PP remembers the current tool when a new gcode program is loaded. It definitely stops for a tool change if required There is no stop if it knows that the right tool is loaded.
After 7 years of running Mach3 on my Novakon NM200 mill, I've undertaken a conversion. Other than getting the spindle speed correct, it's about done.
Today I loaded a gcode program that I previously ran successfully on Mach3 and ran it under PP without the spindle running. It all looked good Except PP did not stop at the first M6 command. I'm wondering if PP assumes that the first tool is loaded when the program starts. Settings specified manual tool change.
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PP remembers the current tool when a new gcode program is loaded. It definitely stops for a tool change if required There is no stop if it knows that the right tool is loaded.
That makes sense. Since I don't have an ATC, I typically just number the tools for a job starting at 1. If the previous file just had one tool, PP will start with T1, hence no stopping.
It's not a big deal anyway since obviously I'd have the correct tool mounted before starting the program, but I was surprised after years of seeing execution stop at the first M6.
If you want or need it to stop, just insert an M0 before the M6.
Then make sure it is check marked. This will pause the program at any point that you wish and wait for manual input to start again. Pretty useful sometimes.
Lee
When I try this I am unable to jog while stopped waiting at either the M0 or M6. Is there a way to enable jogging while stopped within a program?
Pausing the program, it does just that, the axes will not move.
I think tool changes are the same.
The only way I can set a different offset or tool is to stop the program, insert the new tool and offset and restart the program either from the beginning or use the find txx and restart the program from there.
mike sr
I don't know of a way to jog when paused or waiting for a tool change. The head will automatically go to the tool change position. Why do you need to jog?
I haven't tried it, but I wonder if you can input any MDI commands under a pause?
Lee
The issue with performing a new zero setting on tool change has been discussed here in several posts. Basically PP is different from MACH and requires use of the tool table for tool changes within a program. A work around is to create a separate program for each tool or mess around. There are other messy options which you can find with a search. PP is a great improvement, but the lack of this feature also frustrates me at times.
Robert