Loading Tool Magazine

[rmetzger2]

Hey, I have a bridgeport vmc 760/22 with a dx32 controller. I have been trying to figure out how to load a freakin tool into the carousel for a few days now. I have a program I want to run that uses 4 different tools and I need to load them into the carousel before I run the program. I have run the program in the machine without any tools in the magazine and the mill seems to execute the code correctly. The problem is that I don't know how to load the tools into the magazine. When I go to the tool change screen I have only two options, load magazine and home carousel. I can put a tool in the spindle manualy no problem, but then when I hit the load magazine option the carousel just comes over to the spindle at whatever height the spindle is currently at and then just stops at the spindle. I have read through all the manuals I posses and none of them have anything about how to load tools manually. Also the program that I load into the machine has the tool definitions and it loads them correctly. If anyone can shed some light on this issue for me, that would be great.

Here is the first couple of lines from the program if that helps...

:100
N01;BOBCAD1.NC
N02;MON. 04/09/2012 07:27PM
N03;BRIDGEPORT DX-32 VMC
N04T1/5./0.5
N05T2/5./0.25
N06T3/5./0.25
N07T4/5./0.5
N08G70
N09G90G80G17
N10;JOB 1 POCKET
N11;FEATURE POCKET
N12T1M06
N13S1252M03
N14G00G54X1.05Y0.8Z0.1

[rmetzger2]

Oh I actually lied here, the spindle retracts all the way up before the carousel comes over when I hit the load magazine options... I just always had the spindle all the way up before I tried to load the magazine.

[jimmy111]

M25 usually brings the quill up opens the magazine and you can load tools manually.

[FLjoyride]

Make a tool change program, and change the tool numbers as you load:

0 BEGIN PGM 1 INCH
1 TOOL CALL 12 Z S 2000
2 L R F M06
3 STOP M25
4 END PGM 1 INCH

So if you want to insert tool # 1 into the tool changer, you would change "1 TOOL CALL 12 Z S 2000" to "1 TOOL CALL 1 Z S 2000" and then run the program. You then manually insert the tool, and then change the line again to "1 TOOL CALL 2 Z S 2000" and run it again which puts the tool into the changer and then grabs tool #2. You continue this for as many tools as you need.

[rmetzger2]

Is this like the normal way to load the tool carousel? It seems like a lot of work, but I will try it.

[BetaBob]

I went through the same headache trying to figure it out on a VMC1000. We do a M06 in the manual mode. After it drops the current tool in the carosuel and the spindle raises, we push the black button on the front of the spindle any axis "+"or"-"at the same time and the carosuel will rotate. After you get it loaded just hit the start button again it finishes the M06. Don't know if this will help you or not.

[jmullett]

Can't you just go to the Jog Menu and issue a STM function. I think it is the F1 key when in the Jog Menu. Just fill in the the tool number you want to load in the T: field, leave the S: field blank and then put a 06 in the M: field then hit enter and then it will ask you to hit the + key to confirm. The tool should go to the pocket you indicated and pick up a tool that is currently in that pocket or in your case just nothin but a bunch of air.

Then you just put the tool in the spindle applying a little force in the upward direction. Push the drawbar button on the spindle head until the tool seats in the taper. Release the button, wait for the drawbar to pull up on the tool and then you should be able to let go of the tool and move on to the next one.

No special program or anything. Thats how I do it on my TC30 with DX32