Sorry Terry but I think your headed down a cul-de-sac here. Bear has confirmed in his post #14 where my thoughts were going with my last edit.

Mach simply CAN'T control the toolchanger whilst the axis are moving. It has to stop the axis, operate the toolchanger, then resume axis movement.

So...

IF you use Mach to control the toolchanger then...
1) It CAN'T be done whilst the axis are moving 2) lookahead is irrelevant. 3) swapping tool/slot is useful.

IF you use external hardware to control the toolchanger then...
1) It CAN be done whilst the axis are moving 2) lookahead is useful. 3) swapping tool/slot is irrelevant.

Ian

OK so what yous guys are saying is that MACh can not do anything while the axis are moving??? THe macropumps don't run and the brains don't work??? I think I am confused again. The actual tool changing takes place while the machine is stopped anyway. Only the rotattion of the carousel is taking place during the machine movement. It trip a relay and waits until it get a switch combo and opens relay.

To me that is like sayng once the machine starts to move there can be no further interaction with mach until it is done?

But I do appreciate your input and ideas.. (;-)

Thanks (;-) TP

OK so what yous guys are saying is that MACh can not do anything while the axis are moving.THe macropumps don't run and the brains don't work???

No I'm not saying that

I think I am confused again. The actual tool changing takes place while the machine is stopped anyway.

This is true - but that's not my point.

Only the rotattion of the carousel is taking place during the machine movement.

But this is my point - what is rotating the carousel?

Hi Ian, When Mach has to rotate the carousel. It trips a relay to start a motor. On the carousel is an absolute type encoder that returns a switch combination to identify each slot on the wheel. So when the slot ID matches the "next tool" slot number then mach signals the relay to open and stop the motor. There is a smart relay that controls the motor and detent operations that lock the wheel in perfect position.

SO that makes MACH's part trivial, signal a relay and monitor the encoder signal until the correct position then signal the relay again.

I honestly don't see the problem but I have been wrong before??? (;-)

(;-) TP

Hi Terry - ok I'll bow to you on this because I've not much experience in the electromechanical (I thought that all went out with 1970s telephone exchanges  ) - But if it's any help here's a couple of issues that spring to mind.

When Mach hits a T# (in advance of an M6 - fanuc style) it has to output a signal to trip the relay and hence motor. Can Mach do this?

Each time the carousel outputs its encoded position it has to interrupt Mach to let it know there's data waiting and then it has to present this data to Mach for comparison. Can Mach do this?

BTW What about the arm?

Cheers

Ian

EDIT: With regard to the encoder outputing its position to Mach I've just read up on triggers. Instead of using an absolute type encoder, one way would be that the carousel just sends a pulse each time its at a slot, Mach could keep track of which slot. This negates the need for Mach to read a number. Just a thought.

When Mach hits a T# (in advance of an M6 - fanuc style) it has to output a signal to trip the relay and hence motor. Can Mach do this?

******** Yes

Each time the carousel outputs its encoded position it has to interrupt Mach to let it know there's data waiting and then it has to present this data to Mach for comparison. Can Mach do this?

******** yes

BTW What about the arm?


****** It can be controlled from relays as well, depends on design complexity.

Cheers

Ian

EDIT: With regard to the encoder outputing its position to Mach I've just read up on triggers. Instead of using an absolute type encoder, one way would be that the carousel just sends a pulse each time its at a slot, Mach could keep track of which slot. This negates the need for Mach to read a number. Just a thought.

I have thought of that, but if MACH ever hiccups(;-) Like in a probing cycle (;-) you could loose reference and a tool changer crash is not pretty. THe Unique ID system allows mach to know where it is at all times Hardcoded so to speak. You can monitor 30 positions with 5 digital signals as on/off combinations.   Seeing how mach polls the macropump/brains every cycle I don't see this as a bottleneck???

(;-) TP

Hi Terry - sounds like you've got it all sorted - sounds good to me - sorry it took me a while to catch on.

go for it.

Cheers

Ian

Hi IAN, the elec/mech side is fairly easy for me. THe programing side puts me like a duck in the desert, stranded on dry land(;-)

THanks For your help, (;-) TP

Phase 1 create the screen to load the carousel and initialize the data to the slot postions

Hi Terry - I'll help where I can if you need it.

When Mach hits a T# (in advance of an M6 - fanuc style) it has to output a signal to trip the relay and hence motor. Can Mach do this?

******** Yes

how?