Tool Library Offset -< Answered>

[Crosshatch]

The Z axis software travel limit is a finite value. It should be the total distance that your Z axis can travel before it will hit something.

You can use the spindle nose as your Z Reference but based on the report that you attached, the Z Reference was never set. When you are in the Tool Offset library, press F1(Z Ref). Jog the Z axis until the spindle nose is at the desired location, typically the same location that you are using to measure your tools from. Then press F10(Set). Now all of the values in the height offset column for your tools will be in relation to the value in Z Ref.

The limit works, when my machine homes to the top of my Z-Axis and Zero's (0) the DRO, I can only move down -6.375" which I have done and the machine will stop. The same for all my other axes.

Ok, for the spindle nose setting. I'll let my machine home to the Z-axis as described above, the DRO will Zero (0 Machine WCS). Now I would jog down with no tool and just my spindle nose to some surface; lets say the material top as in the picture in my previous post.I would save this setting simply by hitting F10 to set the Z reference.

Now would I need to adjust any of my current tool heights which were set off the machine and on a granite plate/height gauge and all positive values or can they be left as is shown in my report?

Regards,

Jason

[Crosshatch]

Jason,

What I did was use a 1-2-3 block and jogged the spindle nose until it just touched the block. Then set Z Ref. I then touched off my tools to the same block and set their offset values (all positive values). If I ever break a tool, I can just set the new tool offset using the same block without resetting Z Ref (as I understand it). I guess the Z Ref is like setting your zero point?

Since you are measuring your tools using a height gauge, the offset value should be the same as if you used the method I used above. I used a 1-2-3 block because my Z-limits won’t allow the spindle to drop all the way down to the table.

What I don’t understand is why you actually need a Z Ref position. I want one to make adding/changing tools easier so I don’t have to remeasure them all. But it would seem to me that provided all tools have an offset, the control should know where to position the tool.

I agree with your statement "What I don’t understand is why you actually need a Z Ref position."

I watched the video on setting up the tools for a "Bed Mill" http://www.centroidcnc.com/cncvideo/vid ... step3.html

I have a bedmill but my machine has a gas spring so my Z-travel is pretty short, AKA -6.375 travel from top of the home Z switch. So I opted for a new approach on my tool measuring method. I used the method described in the video but I set my Z REFERENCE with the Spindle Nose wherever the machine homed to the Z-axis, I didn't jog down to the material or some point because in the video, they leave the machine at the top of the home and come down with various tools while using the F2 Manual Measure. With my Z-travel being short (-6.375), I put a 123 block on a faced softjaw of my vise and started to proceed with measuring my tools from the TOP Zero position. Selecting T5, traveling to the 123 block and setting the "Manual Measure F2". This gave me a negative value (which was off from my manual tool heights I measured on the granite block); this made sense as I was some -value from the Zero Z home. I did a Tool Check (Z-axis went back to home), inserted T6 and came down. This gave me a negative value (which was off from my manual tool heights I measured on the granite block). I set only these tools as the code I provided yesterday would only use these two (2) tools.

I proceeded to offset my work just like yesterday in WCS #1, defined the edges and set the Zero (0) for XYZ. I Cycle Start the code, the Z-axis moved upwards to my home position waiting for T5 change (no tool needed since T5 was already in spindle and shown as T5 h5) AND I got the same exact error of "907 axis travel exceeded" because of Line 16 as described yesterday when I cycled start confirming my tool change.

Now I know I did not jog the Spindle Nose down and set the reference, but in the video, they do not jog down and do that. They also didn't mention setting any reference but I noticed in the video it says "Z ref FIXED HOME". I just measured my tools from the top to the 123 block as they did in the video from the Z Home position.

I'd also like to point out that when I set the "Z REF" at the top, it gave the defined figure as ' 6.8600" ', I'm not sure where this number came from and this exceeds my -6.3750" limit for the Z-axis. I am confused and looking for more help. You have been very helpful, I am just trying to figure out the issues.

I'm not sure what to do. I thought it was going to work but it clearly has not.

Regards,

-Jason

[Crosshatch]

Yet another update.

I put the 123 block on the softjaw and came down with the Spindle Nose to measure the Z REF at the 123 block. I redid the tool height using F2 for T5 and T6, now my tool heights mirror'd what I did when I manually measured them on the granite after I touched them off using F2 on the 123 block.

Reset the part once again now thinking I have it. Same exact error with the 907 Z limit exceeded when it hits the "Z0.1" from the G-code shown on the other page.

The only method I have not done is use my longest tool as the reference... but I am going to wait for an answer.

