Automated and manual tool change help

[BlackflagMFG]

I have been reading everything I can and can't seem to figure it out. I am running an Acorn 6 with a rack mount ATC (Avid Benchtop Pro) with a KP3 probe and Laser tool setter. I have 2 questions about manual tool changes.

The first is when probing I can probe the X/Y axis with no problem but since I manually tool change to the probe I cannot change the active tool number to correctly offset the height for Z probing. I have tried just about everything to manually change the tool number of the active tool in the spindle and cannot figure it out. I tried downloading the macro for a manual tool change that is posted on the forum but it did not work for me.

Secondly the ATC rack has 6 slots for tools, most my programs I can get by with that but every once in a while I need to use 7 or 8 tools for the part. Is there a way to run the program and have it prompt for a manual tool change when a tool # that is called for is not in the rack but defined in the tool # and height offset library.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[suntravel]

To change to the tool #1 with offset #1 in MDI:

T1 ; loads tool #1
G43 H1 ; loads offset #1 in the CNC

To prompt for a manual tool change with a tool# not in the ATC, it can be done in the M6 macro.

Uwe

[BlackflagMFG]

I just tried "T#" in the MDI and it does not change the tool number currently in use but accepts the input for all the tool # in my tool rack, but once I go above the tool # available in the tool rack (Tool 7+) it give me the error "Tool Library Invalid for T#". Tools are entered in the library and offset menu for tools 7+.

The G43 H# does change the tool height offset though, thanks for that!

[Ken Rychlik]

It was either param 160 or 161 that stores the max number of tools. So you need to tell the system you have one more tool spot than it thinks it has now.

[cnckeith]

I have been reading everything I can and can't seem to figure it out. I am running an Acorn 6 with a rack mount ATC (Avid Benchtop Pro) with a KP3 probe and Laser tool setter. I have 2 questions about manual tool changes.

The first is when probing I can probe the X/Y axis with no problem but since I manually tool change to the probe I cannot change the active tool number to correctly offset the height for Z probing. I have tried just about everything to manually change the tool number of the active tool in the spindle and cannot figure it out. I tried downloading the macro for a manual tool change that is posted on the forum but it did not work for me.

Secondly the ATC rack has 6 slots for tools, most my programs I can get by with that but every once in a while I need to use 7 or 8 tools for the part. Is there a way to run the program and have it prompt for a manual tool change when a tool # that is called for is not in the rack but defined in the tool # and height offset library.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

please post more info, a fresh report.zip and photos would go a long way in getting good answers.