Setting Z (multiple tool lengths)

[Rot Iron Racer]

I finally had a chance tonight to work on sending a cam program to my mill via my laptop & Dolphin. I had to change the solder points on the 9 pin chord to get communications, and... Whalaa! It worked.

Now I have some questions (are you listening Mr.Wild?) It appears that Dolphin recognizes Z0 right at the work height at all times (if a tool is called up or not), which is completely different than what I'm used to seeing with the Anilam Crusader controller.

My question is this:

How do you set the Z height on different tooling
(ie: .250 end mill, .250 drill bit, and a 82 degree counter sink bit) to all operate in the same program, all in sequence without stopping until its time to change out parts?

Kevin

[andre-dolphin]

This is more a question for the controller people but I will try to point you in the right direction.

Suppose you have three tools, #1 is 6 inches long, #2 is 5in and #3 is 4in.

On the controller set tool #1 to have a zero length offset, then set #2 to -1in length offset and #3 to -2in length offset.

When the program is run the controller will adjust it's Z positions to take into account the values in the length offset register for each tool.

Therefore tool #1 will not be affected by this offset as it is zero, tool #2 will be adjusted by 1 inch and #3 by 2 inches.

You will have to check whether the offset info I mentioned earlier (z length value), needs to be a minus or a positive value. This is dependant on the controller and I'm not that familiar with the Anilam - it's been a few years since I worked on one.

Hope this info helps.

ATB
Andre

[Rot Iron Racer]

Thanks Andre!

I guess thats one of the issues with being new with the cad/cam. I'm just not sure how much of the program needs edited at the controller, and I'm always willing to avoid a crash if possible.

As I become more familliar with the CAD and the CAM side of the program, I am amazed at how quick you really can manuver through the software.

Kevin