[JohnToner]

Since ESS is unable to deliver their Tormach to Mach4 system, and after viewing Tormack's PP videos, I'm going all in for PP. I believe its benefits far outweigh its issues and growing pains. Below I've posted a few lines of code for a program I run under Tormach's M3 without problem. PathPilot executes the program and does what it should but with one issue. It doesn't pause after the M6 command so I can make a tool change. It must be that Tormach's M3 is more tolerant of sloppy code than is PP. FWIW, an excerpt of the code is listed below. Try not to laugh too hard. My cad program is a napkin and a pencil. My cam program is called "Notepad".


O1000 TWO PASSES C&B POCKETS
(********************************************)
(First Pass Pocket "C" 1.249 DOC)
(********************************************)
N10 G17 G20 G40 G49 G50 G80 G90 G94 G64 (SAFETY BLOCK)
(************* #16 Third Tool Long 5/16" HSS EM *************)
N12 M6 T6 (5/16" Long HSS End Mill)
N14 G56
N15 G00 X-3.365 Y0.000 Z6.000
N16 G43 H6 Z1.0000
N18 G00 M3 S4300
(*************MILL To 1.249" **************)
N30 g41 d6
N33 G0 X-3.3650 Y0.250
N34 M8
n36 f8.36
(**************** Begin Pocket "C" DOC 1.249" **************)

N100 g1 X-5.6073 y0.250 Z-0.100
N105 G3 X-5.826 Y0.0313 R0.2187
N110 G1 Y-0.0307
N115 G3 X-5.6073 Y-0.188 R0.2187
N120 G1 X-3.3650 Z-0.200
N125 G1 Y0.250

N200 g1 X-5.6073 y0.250 Z-0.300
N205 G3 X-5.826 Y0.0313 R0.2187
N210 G1 Y-0.0307
N215 G3 X-5.6073 Y-0.188 R0.2187
N220 G1 X-3.3650 Z-0.400
N225 G1 Y0.250


N300 g1 X-5.6073 y0.250 Z-0.500
N305 G3 X-5.826 Y0.0313 R0.2187
N310 G1 Y-0.0307
N315 G3 X-5.6073 Y-0.188 R0.2187
N320 G1 X-3.3650 Z-0.600
N325 G1 Y0.250

Etc,

L'shanah tova

[tmarks11]

try "m06" instead of "m6"?

I wouldn't think that would matter (the linuxcnc wiki uses m6 instead of m06 in their reference), but I know "m06" works for me on PP, and I have never tried "m6".

[Philbobb]

Did you tell PP tool 6 was loaded before starting the program? Unlike Mach which would pause even if the correct tool was loaded, PP will go to tool change position then continue without pause if the correct tool is already loaded.

[jttoner]

try "m06" instead of "m6"?

I wouldn't think that would matter (the linuxcnc wiki uses m6 instead of m06 in their reference), but I know "m06" works for me on PP, and I have never tried "m6".

Tim,

That might do he trick, I'll try it tomorrow.


Phil,

I don't see in the code where I might have previously loaded the tool but I'll double check.

Thanks guys.

[tmarks11]

Did you tell PP tool 6 was loaded before starting the program?.

that has my vote!

[byellin]

Happy New Year, John.

[Philbobb]

Tim,

That might do he trick, I'll try it tomorrow.


Phil,

I don't see in the code where I might have previously loaded the tool but I'll double check.

Thanks guys.

Not in the code, but on the screen. After I find zero for my part with the probe, tool 99, I load the first tool. I tell PP, bottom right of the screen, that I have say tool 6 loaded. When I run the code it sees tool 6 is already in, and doesn't pause for change. Mach didn't care, it paused for a change anyway.

[popspipes]

John,
PathPilot has a few rough edges yet, but in time I think those will be taken care of. The beauty part of it for me is that it doesnt make uncalled for moves! That used to irritate me no end with Mach 3, I never knew when it was going to do something uncalled for, so I usually just stood there and watched the part run listening for any noises that werent normal, real pain in the backside.............

[bhurts]

Since I am only familiar with using m6 and a tool call with a atc maybe I'm off base but what's the advantage of not just using M0?

Ben

[JohnToner]

Happy New Year, John.

Thank you, and to you as well.

[JohnToner]

Since I am only familiar with using m6 and a tool call with a atc maybe I'm off base but what's the advantage of not just using M0?

Ben

It's been a while, but my recollection is that Fanuc controlled systems required both digits, like "G00". That may not be true, I really don't know for certain.

[bhurts]

I have always used M00 in all the machines I have used. I only suggested it as M0 because before posting I checked the tormach site to see what codes they supported. I was just wondering why it would make more since to stop on m6 instead of the traditional M00.

Ben

[LeeWay]

Why is there no offset value? Are you not using the tool table?
Should be an H6 in there somewhere, right? Unless you are zeroing each tool each time.

[Philbobb]

Why is there no offset value? Are you not using the tool table?
Should be an H6 in there somewhere, right? Unless you are zeroing each tool each time.

There is, line N16

[LeeWay]

Ahh. Okay. Mach 3 likes to see that on the same line.

[JohnToner]

Why is there no offset value? Are you not using the tool table?
Should be an H6 in there somewhere, right? Unless you are zeroing each tool each time.

It's in line N16, and yes, I do use the tool table and I only posted a small excerpt of the code as foundation for my question. Actually there are 4 tool changes in all.

The job runs without issue and has for a year and a half. It also runs in PathPilot, but Pilot ignores the M6 T6 command.. I believe "M6 T6" is just sloppy code Tormach's M3 happily executed. Today I'll try "M06 T6"

[JohnToner]

More sloppy code on my part, I'm going to have to clean up my act.

[phoneman]

John
the syntax you want for a tool change with tool length off set is. N12 T6 G43 H6 M6

Dave

[jttoner]

More sloppy code on my part, I'm going to have to clean up my act.

Sometimes the simple answers are the best. So I converted all my M commands to the 2 digit format also not allowing two Monday commands on the same line. I reran the job and sure enough this time it was still NG. So I had the PP wizard create something. Then I ran the code the Wizard generated and same thing. It still ignores the M05 command. My next step will be to do the 1.9.2 version when I get home. Tomorrow when I'm back in the shop I'll do the update and see how it goes.

[shred]

The LinuxCNC docs say that an M6 to the same tool # "isn't useful", so might be ignored if it thinks that tool is already in the spindle. Are you manually calling up that tool number before running the program?