g0z.25x-.6y2.5m9
( Drill4 )
( T7 : 0.81 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.81,0.0,0.0,0 )
T7 M6
G43h7m8
M3 S1000
G0 X14.0351 Y4.7619
G98
G81 X14.0351 Y4.7619 Z-0.8 R0.25
G81 X12.0301 Z-0.8
G81 X4.01 Z-0.8
G81 X2.005 Z-0.8
G80
g0z.25x-.6y2.5
( Pocket1 )
( T20 : 0.75 )
( Tool Taper coming soon )
( TOOL/MILL,0.75,0.0,0.0,0 )
T20 M6
g43h20m8
M3 S1000
G0 X-0.425 Y9.3976
G1 Z-0.07
G1 F4.0 Y9.3994
G1 X16.625
G1 Y9.3976
G1 X-0.425
( pocket2 )
M8
S1000
G0 Z0.25
G0 X16.625
G1 F10.0 Z-0.14
G1 F3.0 X-0.425
G1 Y9.3994
G1 X16.625
G1 Y9.3976
( Pocket3 )
m8
S1000
G0 Z0.125
G0 X-0.443 Y9.3796
G1 F10.0 Z-0.25
G1 F3.0 Y9.4174
G1 X16.643
G1 Y9.3796
G1 X-0.443
g0z.25x-.6y2.5m9
G0 Z0.125
M5
M30

I copied the code over into G-Wizard editor and ran it, I don't see anything moving higher than .25 above the part. What sort of machine is this, how do you do tool changes without coming up in the air at some point? Where are you getting this code? I've never seen something put Z values before XY values.... that's usually not good form.... it's always XYZ in that order. Also, on your G81 lines, after the first line where you define everything, all you need is the next X or Y position, no Z value necessary.... unless I suppose you wanted to change depth.