Tool Life Management, recording tool runtime in tooltable, feature request

**ScorpionTDL** · 01-08-2021, 05:06 AM

Hello Planet CNC Team,

I'm currently looking into a way to record the runtime of my tools to get a better understanding about the tool life.
With some extensions to the M3, M4 and M5 scripts it was quiet easy to calculate the spindle on time for the current tool.
Now I'm seeking a way to store this runtime and to accumulate it with previous runtimes.
The Tooltable offers Custom Parameters that seem to be perfect for this task. Unfortunately they are read only.
Would it be possible to implement an enhancement to make those custom parameters writable?

Best Regards,
Klaus

Similar Threads:

**Algirdas** · 01-08-2021, 05:09 AM

what is your control system once again?

**ScorpionTDL** · 01-08-2021, 05:11 AM

I'm using Planet CNC TNG Version 2020.11.24 with a CNC USB controller Mk3 (9 axis)

**ScorpionTDL** · 02-26-2021, 03:36 PM

Big Thanks to PlanetCNC for making the custom Variables of the Tool Table writable. This enabled me to implement a basic tool life recording.

The attached M3, M4 and M5 scripts will record the spindle runtime of a tool into custom variable 1 in the tool table.
M3 and M4 records the timestamp of the spindle start time into a global variable.
M5 calculates the runtime in minutes since the last M3/4 command and adds the result to the value of custom variable 1 in the tool table.

If the spindle is not Stop with M5 (E-Stop for example) the runtime will not be recorded. If the Buttons in the GUI should record the runtime the setting
Settings/User Interface/Command/Spindle Command
must be Set to "Use M-Code"
Keep in mind that this setting will prevent you from turning the spindle on or off while a Programm is running!!!

Best Regards,
Klaus