Regards,

-Jason

[ScotY]

When you’re setting your part zeros, for Z, are you making sure you enter the tool number before saving? I didn’t notice that for a while and just assumed whatever tool (TcHx) was showing on the upper right part of the screen (near where the program name, spindle speed, etc. are) was what the offset would be set to.

[Crosshatch]

When you’re setting your part zeros, for Z, are you making sure you enter the tool number before saving? I didn’t notice that for a while and just assumed whatever tool (TcHx) was showing on the upper right part of the screen (near where the program name, spindle speed, etc. are) was what the offset would be set to.

Yes. When I do the setup, I don't specify the tool yet for the X or Y axis, but when I do the Z-axis, I set my offset (usually with a .002" feeler) from the part while putting the tool number in and hitting F10.

This defines on the main control panel T5 H5 afterwards.

Everything seems to make sense until I hit cycle start. I can go to the MDI, type G01 X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 and the tool will go to that defined point. When I hit cycle start, the Z goes towards the home switch and calls for T5. I have T5 already in, so I hit cycle start and get the error for the "Z 0.1" from the G-code:

(T5 D=0.375 CR=0.015 - ZMIN=-0.855 - BULLNOSE END MILL)
(T6 D=0.25 CR=0. TAPER=45DEG - ZMIN=-0.785 - CHAMFER MILL)
G90 G94 G91.1 G40 G49 G17
G20

(TOP_FACE)
M5
M9
T5 G43 H5 M6
S6000 M3
G54
M9
G0 X5.8463 Y-0.9375
Z0.1
G1 Z0.04 F35.
G18 G3 X5.7962 Z-0.01 I-0.05 K0.
G1 X5.59
X0.
G17 G2 Y-0.6807 I0. J0.1284
G1 X5.59
G3 Y-0.4239 I0. J0.1284
G1 X0.
G2 Y-0.1672 I0. J0.1284
G1 X5.59
G18 G2 X5.64 Z0.04 I0. K0.05
G0 Z0.5
G17



Even if I manually jog my tool (T5) deeper than the program has it run which is -.855" (Per comments of G-code), I am not in violation of the Machine's limit. It will not reach the limit, but the Machine WCS is at 0.0 at the tool change because it is at the top.

It's as if the G-Code is looking at the Machine origin instead of the G54 when hits Z0.1 and throws the 907 error because my machine can't move up anymore. But if it were going to execute Z0.1 in G54, it would simply and should in theory just move down to that location.


I tried three (3) different methods for setting tool offsets and not one has worked without getting the error, I am baffled.

Really need to fix this.

Regards,

-Jason

[Crosshatch]

Took a screenshot, sorry for the clipped view and glare.

In the first picture, you can see the tool is above the work piece at the maximum Z height (Z home). I'm also in WCS #1 G54, which shows +3.6550" above where the tool was zero'd on the part.

In the second picture, I did ALT D which switches to the Machine WCS. I am at machine Z-zero ( or +3.6550 in WCS #1 G54) with the other Axes offset from their respective home switches.

As you can see line 16: Z0.1 throws the 907 Z axis travel exceeded. Why doesn't the machine just move down to Z0.1 like it should? It does not violate the machine's Limit for the Z-axis except if it is interpreting the Machine WCS which is already at Z 0.000, hence why it cannot go up. However, shouldn't it just be associated with WCS #1 G54 and move down from + 3.6550" to the workpiece. Is my G-Code suppose to call out something more at Line 13 than just "G54" ? Should it be " G54 #1" or something? I'm just throwing nonsense out right now, but I am looking for something...

Time for sleep sadly

[ScotY]

Have you tried a simple program created in Intercon? Maybe it’s something weird in your code?

[Crosshatch]

Have you tried a simple program created in Intercon? Maybe it’s something weird in your code?

I have not. I'm using my old .TAP post processor for Mach3 if that matters.

Regards,

Jason

[Centroid_Tech]

As always, please provide a current report from your system when you are having an issue so that we can assist you. Without a current report from that system, we can only speculate what your issue is.

You need to set Z Ref because without that, all of the offsets in your tool offset library mean absolutely nothing without a reference point. The values in the height offset column of the Tool Offset library represent the difference in distance between the tip of that specific tool in relation to a fixed location. The fixed location is called Z Reference. If Z Reference is not set then the values that are entered in those columns have no meaning. There are multiple different locations that can be used to set Z Reference such as the Z home position, the location of the spindle nose when it touches some definitive block or fixture plate, the distance of the longest tool when it touches some definitive block or fixture plate, etc. It doesn't matter what is used as long as Z Reference is set. I hope that I have made it clear on the use of setting Z Reference. This is true when you are using the height offsets in the Tool Offset library. I have seen customers that don't use the Tool Offset library and whenever the program calls a different tool, they just reset their Part0 for that particular tool and run the program from that point. In that type of scenario, since they are not using the offsets from the Tool Offset library there is no need to set Z Reference.

