I've gone and done it this time: I bought a Renishaw HPRA tool presetter arm for my TL-1. Yes, that's right, a presetter on a Toolroom lathe.:withstupi

Why? Because I'm tired of the hassles of setting the Z value on my right and left turning tools. The presetter will give a ground surface to set both kinds of tools.

I have verified that the machine has the Skip Signal connector on the I/O board and based on a few tests in MDI, the control is able to receive input from the connector (meaning I did some protected moves and it responded as I would expect with an open probe input). I have a Renishaw interface unit with the arm. I plan to order the proper cable for the I/O board but I think it terminates in stripped wires.

My question: does anybody know the identity of each of the Skip Signal pins on the I/O board?

I want to work out all the electrical problems before I drill holes in the head casting to mount the arm.

The bottom one pin is shield, if you wish to use skip you need to shortcut the two top (1-2) , but if you`re having an arm similar to that I have on SL lathe you will need to add a ARM_DOWN signal too.

If that's true, how does the probe send a 'ready' signal to the control? The system on my mill knows when the batteries are dead and it knows this before it even tries to do a probing cycle.

Believe it or not, my lathe probe has 2 wires , one is SKIP , and second a switch that detects when I get down the probe arm.

Thanks, Peter, I'll order the cable from Haas next week.

Now I have to figure out if I can do anything useful with it, without purchasing the Macros option.

The tool setting program will just do a protected move into the probe and stop when it trips. I'll zero the Z-offset, then move to the next tool and repeat.

I'll probably just handle diameters the old fashioned way. They aren't too tough.

NO , you`re wrong , the probe on a lathe isn`t similar to these on VMC at all !

You dont have to purchase macros , you only jog the tool to the probe manualy by pressing the X+ , X- and Z+ Z- buttons , when the tool touch the probe the machine stops , therefore is the arm_down switch needed , and the machine updates the X and Z offsets when you`re on these offsets screen , you need to calibrate the offsets for the probe first , see in your settings .

If you wish , I can make you an video how it works ( tomorow it is 10PM now )

Peter

Thanks again, Peter. :)

I'm in no hurry. Mine is the removable arm, not the retractable one:

http://i.ebayimg.com/18/%21BRyqG,gBWk%7E$%28KGrHgoH-CgEjlLl1Ej9BJ+1Yy4zN%21%7E%7E_1.JPG

I have to install the mount somewhere on the headstock (with the cable), then another mount for storage.

Yes, I've read everything in the Haas manual about using the probing on the SL type lathes. I understand how it's supposed to work.

From what I read in the manual, the values that you set in the control are just a place for the user to enter them. If I understood correctly, those are macro variables used by the tool setting program. I assumed that it used them to calculate the math between where the machine stopped and whatever offset you had entered in those variables. It would be great if I'm wrong. :D

Hi Greg,

I saw a similar Renishaw Package on E-Bay today.

Good Luck on your install and keep us posted. I don't have a CNC lathe yet?? but would enjoy watching your progress.

Your Friend,

John Clark

Yes, John, that's the guy. He had three of them. I think he's been relisting them since Christmas. I can vouch for the condition and quality. They're very nice. I have no clue why they didn't sell sooner. They're a steal at that price. That's his last one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260416373820