I have been having an issue with my tool measurement. I load my stock on the table. Zero to the corner, then load a job.The zero is correct on x, y,and z. I start the job and it goes to the tool measure plate, asks for the tool (which I already have installed), it touches off like you would expect. Then it goes to the work surface. At this point one of two things happen, the bit doesnt go all the way down and it air cuts, or it plunges into the material. If I stop the job, rezero everthing and restart it, everything is fine. Of course at this point it thinks the tool has already been measured so it doesnt remeasure it. This leads me to believe its something to do with the tool measuring. I have recalibrated the location and the work surface several times now but its not helping. This has become very frustrating as I have wasted a few billets trying to make stuff. Im to the point now that I dont do tool changes, I run each tool path as a seperate job. Dont care for it, defeats the point.
I’ve encountered the same thing, and now before I run my first program after starting up the controller I have it measure the tool height, then set my WCS. This way the tool is measured before setting the zero and it already knows the tool height, and I haven’t had any problems.
This is the correct answer.
@Rab3rd Sounds like you’re installing a new tool in the spindle, using that tool to measure your XYZ of your stock and THEN touching off the tool to the tool height setter? If that’s the case that’s your issue right there.
Z zeroing is all based on tool length, and tool length is determined by the tool hitting the tool height setter.
Rule of thumb: EVERY time you put a new tool in the spindle hit the MTC button right after. Or even better hit it first and let it walk you through installing a new tool.
If you do that, you can send multiple tool jobs no problem without ever having to re-set your Z zero.
Thanks Eric and RCdude. I didnt realize that there was an order of operations. I assumed that the system was smart enough to do the math regardless of the order. Live and learn.
It is, however it needs the correct data to do the math. When you change the tool length and don’t “tell” the controller you did that (by touching off) then it “assumes” that the tool length is unchanged. That’s what’s causing your Z issues.
If we forced a tool change every time you started a job, that would result in a touch off EVERY time you started a job, which just wastes time.
My ATC procedures are as follows:
- I always put the last tool away before shutting the machine down (originally, this was because of tools getting stuck in the spindle)
- Measure every tool after a tool change
I know the machine “knows” how long the tools were last time it loaded them, but I’m paranoid. I use the “known” length to optimize the touch-off, but I still do it. Some of the work I do needs tool lengths correct to under 0.001” (relative to each other).
Why? Because there are monkeys in the shop, and you never know what the monkeys might do. Especially the head monkey. Plus, machines are not perfect. If you can’t be perfect, you have to be paranoid 