Tool Life Management

[pp-TG]

Hey All,

Just wondering if anyone had a good example program or way to explain how to use tool life management on a funuc contorol (18).

Thanks, Travis

[dcoupar]

Here's a sample program using TLM. It's from a 31iM, but it should be close. I first went to OFFSET/SETTING and > until TOOL-LF. Here you can assign individual tools to groups, enter initial life, and select the type of life you want to use: minutes or cycles, and specify H and D numbers to use with each tool in the group.

I have assigned T119 and T120 to Group 119. I've also set the life to 3 minutes. The COUNT value shows "life used". When COUNT value reaches LIFE value, the tool life is used up.

In the program, you call for the Group Number, not the Tool Number, in this case T1119 M6 calls for a tool from the 119 group.

The G43 Z5. H99 calls for the H number defined in the Group, and in this case, if it's using T119, it will use H119, and if it's using T120, it will use H120.

There's also a way using G10 to assign life from a program. I'm not that far along yet.

[sinha_nsit]

What is the significance of 99 in G43 Z5. H99 ? Do we always use 99 for this purpose?

Similarly, I believe, a 4-digit T-code calls a tool from the specified group. What is the significance of the first digit from the left? Is it always kept 1 ?

What is the procedure on a lathe, where the T-code is a 4-digit number?

[dcoupar]

Yes, always use 99 for both D and H. H99 and D99 may contain values for T99 if you have that many tools.

Any T number over 1000 will call a group instead of a tool.

On a lathe, T0199 activates the offset for the tool in group 1 and T0188 cancels the offset. T0101, etc. also work for normal operation.

The only thing I haven't found is how to use 2 offsets on a tool within a group.

[pp-TG]

Thanks dcoupar,

My TLM screen looks quiet a bit different then yours but i am sure things are similar. How do you enter the information into the TLM screen. the only thing i can do is clear them in the TLM screen do i have to be in MDI or is there a way to get the tools in the groups while in that screen? I would rather put them in while in the TLM and not with the program.

Thanks, Travis