Excitech 1325C ATC problem

[pjbcnc]

I have problems with our new 1325C. The first day I was trying it out it would change tools no problem using the MDI command T2 but once I played around with the Tool Tip Measure page trying to measure a tool length it didn't seem to work any more. Sometimes it tells me the z-axis limit is reached. Now the manual says that parameter 2801 determines the z height the head retracts to at the start of the tool change and sure enough, if I change this to zero and give the T2 command it moves up to the top of Z axis and up to the correct Y axis position for the start of the tool change but stops there, no change in X. Sometimes we also get another error at this point: 86 Clip Knife Failure.

I have set the tool holder positions as described in the manual and I'm pretty sure they're right.

This is all very confusing. I think if I could understand this Tool tip measure page it would help a lot, but the manual isn't very clear. If I latch the XY coordinates on this page that seems to set the position of the sensor I want to measure tools at. There seems to be some connection between this page and the ATC but I can't figure out what. Seems to me that the position of G54, tool length and the position of the tool sensor all have nothing to do with putting a tool away, but..?

Can anyone help?

[pjbcnc]

I think I have overcome most of these problems now. The Knife error was the culprit. There is a small sensor cable-tied (!) to the outside which had slipped to the wrong position- needed to be at the bottom of the piston assembly. Tool change is now working except that the dust hood moves down for tool change instead of up and hits the turret rack. Working on this one now..