Auto Tool Change

[slsmallcraft]

I've been using the automatic tool change routine and a touch plate for months and it works great. I just purchased a diamond tip engraving tool that wont work with the touch plate as it isn't electrically conductive. My post processor inserts the tool change routine into my G Code. I'm going to have to manually zero my z axis. How do I get around the tool change request? In other words, my program will stop, return to where the tool change is supposed to take place and I normally hit run after I change the tool and it starts to do the touch plate routine....which I cant use with the diamond tip.

 

[testyourdesign]

@slsmallcraft

Did you check your CAM program to see if it has the option of disabling the tool changer function. If it does not then you will probably need to break up the G-Code into separate files for each tool.

Cheers, Stephen Brown

 

[masso-support]

@slsmallcraft a similar question was asked in another forum topic and when using auto tool zero, all the tools will go through the auto tool zero processes and cant be skipped. At this stage, there is no option to skip this and we might need to add an option in tools setup to skip auto tool zero for a tool or simply set tool 0 that by default it does not do auto tool zero.

 

[slsmallcraft]

Having "tool 0" skip the auto tool zero would be perfect!

 

[masso-support]

we need to also take feedback from other users as some might prefer tool 31 (for G2) or 99 (for G3) to skip auto tool zero or depending on that tool changer they are using maybe they need tool 0 and cant skip auto tool zero?

This would mean that for the tool skipping auto tool zero the user will need an option to add the Z length offset value in the tool settings.

 

[slsmallcraft]

Yes, any tool number would be fine (0,31,99, etc.) I can work around. My work flow would be to switch to jog mode and zero the z axis using the manual mode by touching the diamond tip on paper on the work surface

 

[testyourdesign]

@masso-support

I have not used the autotool zero function since I have most of my tool lengths preset and recorded in the tool list. So amazing that you were able to create the G3 so quickly. I desperately need to upgrade for that expanded 99 tool list in my shop!

Cheers, Stephen Brown

 

[breezy]

Stephen,

As you can guarantee your tool lengths with each tool change, you don't need to use auto tool zero but those of us that use collet spindles cannot guarantee the tool will be inserted to the same depth each time, so ATZ is important to us.

But then you get the situation where you can't ATZ a tool because it is a diamond tip or a Drewtronics probe, you don't want the MASSO to run the ATZ function on a tool change command.

What I still need to sort out is how to guarantee the tool stick out for the Drewtronics and insert it's tool length into the tool table so that it can be used to zero the job Z axis.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[testyourdesign]

@breezy

I determined the tool length on my drewtronics probe by setting the bottom of my spindle nose to zero on the top of my vise. Then I lowered the probe onto the vise until the probe indicator light illuminated in Masso. After that its as simple as reading the Z Axis DRO to determine the probe length.

Cheers, Stephen Brown

 

[breezy]

Stephen,

That will work, if I could guarantee that the collet nut is in the same place as, when the Drewtronics is hard against the nut, when I set the spindle nose to zero.

I'm thinking to use flying lead with clip to "earth" the Drewtronics tip, do an ATZ on tool 0, use that setting as the Z axis zero in G54.

For now I continue using the paper under the tooltip to set Z axis zero, as we don't have time to play around sorting that out, too many jobs to get machined for the next couple of months.

Regards,

Arie.