auto tool setter vs. probing

[dsherburn]

I can get both to work, however my motors are still on the bench as the machine isn't here yet ( hard to see what's happening). What is the difference between the two, from a CNC perspective (I'm fairly new)?
The tool setter will work per the Masso instructions and I can probe to my touch plate using the 38.2 command.

 

[masso-support]

The Tool Setter is the fixed tool touch plate, switch or sensor that is mounted on a fixed location on the machine bed and never moved. This is used to automatically calibrate the length of the tool in a Mill.

The Touch Probe input is for a touch plate or probe, it's not fixed. In case of a touch plate the user can move it on top and corner of the job to find edges or if using the probe in the spindle can again be used to find edges.

 

[dsherburn]

Thanks for the explanation. The one thing I'm still confused by, is that using the G38.2 command I can input the thickness of my touch plate, thus calibrating the top of my workpiece to "0". When the tool setter touches the plate what "Z" value does it use? In other words how does the software know where the end of the tool is with respect to machine bed or top of the workpiece? I think it might be part of the G54 offset but it's not clear to me.

 

[masso-support]

Hi Dan,

When you do the initial homing routine the machine does the touch off of the tool on the tool setter plate. This becomes the reference for all tool changes. You can now change the Z0 for the tool and the offset for the plate will be recalculated and stored. When the tool is changed it goes back to the tool setter plate and will touch off. It then uses the offset to work out the new Z0 for the new tool.

Magic

Cheers

Peter