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Tool Height offsets ignored?
« on: October 04, 2017, 03:34:11 AM »
I'm either missing something fundamental that is different to the way Mach4 works over Mach3, or there is something wrong.

I have all my tools in dedicated holders with my Tool1 my Haimer 3D dial gauge. All have their respective lengths loaded into the tool table.

Now to set up a job, I use a Haimer 3D dial gauge to indicate my parts to set up a G54 position. X,Y,Z....zero the DRO out in Mach3 and then load program and run. All's good. All tool H offsets are taken into account just as you would expect.

In Mach4 the exact same offsets have been set up in the tool table. So then I go and indicate off the part and zero out the DRO's with tool #1.

But when I run the program Mach4 seems to ignore the tool H even though it is displayed as the active tool. So far the program just wants to cut air at what seems some arbitrary height.

With further reading and checking, if I indicate off something and zero out the DRO, and then switch tool number, the ofsets do not update as the manual says they should and as they do in Mach3.

I've done some searching, but all I can find is help using a probe, or setting up a fixture. I want to use G54 for the quick one off jobs.

Any help getting this worked out iis greatly appreciated.

Offline Stuart

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Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2017, 10:10:10 AM »
are you using
T1 M6
G43 H1
in the mdi panel before you use tool 1 to probe with

Just setting it active does not toggle the g43 offset this can be done in the offset panel as well but it’s quicker to do it in mdi

I have modded my screen to have the toggle for g43 on the front page as well as a lot removed that I don’t use

Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2017, 03:52:40 PM »
No I haven't. I don't use a M6 command. I use the M1 optional stop when I change tools, but that's all taken care of by Fusion360, so I have never given it any thought.

Very new to Mach4 and just trying to switch over from Mach3.

I found another post late last night by searching that mentions Setting Active Tool. I'll see if I can find that somewhere on the router screen later when I'm out in the workshop.
Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2017, 08:59:22 PM »
Just as an update to my problem. I found the "Toggle Active Tooll" button on the Offsets Tab. Turning it on has fixed the problem I was having.

Seems pretty odd to me that by inputing the tool number you are using doesn't grab the height offset automatically, but at least I now know what to do.
Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2017, 09:42:13 PM »
Hi Allen,
I don't know that its related but there are two modes of operation with regard to tool numbers.
In one mode the tool number is the currently used tool  whereas in the other mode the tool number is the NEXT tool
that will be used by the current job.

Depending on the mode you may not wish an offset to be applied YET.

My understanding is that this mode 'tool number is next tool' allows the tool changer to preposition itself and save time
when changing tools, highly valuable in a production machine.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2017, 09:50:47 PM »
I suppose in that case, it might be a valid assumption to make.

For me, I always want to pause on M1, and the active tool offset to be applied to the one I currently have loaded.  I haven't tried editing any of the screen elements, and if possible, I'd like these to be activated on startup, so I don't have to remember to do it every time.
Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2017, 10:25:33 PM »
Hi Allen,
that is exactly the sort of thing that Mach4 makes possible. Is quite a steep learning curve to get there but
the flexibility of Mach4 outstanding.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Tool Height offsets ignored?
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2017, 03:25:09 AM »
And in case you are looking at this thread and wondering how to make the Optional Stop on M1 active when you start up Mach4, Andy over on the Warp9 Forum posted the code to modiy in your screen set. I did the changes and it works a treat.

https://www.warp9td.com/index.php/kunena/7-general-discussion/6724-tool-change-pause-ignored?start=6