Tool offsets

[Clemmie]

I need some help on the procedure of setting the offsets. I have followed the book but comimng up off the part. I need step instructions sense I am missing something. Some help would be appriciated sens I am new to this machine.

[BMackinnon]

What machine is it ?

[GaryCorlew]

Is this a mill or lathe are you refering to the tool length offsets?

[Clemmie]

VF3 vertical mill

[GaryCorlew]

Assuming your talking about tool length offsets, for just drilling & milling holes bring the tool down till it either touches or very close to touching the part, hit the offsets button. If the highlight bar is not on the tool your setting up then arrow up or down to get to it, this is very important the highlight bar needs to be on the numbers part(ex 12.0314) this will be at the left most part of the screen once it is there and you have the tool height where you want it hit the tooloffsetmeasure button. Is that what you wanted to know?

[GaryCorlew]

also your z numbers will be in the negitive (in your program you are running) to do any maching on the part

[Clemmie]

I am setting the tools to a measured block on the table from the carosel. Than what I need to know is how to setup the g54 of the part offsets. I know to use part zero for the x and y but the z of part zero is not working out. I also need to check the program for the negative #. I am using master cam for programing. THis is a simple setup but driving me nuts!

[HuFlungDung]

So you have your tools all set to the reference block. Now, with the last tool still touching the reference block, go to your position/operator screen. If the Z axis was the last axis active, it will be flashing on this screen. So press 'Origin' to zero the Z axis display. Now, you can jog over to the part and touch off of it. The Z axis display will now measure the distance you have moved, from the reference height. Enter this value into your Z G54 offset. Observe the sign of the value.

[qualitytool]

i bet he is not useing G43 h (tool number)

[BMackinnon]

Originally Posted by Clemmie . I am using master cam for programing.

I doubt that G43 is the problem

[cnc-king]

the way you are setting your tools makes your G54 or G154 Z value an incremental value from your reference block the post in master cam will do what you assign it to do.
your Z move to top of part should read

G90G43Z#H#

[Shotout]

Just curious but why enter the work coor Z at all? What I was taught, hand coding and using mastercam was to do the following:
*Set the top of your stock to Z0.0 (default in mastercam parameters)
*After posting the program set up your work, insert your tool(s), touch off on the top of the stock, go to Offset, cursor/page down to the Geometery Length by tool # press the Tool Length Measure button, cursor over to length wear, enter a negitive value matching the mic'ed value of the shim. *Repeat for all tools used in the program.

Why wouldnt this work for your application? As a recent graduate I still am learning the capabilities of the machines I am programming and running but shouldn't this work? If not let me know before I find out the hard way if not .
Scott