How to Pause G-Code Program, Manual Tool Change and ReZero, and Resume

[slykly1]

I was just put in charge of our Smithy 622 at work since our machinist left.

We are using BobCam V2 for Solidworks and it does a beautiful job.

The only problem I am having is when it comes time to do a tool change. The mill just skips over M6 and continues on. The Smithy site states that M6 is for machines with auto tool changers and will not recognize it.

So BobCam said they would rewrite the EMC2 post processor for me if I give them the code I want. So after playing around I have run into a small snag.
When tool change time comes I have manually put in the codes G28 and M00 to move the spindle to the machines home/tool change point and pause. After I changed the tool out I needed to Rezero the Z axis but the manual tab in EZ-Troll was grayed out because the program was paused.

Anybody know how to pause Ez-Trol in the middle of the program and be able to manually Re-Zero the Z Axis and then resume?

[chester88]

This is a common question on the EMC maillist.
The short answer is you cannot jog the axis while paused.

I am not familiar with Smithy machines but if the have a way to accept a probe input
you may be able to write G code that probes the tool after a tool change.
A simple toggle switch could work depending on the accuracy you need.

[jeff 888]

What I have done as a work around for this problem is when I post the G-Code I post each tool as its own program and just switch programs when I switch tools. It is a pain but it has works for me for 3+ years now.