[ucdwino]

Hey guys,

Firstly, thanks to everyone for the help. I learned a lot about this reading some of the other posts about Z-height compensation, but I have one remaining problem that I cannot seem to solve.

I am setting my work offset by zeroing with the TTS LED toolsetter as tool #1. I have measured all of my tool lengths using the height gauge and granite block and entered them directly into my tool table as is shown in the tormach videos on the subject.

After setting zero using T1, I call another tool in my program, it asks for the tool, I change it, and after I hit cycle start, the machine starts moving slowly upward. Sometimes it stops, sometimes it doesnt until it hits the limit switch.

I cant figure out why it is doing this.

Here is the first few lines of my G-Code

N10 G20
N20 G90 G80 G40 G54 G20 G17 G50 G94 G64
N30 (Spot Drilling)
N40 G28 M05 M09
N50 T3 M6 G43 H3
N60 S1000 M03
N70 G00 Z0.2250
N80 X0.2500 Y-0.2500
N90 G82 X0.2500 Y-0.2500 Z-0.2972 R0.075 F6.0 P0.3371
N100G80
N110 G00 Z0.2250
N120 G82 X0.2500 Y-1.7500 Z-0.2972 R0.075 F6.0 P0.3371
N130G80

Can anyone help guess what is happening here? I'm figuring there is a mode that I dont have toggled.. or..

All of my setup code etc has come from others on this forum. I dont actually know what I am doing here. I just configured my post (im using visualmill) to spit out what others have shown their code to have.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[DSIF]

Your problem is on N50. Tool change and height offset on the same line of code. Try this...
T3M6
G90G54G0X.250Y-.250
G43H3Z.5
You always want to have a G90 after your tool change in case the macro does not return you to absolute mode.
Also,G80 after every hole is not needed. G82 is a CANNED cycle. Only use G80 after the last hole for that tool. Hope this helps you out. Some posts are flaky and you have to edit.
Dan

[JCVineyard]

I am just guessing , you must have a positive # in the tool offset. try a - before the offset amount. or change the call out from a G43 to a G45 if you have that option. It changes the offset callout from + to -. I hope this helps. Also alot of the g codes you have in N20 are modal and once called up in a program don't need to be called again untill you cange them. And need to change them back.

[ucdwino]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I edited my post to put the g43 after the M6 on a different line, but I am still having the same problem with the wierd 1 ipm vertical move.

Since I am getting this while the line with the M6 is highlighted, and before the g43 is ever called, I am suspecting that the M6 Macro itself might be corrupted (?)

Any thoughts?

[ucdwino]

update: Now I'm more sure it is the M6 macro. I tried zeroing out the length of the tool in question in the tool table, and it runs just fine (albeit without the tool offset)

I'm pretty sure that the tool table is all set up right because I can put a tool in the machine, select the tool in the DRO, see the offset applied, and then rapid down to Z0.0 and have the tool right at the work surface.

From reading more about the macros, I saw in one place that somone said take everything out of the M6end macro. I am assuming that since this is happening after I hit the cycle start button again after the tool change, that it is the end macro that is running when I am having this problem.

Any thoughts?

[DSIF]

It may not be the m6 macro. You are using a pre-setter and entering positive tool offsets,right? If that is the case,you must have a negative value in G54's Z that is the difference between the measured tool height and distance to the part.
IMO, a very dangerous practice prone to crash. It's only needed when common tools are used in 2 or more set-ups at the same time. I prefer to use negative Z- height offsets using a piece of .001 shim stock or a 1-2-3 block. Safe and very accurate.
Dan

[JCVineyard]

I think I see the problem
try this
N50 T3 M6
N60 S1000 M03
N70 G00 X0.2500 Y-.2500
N80 G00 G43 Z.225 H3

I think you need to call the H03 in your Z aproach line.
I always like to position the c drill over the first hole in X and Y before the z movement.

[JCVineyard]

After thinking about it
I would change
N80 G00 G43 Z2.000 H3 (THIS GIVES YOU A BIT OF A SAFETY NET)
N90 Z.225 ( TO MOVE TO YOUR START POINT) (OF COURSE I WOULD BE IN SINGLE BLOCK, ON THE APPROACH)

[ucdwino]

This move in question happens while the machine is still on the M6 line. Now that I have the G43 H3 on a different line, it's happening before the tool offset is even called. (I'm assuming here that the highlighted line of code is always the one the machine is executing and that it does not read ahead) - I'm a newb here so correct me please if I'm wrong.

I have found threads of others asking about this, but none have delivered a solution. I'm thinking of reinstalling the control software. It might not be the most recent version and if something is corrupted that might fix it...

[JCVineyard]

the g28 might be putting the machine in incramental mode. (g91) you might try adding a g90 after the tool change. I think with the g28 active it might be reading the tool offset and with no g00 or g01. it wants to move the distance in the offset, from the tool change position. Just a thought.