[jbaz]

I've made the leap from Mach3 to a Fanuc 0M control and I have the manual but the Fanuc and VMC manual is terrible IMO for describing various procedures/ops, it makes a lot of assumptions on experience.

In Mach3, unless I was doing something that required precise location using an edgefinder, I would just jog the axis's to put the center of the endmill above the "part origin/datum" and press the home buttons on each axis. This would zero out my work coordinates and be the 0,0,0 point my program started from.

What's the equivalent "work/part zero" procedure on Fanuc? When I start the machine I flip the "return to zero" switch and press the "+" button and zero out each axis, but that is just taking it to machine zero. When it is time to cut a part and want to create "part zero" and I jog the endmill to what I want to be "0,0,0" what do I do to set that? Is there a button I'm overlooking or do I have to key in a command for it?

Thanks

[jbaz]

Maybe I should clarify... I understand the control has work offsets, which basically creates the work coordinate system. I know I can manually enter the machine coordinates to G54. What I am wondering is there an easier way, where I can just put the tool at 0,0,0 and key something in that will zero everything to that datum?

Also, when I setup a program to drip feed I presume I set the datum/origin to G54 and then preface my drip feed code with G54?

[underthetire]

Not the correct way really, but you can MDI a G92X0Y0Z0. I'll use that once in a while for setting up the ballbar.

sent from me

[jbaz]

See that's where I get confused... I keep reading to avoid using G92 to set the work origin. So if that isn't the right way, what is the right way? I don't have the "measure" softkey like I've seen mentioned in other posts, so do I have to write down the machine coordinates, convert them to inch (my machine coords are in metric, everything else inch), then enter them in one of G54-G59?

If so that would be a nightmare to do that every cycle because I use a vise and not precise fixtures where I can just load in new stock and reuse the same offset.

[duivenhok]

maybe you could use "work shift" to calculate your piece zero
put z0 in G54
mdi G54 T0101 G0 U-1W-1
scratch face of workpiese in jog and stay here
[OFFSET], keep pressing soft key right [>] , [WORK SHIFT] move with cursor to INPUT Z type 0 (or 1 if you want to face of 1 mm of the piece)[input].
this places you G54 zero point on the face of the piece.
be carefull G55 etc. are shifted the same amound as G54 is shifted

[dcoupar]

maybe you could use "work shift" to calculate your piece zero
put z0 in G54
mdi G54 T0101 G0 U-1W-1
scratch face of workpiese in jog and stay here
[OFFSET], keep pressing soft key right [>] , [WORK SHIFT] move with cursor to INPUT Z type 0 (or 1 if you want to face of 1 mm of the piece)[input].
this places you G54 zero point on the face of the piece.
be carefull G55 etc. are shifted the same amound as G54 is shifted

Since he's stated he's got a 0M, I doubt that he has Work Shift.

[dcoupar]

In thinking back to my 0M days, I seem to remember moving to the 0 point and typing MX0 INPUT and MY0 INPUT (Measure X0, Measure Y0).

But it was a long time ago and I'm old... I could be way off base.