5. Add T1's tool offset value to Z height. |
Depending on what type of control you have, there may be a parameter that you can store the gage length of your t1 in. Check your manuals.
On toolroom type cncs I set the tool right to the Z=0 and go.
Here are 2 Methods I have used for production machines.
Our machines have Probes (work setters) and Tool setting blocks.
The controls have two parameters that are set once (unless some adjustment to the machine is made they can be reset).
1. A value that represents the distance from the spindle gage line to the top of the tool setting block when the block is seitting on the table.
2. A value that represents the distance from the gage line to the tip of the probe. (similar to the length of your tool 1).
Our machines have 30 tool changers. We normally leave t30 empty because often t1 winds up being a large face mill. If the face mill is too big, it will hit the adjacent tool in the tool changer when it swaps out. Anyway, we have T29 As our probe and T28 as a drill chuck for indicating or edgefinders.
To set up a job,
1. We set the tool length by touching off on the tool setting block (the control will read the position when contact is made or you could enter the Z value in manually)
2. We touch our Z=0 surface (usually it is top of part as hard mill said)
The machine has all the information it needs.
I am going to be changing shortly to presetting tool lengths outside the machine. A fancy optical presetter is not in the budget so ... either we buy a mechanical presetting station or make one. I made one at another shop as follows:
Again this is for production environments when you cant afford an expensive tool presetter but want to set tool lengths off line, you can do the following (assuming your control has the parameter for tool setting gage height or some equivelent ).
INITIAL SET UP - ONE TIME ONLY:
-Make a "Standard", Use a piece of 1/4" Hardened Drill Rod With one end ground square. Mount the rod in a dedicated tool holder (endmill holder is fine and a tack wekd for good measure doesnt hurt either to make sure the rod doesnt move.)
-Make a Tool setting station, using a ground steel plate with block mounted to it with a tapered bore that matches the taper of your spindle (CAT 40 or whatever).
-Put the standard in the machine and touch it off to a reference surface. Record the value.
-Put the probe or XYZ edgefinder in the machine and touch it to the reference surface. Record the value.
-Subtract the numbers and enter this value in the parameter your control uses for work setter or tool setter height compensation.
(you need to check the manual to see what parameter you have and what the value represents.)
NOw that the hard parts over to set jobs up:
-Using the presetting station and a height gage, place the "Standard" in the taper on the presetting station. Zero the height gage on the tip of the rod.
1. Put your tool/tool holder in the presetter and measure its height (you are measuring the difference between the standard and the tool) Record on toolsheet or tag. There are nice re-usable plastic tags that you can buy from MSC that can be written on with marker and re-used. They fit around the flange of the tool holder.
-Repeat for all the tools.
(Remember the machine is running another job while you do this UPTIME = $)
2. When you set your Z work offset you just touch off on Z=0 with your XYZ Edgefinder or probe.
3. Enter all the tool Length offsets.
Hope this is helpful or at least interesting cuz' Im tired and its waaayyy past my bed time.
BTW Welcome to the forum (Im pretty new here myself)
Dave
