On Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 10:53:04PM -0500, Stuart Stevenson wrote: > Gentlemen, > I have asked this before but with the EMC2 machines breeding in my shop I > want to get this implemented. > I want to have a variable (in the .var file?) that will allow me to set > positive tool lengths using a tool set block on the table surface. I want to > be able to match the tool lengths the machine sets to the tool lengths our > tool set machine measures. The variable would be a constant that is compared > to the axis position to calculate the tool length from the imaginary gage > point. I have a 50 taper tool set standard I can put in the spindle to > determine the gage point very accurately. > Our 5 axis mills that have 5 axis tool length compensation need and use > positive tool lengths in the TLO. I would like to have positive tool lengths > on all machines just to be consistent. > I will start working on this here unless someone (with much better > programming skills - wink wink) has completed it. :)
I've thought about this too. I currently have G59.3 system on my mill set so the reference/zero length tool (probe length for me, gage line for you) is touching the table at Z=0. That way I can switch to G59.3, put a 123 or 246 block anywhere on the table, roll a .5 dowel pin between the tool and the block, and touch off the tool to 6.5 (if using an upright 246 block). Then I switch back to G54 or whatever. I think this procedure would do what you want too, if you just set the coordinate system right. It would be nice if you did not have to remember to switch systems though. It is easy to mess up. Maybe we need a separate system just for tool touch off, or maybe using G59.3 automatically under the covers is good enough. Either way, we'd have to make a new subcommand of G10 L10 Pn (not sure what format? L11?) that does the deed. Then (the hard part I think) is letting the user select which method in the gui (touch off tool relative to current work offset, or touch off tool relative to the specific special/G59.3 system). I'm hesitant to force one or the other - I usually use the table method, except when I can't. Sometimes I can't get to the table at all - so I probe the top of the workpiece, set G54 to 0 there, roll dowel between tool and workpiece, touch off tool (while still in G54) to 0.5. An easier way out would be to leave G10 L10 alone and change the behavior underneath to force relativity to a certain coordinate system based on an ini entry. Then we wouldn't have to touch the GUIs (but different emc machines would work obscurely and dangerously differently with no hint to the user). It's late - this is probably clear as mud. Chris ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beautiful is writing same markup. Internet Explorer 9 supports standards for HTML5, CSS3, SVG 1.1, ECMAScript5, and DOM L2 & L3. Spend less time writing and rewriting code and more time creating great experiences on the web. Be a part of the beta today. http://p.sf.net/sfu/beautyoftheweb _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
