[Frank.H]

Hi everyone,
I have a question regarding tool length offsets, and changing them globally on my Centurion 5.

I have a 12 tool changer, my standard operating procedure would be to load my tools, touch off the top of the part, hit the "Z-tool" button in handwheel mode and get on with making parts. Great right? The machine runs, I don't crash, everyone is happy.

Here's my question: as an example when I switch from operation 1 which is in a vise to operation 2, which has the part mounted directly on the table, I have to re-offset all 12 tools. What a pain in the ass. Is there a way to re-offset ALL tools at the same time? For example, how do I load tool 1, re-offset tool 1, and have all the rest of the tools follow the change in offset? Ideally I'd load a dial indicator as tool 13, and I'd always Z-tool #13 at a given reading and have the 12 tools in the changer follow.

I've tried using work offsets to shift everything, but they seem to only work in XY as far as I can tell, I can't do a G54Z0, I can only do G54X0 or Y0. I can also set one tool, and then type in the offset change on the tool length page, but there's no way I can manually type in 12 tool offsets without making a small mistake that will crash my brand new spindle.

Am I missing something?
Thanks!

[moldcore]

Frank,
Do a search of this forum. I think it’s been covered a number of times. Sorry I can’t help, we only did one set up at a time and all programs were done with a CAM system. I’m thinking that my old Centurion V couldn’t do work offsets but could be wrong as usual. If it were me I would just set all my tools to one height above the table and compensate for the work piece zero in the program.

[ZZZZ]

You are on the right track. Go to Parms-Coord, arrow down to the work coordinate you are using. Edit the Z offset value with the difference between Z zero on the setting surface and Z zero on the second vise. Just handwheel down to that surface and read the difference on the display. Because this is another offset that gets added or subtracted from the tool length offsets, all the tools will move up or down accordingly.

The most important thing to remember about this process is that the Z offset values don't go away until you change them, so make sure you re-zero the Z values when you are done with the set-up.

[Frank.H]

ZZZZ, that did it! Thanks for the help, I'm sure this will save me a few days over my lifetime.

[sportybob]

There are "pluses' to do a job this way. if you use a "touch off block" that it "below" the top of the part. if you make a mistake it will for example drill up, not down. because the "value" of the position between the "touch off" and the "part zero" is positive. this works well for running the same part a lot of times. ( you can "preset" tools to the same length and interchange different tools)
This method is used is a lot of countries. You must measure/ know the difference between the touch off and the "part Z zero" onese twoses kind of a pain. but considering the cost of material today, one scrap part could be a "make or break" point. Then there is the "safety" aspect. all in all this is a pretty good thing to do.

Sportybob