Open Mind added the NC-filename single-mode option so users could automatically get separate g-code files for each job step. Note that each file will always begin with an M06 command.
There may be several uses for having those separate g-code files but the use I wanted to implement is to call one tool to cut several work pieces (each at a different work coordinate) before calling the next tool. I do this to minimize the number of tool changes when manufacturing several parts at the same time.
So, what's the rub? Well, if I have several contiguous job steps all using the same tool, My machine makes a lot of wasted movements. It returns the z-axis to the tool change height every time it sees an M06, even if it already has that tool loaded. Because of that I can't really make use of the NC-filename single-mode option. That is a major bummer because it means I have to manually retype all the g-code file names and manually reissue the post every time I have to recalculate.
Dave
Last edited by single phase; 05-08-2006 at 09:40 AM.
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