Ok, for the spindle nose setting. I'll let my machine home to the Z-axis as described above, the DRO will Zero (0 Machine WCS). Now I would jog down with no tool and just my spindle nose to some surface; lets say the material top as in the picture in my previous post.I would save this setting simply by hitting F10 to set the Z reference.

You mentioned pressing F10(Set) for setting your Z Reference but you actually never mentioned in what menu you were at when you pressed F10. Are you actually in fact setting Z Reference? With a current report from that system, I would be able to verify that you are setting Z Reference. If you want to set the Z Reference position to the Z home position, you can do that as well. If you wish to set your Z Reference to the Z home position, from the main screen, press F1(Setup)->F3(Config)->default password is 137 if it asks you for a password->F3(Param). Set parameter 3 to 1.

[Crosshatch]

As always, please provide a current report from your system when you are having an issue so that we can assist you. Without a current report from that system, we can only speculate what your issue is.

You need to set Z Ref because without that, all of the offsets in your tool offset library mean absolutely nothing without a reference point. The values in the height offset column of the Tool Offset library represent the difference in distance between the tip of that specific tool in relation to a fixed location. The fixed location is called Z Reference. If Z Reference is not set then the values that are entered in those columns have no meaning. There are multiple different locations that can be used to set Z Reference such as the Z home position, the location of the spindle nose when it touches some definitive block or fixture plate, the distance of the longest tool when it touches some definitive block or fixture plate, etc. It doesn't matter what is used as long as Z Reference is set. I hope that I have made it clear on the use of setting Z Reference. This is true when you are using the height offsets in the Tool Offset library. I have seen customers that don't use the Tool Offset library and whenever the program calls a different tool, they just reset their Part0 for that particular tool and run the program from that point. In that type of scenario, since they are not using the offsets from the Tool Offset library there is no need to set Z Reference.

Ok, for the spindle nose setting. I'll let my machine home to the Z-axis as described above, the DRO will Zero (0 Machine WCS). Now I would jog down with no tool and just my spindle nose to some surface; lets say the material top as in the picture in my previous post.I would save this setting simply by hitting F10 to set the Z reference.

You mentioned pressing F10(Set) for setting your Z Reference but you actually never mentioned in what menu you were at when you pressed F10. Are you actually in fact setting Z Reference? With a current report from that system, I would be able to verify that you are setting Z Reference. If you want to set the Z Reference position to the Z home position, you can do that as well. If you wish to set your Z Reference to the Z home position, from the main screen, press F1(Setup)->F3(Config)->default password is 137 if it asks you for a password->F3(Param). Set parameter 3 to 1.

Report attached after the following changes I did:

Setting Para 3: 1.000 (Saved)
Checked Z-Ref in Tool Offset and noticed the Z-Ref figure was 0.908.0; I wasn't sure if I was suppose to leave this alone after changing Parameter 3 to 1 so I set the Z-Ref with the F10 save when the machine was at the home position and that gave me a different value (I believe it was 6.680" or something close to that).
At this point, from the top of the Z-Home, I redid my tool offsets for T5 and T6 by jogging down to the 123 block and this gave me negative values for T5 & T6. This makes sense since the Z-Ref was positioned at the Top Z-Home.

Oddly enough, I went back to setting up the part with T5 but I could not get WCS#1 G54 Z-axis to ZERO (0). This was after inputting 0.000 and typing in T5 with an F10 save. It said "Part Zero Accepted" but it did not show the Z-axis in WCS#1 G54 at Zero (0) it showed it with some negative value, but it did not zero (0). I also noticed that on the main screen, T5 H5 was not showing. It did not show T5 H5 anywhere on the screen where it normally is, it was missing all together (NO 'T' or 'H' showing).

T5 only showed up when I just tried to run the code anyway (with my hand on E-Stop because WCS#1 G54 was not actually at Zero(0)). Z-axis went up, called for T5, cycle start and only then did the T5 show up but did not show H5, only T5. Again, same old "907" error for Line 16.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


For the previous attempts yesterday, I was setting the reference, as I would go into F1, Set Ref. (Black screen with yellow instructions came up) jogged to some reference point (Z-Home attempt, 123 block attempt) all followed by a save with F10 setting the Z-Ref.


Please see attached report.

Regards,

-Jason