Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 11:53:20 AM

Author Topic: Tool Offset Macro...  (Read 46975 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline RICH

*
  • *
  •  7,427 7,427
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #30 on: July 29, 2016, 08:53:30 AM »
Quote
Hmm, any chance of a worked example of that method? Just a few lines of what happens....
Took me long enough to get my head round the little bit i have got it round so far

A few comments first:
- When machine coordinates = part coordinates then there are no offsets
- One can create an inialization file / macro to put the machine into a reapeatable state
- One can reference or de-reference axes
- Lathe tooling is more complex than mill tooling,so there are differences, but basics of
  how to are still similar.
- Tool 0 has no offsets, is not configurable but can be used to advantage
  ie; T#0 and T#1 can be used for the master tool but if you change T#1 then all the other
  tool offsets get changed. All tools relate to the master but they also relate to each
  other.
- Any touch off and recording of data is only as accurate / repeatable as YOUR machine
  and setup.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
Now there are numerous ways to do things, but here are some things to think about which
in the long run will save you time.

1.How do YOU want to work?
2.How automated and to what extent do you want to do things.....now and in the future?
3.If you can get a a screen set which satisfies your needs, buy it / use it as custom
  stuff does take time to do.
4.No need to buy expensive stuff when you can accomplish the same simply and accurately
  with home brew things. BUT, there is a lot to be learned by reviewing what industry has to
  offer and how it's done.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simplified example:

Home, referenced location, and tool change location are the same based on a probed
part location or setter using reference tool / Tool #0. KISS! Tool#1 is also the same
reference / master tool and has no offsets.Thus one can see current tool offset in the DRO's.
There are no G92 offsets. Thus any tool offset is based is based on machine move as compared
to the master tool for current probed tool to same location.The axis is probed to a common
surface / plane and touched off automaticaly and also the the current tool offset is put into
the tool table. Moving away to a generic / common location is always known.

SO.....Set / find a reference, probe axis to it, move away for change tool, probe current tool
and continue until tool table is populated.

NOTE:
Not all needs to be as above initial current state, BUT, It all depends on how you want to work.
ie; You could have the tool change location anywhere you want,etc,etc, etc.
What YOUR macro does addresses YOUR machine capabilities, how YOU want to do stuff.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So it would seem logical that one look at the big picture and probing macro would find
some location, set/ reset machine state, find and update the tool table. But addtionaly
one may want additonal options like:

TOOL TABLE
- open it
- save it
- export it
- reset it
- import a table

Allow for manual and automated offset adjustment, tool change location, creation changing
of offsets, etc.

But other then tool probing, probing can be used to find locations, create a dxf based on
point data, and all the variations on data manipulation to suite ones need.

Just some thoughts,

RICH
 

Offline Davek0974

*
  •  2,606 2,606
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #31 on: July 29, 2016, 01:47:26 PM »
Well, I thought i was getting somewhere but....

The new macro works really well at populating the offset list.

Then, I thought i'd get smart and test it so i measured up three tools, put tool 1 in the current tool box (2010 screen set), mounted tool 1 and being a bit nervy I put something a little soft between the touch-plate and the vise.

Next, I presumed i would simply do an auto-probe in the normal way to ref the part surface and that would allow the tool offsets to all be relevant to to my imaginary work surface.

So, plate in position, push ref-z and tool comes down, touches off, lifts, comes down slower, touches off then, much to my disbelief it piles into the work surface seemingly at 50,000mm/min !

The ensuing collision smashed the link between the z screw nut and the spindle and didn't even bother the servo - some power there!.

SO.... I have stripped the Z axis down again, turns out the original bridgeport part i tried welding to was cast iron - that explains the poor weld and oil porosity.

Sheared off where the counter-bore for the big hex-head screw ended - casting was only about 2mm thick at that point.

Anyways, instead of spending the weekend building the control cabinet, it looks like i need to spend it making a new Z coupling with just a lathe :(

No idea what i did wrong either.

Bugger.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #32 on: July 29, 2016, 04:21:19 PM »
Not so good, it is also one of the reasons I would be very wary of automating any process with the Haimer ;)
Hood

Offline Davek0974

*
  •  2,606 2,606
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #33 on: July 29, 2016, 04:31:00 PM »
The Haimer part of the process is fully manual so should be safe ;)

I really can't figure out what happened or why, yet.

The standard probing was working fine before.
The new macro worked beautifully, the figures in the tool table look believable,
I always test the touch-plate each time and it did read it ok twice so its not that,

Just when i run one after the other it probed ok but then plunged the Z hard and fast about 1"

When i've fixed her i'll be doing some testing in a safe fashion, maybe leave the belt off the axis drive or test with it close to Z- limits.

Bloody annoying though,

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #34 on: July 30, 2016, 03:53:10 AM »
Ah ok, was a bit worried when I read earlier and thought you were automating it all and I could see in my minds eye a smashed up Haimer :D

BTW did you order a spare probe with it? You will likely need one soon enough, it is very easy to just move it the wrong way and see it snap :D

Hood

Offline Davek0974

*
  •  2,606 2,606
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #35 on: July 30, 2016, 04:59:46 AM »
Not yet, short on cash so will just have to treat it like glass ;)

Once i've rebuilt the Z axis, i'll have to do some serious testing in a safe way to try and figure out what happened.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #36 on: July 30, 2016, 05:52:50 AM »
Not yet, short on cash.....

Sounds familiar, hence no progress on plasma :D Also short of time at the moment.

Everyone is desperate to get their jobs done but are not as desperate to pay their bills :D

Hood

Offline rcaffin

*
  •  1,052 1,052
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #37 on: July 30, 2016, 06:13:23 AM »
A bit of 3mm (1/8") PVC welding rod makes a good dummy for this sort of thing. Just thread one end. They are surprisingly good in fact.
Cheers
Roger

Offline Davek0974

*
  •  2,606 2,606
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #38 on: July 30, 2016, 06:59:50 AM »
Started reassembling the Z drive now, there is no way this adaptor will break, next crash would be a bitch i think.

I reckon the first tests will be done with nothing in the spindle at all;)

Offline Davek0974

*
  •  2,606 2,606
    • View Profile
Re: Tool Offset Macro...
« Reply #39 on: July 30, 2016, 10:06:04 AM »
OK, she's up and running again :)

Might have figured out what happened but need some help to verify it please.....

Calculating a tool offset.

I have placed a 3d height probe in my spindle and set the Z axis to a known offset from Machine zero lets say Z= -50mm

I then place Tool number 1 in the spindle and do a straight G31 probe, lets say the result read from Var2002 is Z= -30mm (so T1 is longer than the height probe)

What should the tool-table entry be here??