I have an M6 Start manual tool change script.  It works but the only problem is when I goto select OK the X and Y start to move in the right direction but the Z goes up and hits my soft limit setting.  Could anyone give me an idea of what might be wrong and why the Z does not go back to the original place at the start of the tool change?

Thanks!

Check what value you have in your tool change position for Z axis and then check where your z soft limit is.

Do soft limits work properly in manual moves??

Dave soft limits work in manual moves.  The Z DRO 1202 is -.5     The Z when homes is top of column, homes then trips the Z limit switch then backs off -.25 from home.  The Z Min in home and limits is 0.00, the Z max is -9.0.  The -9.0 is the max Z travel to about an 1" off the table.  For goodness sake I cannot figure out why this is happening.  Oh and a little tid bit, my M6End macro is shut off, in other words I have an ' in front of all words so its not coded.

Oh and another thing, the tool offsets are all in my mach tool library.  I measured them all with the Tormach height gage as all my tools are in TTS holders, even my digital probe.

The macro is using G53 so tool offsets are not relevant.

I'm assuming you are in inches?

Try for an experiment move your Z axis Tool change position to say Z0.25

Now try MDI  G53 G0 Z0.25 - does it hit soft limit?

If no then try a M6 tool change and see what happens.

I'm just wondering if its not happy going Z0 with soft limit at Z0 as well.


Also, is this new behaviour - new macro etc??

Dave I will give that a shot in a couple of minutes and see what I come up with and message right back.  I think we may be on the right track.

Dave I did the G53 G0 Z0.25 and it hit the soft limit right out of the shoot!

ok its not saying that it is hitting the soft limits but the axis stops and the message box comes up and says to click OK for the tool change.

new marco as well

Try it in the MDI box - just drop the Z axis to maybe 2", then type G53 G0 Z0 in the MDI and hit enter

All that should happen is the Z axis zips back up to home, no messages etc.