So…if I enable “only auto tool zero when manually requested”, does this mean it will skip tool changes when prompted by the gcode? Does it require the use of mdi only? If I enable it, does that mean I can’t use mdi for tool changes? Do I still have to home the machine a couple times for it to work (this is the #1 source of confusion)? And do I have to go into settings each time and turn it on or off? SO many questions!
If you select it, it will only go to the tool setter from the f4 screen.
If you don’t have it selected, it will go there everytime you home, and everytime you hit cycle start after being prompted to change your tool.
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Sorry, I’m not clear what you do on the F4 screen…? It’s just tools and offsets.
Ok, let me try a different approach…
Under what circumstances would the machine drive a tool down THROUGH the tool setter? I can see the signal changing on screen when I press the setter with my finger. And what would cause the machine to measure the tool, then retract, then turn on the spindle, then begin a z negative move just before I hit Estop? I have seen both of these behaviors.
I am very confused by the talk of extra homing steps which I think might be my issue. I turn on the machine, I home the machine, period. The machine already knows the length of the tool and the g54 xyz from the day before. Why would I measure the tool again, then home it again? I don’t get the extra homing.
Here’s how I had “hoped” the tool setter would work…maybe it’s not meant to do what I thought, you tell me…
MDI…txm6 (machine moves to tool change position and prompts me to change tool. Then I hit start and it goes to measure the tool. Done)
Or when running a program, when T2 comes up…(machine goes to tool change position and prompts me to change tool, I change tool and hit start and it measures the tool and goes to work).
Am I barking up the wrong tree?
Exactly, you would manually set your offsets if your setup allows for that, like atc.
Creates offsets is what the tool setter does, and that’s all it does.
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You wouldn’t need to home it again, and that’s not what i said would happen. I said it would touch off after every homing cycle, not that you have to, but if you mess up the order of operations you can home it again to reset it.
Your file could contain multiple tools, it finishes with the tool, prompts you to change, you change the bit, cycle start, touches off, proceeds to continue tool path.
You could also do this manually by calling for a tool change, changing the tool, then cycle start then it’ll touch off again and return to prior position. You would do this if you wanted to zero xy without a dry run laser and had a tapered ball nose installed for example.
Yes, that’s how it’s supposed to work.
I’m just the guy who put the programming instructions out there when noone else would, but it sounds like it’s in a freefall down, and if that’s the case, your mission is to find out what is triggering the motor to give out and eliminate that. If i had to guess, the hard limit is being triggered, which you can disable, but that is only a guess.
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The extra homing question comes from the video everyone keeps recommending. It didn’t make sense to me. And still doesn’t.
As far as the strange behavior…the spindle is not in freefall. When I destroyed tool setter #1 it was at 30ipm and I know the settings were correct because I could see the signal change on the screen when I press the tool setter with my finger. Now occasionally, the machine wants to turn on the spindle and proceed to destroy tool setter #2. I have seen no consistent behavior as well as finding no consistent instructions which is why I keep asking the same questions in different posts.
Sounds like This
I don’t know what video you’re referring to, and it’s not on me to dispel what they’re saying but the workflow is like this.
With “only when manually requested” NOT enabled:
Power on
Home
Tool setter touchoff automatically
Current offset saved
You can either zero xyz with current bit or txm6 to a bit you can zero xyz with.
If you txm6 and hit cycle start, it’ll go to the tool setter
Zero xyz if not done before
When you load your file and hit start
It’ll look at the first commanded tool and if it is the same tool number, proceed to the carve. If not it’ll prompt to change the bit
Change bit
Cycle start
Proceed to the tool setter
Proceed to carve.
Finish with that tool number
Go to your tool change location
Prompt to change bit
Cycle start
Tool setter touch off
Proceed to carve
Rinse and repeat the last few until complete
If you have only when manually requested enabled (only good for like atc where offsets are not subject to change)
Power on
Home
F4
With current tool loaded select that tool, and hit auto tool zero
Txm6
Change(s) tool
F4
Select that one auto tool zero
Do that for all your tools available
Then proceed to a file, load it and start, and it skips the tool setter portion listed above in the first option with each bit change.
It doesn’t have to be atc either, you could use depth stops for example.
If you ever “lose” the current offset, you will need to trigger a tool setter function and z zero which can be done with the first option above by rehoming it but you do not need to rehome it as often as your saying they said.
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Sounds like This
it’s not that. I’m using 5.07.
[quote=“ChrisS, post:48, topic:20582, full:true”]
Tool setter touchoff automatically
THIS! including the word “automatically” completely changes the game. If I had known the machine AUTOMATICALLY measures the tool after homing…!!!
Thank you for clarifying at least one of the most confusing things!
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Yeah, sorry, i couldn’t help further.
Glad you’re understanding my frustration when i was trying too figure it out by playing a little game called “hold my sippy cup”
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? Um, not sure what that means but thanks again for taking the time.
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