Setting tool Z manually?

[mafitch7479]

If I set a tool on our VM1 manually, by going into tool settings and touching off on a part or something similar, then probing a part, shouldn't it be able to carry that setting for Z zero over to a program that's probed off a different zero?

For example, if I've got a fly cutter that I touch off on a block that's 0.470" above my fixture plate, and run it at that z-zero to face off a part (which was probed off the same block, so the machines' Z-zero is set at that same 0.470). Then, later on that same part, I probe the part at 0.430" above, and try to run the fly cutter at that new z-zero, but it runs at 0.470 instead. What am I doing wrong?

[xray34]

If I set a tool on our VM1 manually, by going into tool settings and touching off on a part or something similar, then probing a part, shouldn't it be able to carry that setting for Z zero over to a program that's probed off a different zero?

For example, if I've got a fly cutter that I touch off on a block that's 0.470" above my fixture plate, and run it at that z-zero to face off a part (which was probed off the same block, so the machines' Z-zero is set at that same 0.470). Then, later on that same part, I probe the part at 0.430" above, and try to run the fly cutter at that new z-zero, but it runs at 0.470 instead. What am I doing wrong?

If all your tools are Zeroed to a known datum (ie: machine bed)
then when you set your fixture plate as your Z zero using a calibrated tool
and store that position.
Any z positive values (ie: 0.430") you machine at will be exactly as you enter on the control.
ALL tools will see the set Z zero as just that.

setting each part as a seperate Z zero seems a little unnecessary..
and leave a possibility of errors and mistakes.

You need to get into the habit of zeroing every tool you use to the same known datum and this will help you
with everything else.

[mafitch7479]

If all your tools are Zeroed to a known datum (ie: machine bed)
then when you set your fixture plate as your Z zero using a calibrated tool
and store that position.
Any z positive values (ie: 0.430") you machine at will be exactly as you enter on the control.
ALL tools will see the set Z zero as just that.

setting each part as a seperate Z zero seems a little unnecessary..
and leave a possibility of errors and mistakes.

You need to get into the habit of zeroing every tool you use to the same known datum and this will help you
with everything else.

We do calibrate every tool using the tool length probe that's on the machine, but there isn't room for the fly cutter to reach that probe. That's the only reason we do that one manually and touch the edge of the teeth off on a block at a known height.

And since we use this fly cutter twice on the same part, at different z-zeroes depending on where we are in the program, it causes an issue with still running at the .470 zero when we want it to run at the .430 zero. I know I could program around it and have it run at specific heights above the fixture plate, but that's not quite how I want to do it.

[xray34]

We do calibrate every tool using the tool length probe that's on the machine, but there isn't room for the fly cutter to reach that probe. That's the only reason we do that one manually and touch the edge of the teeth off on a block at a known height.

And since we use this fly cutter twice on the same part, at different z-zeroes depending on where we are in the program, it causes an issue with still running at the .470 zero when we want it to run at the .430 zero. I know I could program around it and have it run at specific heights above the fixture plate, but that's not quite how I want to do it.

I can only suggest that you touch off the fly cutter using a slip gauge or something else of a known height under the tool probe.
or alternatively set the height of that tool sa=tation with a tool that will reach the probe and swap it for the fly cutter and enter the difference of lengths as your z offset.??

what do you think?

[mafitch7479]

I can only suggest that you touch off the fly cutter using a slip gauge or something else of a known height under the tool probe.
or alternatively set the height of that tool sa=tation with a tool that will reach the probe and swap it for the fly cutter and enter the difference of lengths as your z offset.??

what do you think?

probably not a bad idea. I'll have to give it a shot. Thanks for the tip

[xray34]

No problem, glad to contribute topthis wonderful forum..
It has given me so much help so far and continues to daily...

Enjoy :-)

[Shane123]

the problem i see is why you cant touch off your fly cutter on the probe....... i know on our vmx42 we can set it for oriented spindle or manual spindle, etc. is something blocking your path with the fly cutter in the spindle?

[mafitch7479]

the problem i see is why you cant touch off your fly cutter on the probe....... i know on our vmx42 we can set it for oriented spindle or manual spindle, etc. is something blocking your path with the fly cutter in the spindle?

well it wouldn't surprise me if there's an option to offset the x or y direction by a set distance to touch off on the tooth instead of the center of the tool, but I haven't run it enough to try that, and our full time machinist doesn't know if it's there or not.

[Shane123]

go into the tool settings area, then towards the bottom, there should be a button on the right of the screen that says more. click that and you should see tool probing. click that and you will then see rapid z options, total z travel, as well as x & y offsets, as well as spindle orientation options. once you see this, you will slap yourself for not investigating the options more, because its right there... lol. enjoy.

[mafitch7479]

go into the tool settings area, then towards the bottom, there should be a button on the right of the screen that says more. click that and you should see tool probing. click that and you will then see rapid z options, total z travel, as well as x & y offsets, as well as spindle orientation options. once you see this, you will slap yourself for not investigating the options more, because its right there... lol. enjoy.

awesome, that's exactly what I was looking for. Worked perfect for me. Now I'll have to show it to our retired machinist, who I've been trying to get to try new process every once in awhile.

[Shane123]

no problem buddy.