On Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:37:21 -0500, you wrote: >Tony Zampini wrote: >> Or, to put it another way, how are >> users of EMC2 currently determining the new z offset after changing tools, >> assuming they don't use a probing feature? Just curious. >> >Each tool is run in a different program. With manual tool changing, it >is often more >time-efficient to perform all operations with one tool on all the >workpieces, making >the fixture of the part very fast to swap, and just hit the run button >for each >workpiece. When all of those are done, then set up the next tool and >run that. >You only need to set up the Z coordinate between tools. > >I've been doing it this way for over a decade on nearly all my parts. > >The other way is you have a master tool which has a tool length of zero, you >touch off that part before starting. All other tools have a known length >difference from that tool, which is entered into the tool table, and the >programs >use tool length offsets. I haven't used this technique in a while, but >for things >that are hard to set up on the fixture, this is the way to do it.
That's how I work with my CNC lathe, unfortunately my CNC router has a high speed spindle with ER16 collets. It's impossible to use a tool table as the tool length can't be made repeatable. You have to touch off. The collet holder is part of the hollow motor shaft nose. There's no backstop up there apart from the plastic fan at the top end the shaft. My mill also has collets, but that can use a tool table. The R8 to ER25 collet chuck has an adjustable internal stop so tools can be positioned repeatably in the collet holder. Steve Blackmore -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF email is sponsosred by: Try Windows Azure free for 90 days Click Here http://p.sf.net/sfu/sfd2d-msazure _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
