[SCzEngrgGroup]

I would be interested to know how the carrousel and changer get coordinated as to the mounts. Since the tool change occurs at Z=0 in machine coords, I see two possibilities. Either you ref the z axis at startup using the limit switch, or else there is some manual process where you jog the head up to align the arm with the carrousel before zeroing Z.

The machine should always be homed on power-up. Toolchanges will simply return to home position using G53 G0 Z0.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

Lee,

The entire toolchange operation is pretty much hard-coded into the POST. So, you need to modify the post the change the TCP.

Regards,
Ray L.

Thanks, Ray.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Lee,

What I did in my POST is added the ability to specify the TCP in the Job Notes field, so it doesn't have to be hard-wired to the same value for all jobs.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

The ATC is finally mounted on the Pro (for a short time....). Due to all the changes recently, the transfer arm bracket no longer lines things up correctly height-wise, so I need to modify or re-make them before it will be functional. But, other than the height mis-alignment, everything looks great. I think I'll be able to cut up and modify the existing bracket to get it to work well enough for now.

Sorry for the really poor quality of the pictures - new cell phone....

Attachment 258448

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

It's interesting how, when working on a project like this, you get tunnel visions, and get used to thinking about things in a certain way. This sometimes keeps you from seeing a clearly better approach....

I was just about to start cutting up the transfer arm drive bracket, when it suddenly occurred to me there is a better approach. By simply lengthening the two linear guide rods, and the leadscrew/leadnut, I can increase the travel of the transfer arm lift. This will enable it to reach down lower, to get the fork into proper vertical alignment with the spindle using the existing brackets.

This also solves another problem: One aspect of the ATC installation that I've never liked was the requirement that the bottom of the carousel tool receivers be precisely aligned to exactly the same height as the bottom the spindle nose, so the transfer arm fork would align correctly with both. But, by enlarging the travel on the transfer arm lift, I can eliminate this requirement, and allow the carousel to be installed at only roughly the same height as the spindle nose. Instead, the carousel can now be installed "eyeball" close, then fine-adjusted in the firmware by jogging the lift up or down until proper alignment is achieved. The firmware will then remember that offset. This will be MUCH easier than having to physically move the large, heavy carousel to a precise height.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

Looking good, Ray. Who is going to be making the covers for you?

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Looking good, Ray. Who is going to be making the covers for you?

Lee,

Covers???

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

Right. They don't all have covers of course, but I think it might help keep the chips out of unwanted areas. Even Tormach has covers. You have a lot of exposed parts on there.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Right. They don't all have covers of course, but I think it might help keep the chips out of unwanted areas. Even Tormach has covers. You have a lot of exposed parts on there.

Lee,

There will be a "skirt" around the carousel, and sheet-metal housings to cover all the electrical bits. It will all be well protected from chips and coolant.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

Ah yes. Skirts. I try to stay away from that word on Forums.
I mentioned a long time ago that I had made a rubber skirt that worked really well. I was talking about for dust collection on my table saw, but I got ribbed about that for a long time.

[mountaindew]

What a cool tool changer!

I think a hf winch will help you lift and place that on your machine. If the tool changer breaks down a lot it might come in handy and be a real back saver!
Attachment 258670

I must say what a quality tool this is and how im hoping to get a sponsor and a coupon by giving you this idea!
md

[SCzEngrgGroup]

More progress! Despite having my lathe fail on me TWICE (one of the compound bolt holes stripped, and some of the AC wiring had a melt-down, literally, due to several loose screw terminal connections), I got all the parts made to extend the lift travel, and that's all working nicely now. I've got the ATC mounted back on the machine, all aligned, and ready to start bringing it up for real. It sequences manually through all the operations, so all is working as it should. But the hardware changes, as usual, necessitate firmware changes, which will take me several hours to get done. I also have to make a new sensor PCB for the lift, since the sensor positions changed with the longer travels. With a little luck, I could have it running the first full-auto cycles sometime tomorrow!

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I've got the ATC soooooo close to working, I can practically taste it.... I've had a few set-backs. I got clumsy, and broke one of my home-made encoders, by breaking the ring magnet. I replaced it, but the encoder worked really badly. I discovered the 8-pole magnet actually had only 7 poles! Swapped in another one, and it works perfectly again. Had to make two new PCBs for the lift limit sensors, but in the process of milling the smaller of the two, I got stupid, and ran my engraving tool into the vise. Ouch!! Today was spent mostly on firmware, and it's now right on the verge of working, including the software-adjustable height for the arm/carousel interface. This is really a necessity, as getting the heights mechanically adjusted perfectly is a major PITA! I also expect to have to make a new transfer arm fork to get it really working 100%, as the current one does not have quite enough spring closing force. But, at least it's now down to small, fine-tuning adjustments!

Regards,
Ray L.

[G59]

and ran my engraving tool into the vise. Ouch!!

And that's what working on a Sunday get's you. Or so my uncle always told me.LOL
But seriously, many people are waiting to see this ATC made available for purchase soon.

I know I am.

[kvom]

I've been wondering about the arm/carrousel alignment, since it was clearly going to be hard to install them perfectly. Seems that the mount to the column needs to be made so that the carrousel is set perfectly horizontal.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I've been wondering about the arm/carrousel alignment, since it was clearly going to be hard to install them perfectly. Seems that the mount to the column needs to be made so that the carrousel is set perfectly horizontal.

Both the carousel and transfer arm need to be mounted very nearly level. That is true of pretty much any ATC. Getting them level is not terribly difficult. Getting them level at a specific height is much more difficult. Do-able, but difficult, and tedious. The carousel is particularly difficult, due to the not-inconsiderable size and weight of the whole assembly. Being able to set them close, then "tweaking" the final height in software makes the whole process much easier. In the production versions, heights will have to be set to within 1/8", and software will bring it in from there. Then the transfer arm length, fork angle, and carousel orientation need to be set, though those adjustments are quite easy, once the carousel and transfer arm are properly mounted.

BTW - This would all be FAR less critical for "real" toolholders, like CAT/ISO. TTS is extremely unforgiving on alignment, as the ATC groove is so narrow and shallow, and the taper on the shank is so short on many of them. A mis-alignment of as little as 0.05" is enough to make it not work. This has been about the biggest headache in this whole project. Had I been able to use, for example, 30-taper, I would've been done with this long ago.

Regards,
Ray L.

[kvom]

Is modifying TTS shanks to make the taper longer something that would help?

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Is modifying TTS shanks to make the taper longer something that would help?

It would help, but it's not possible on many of them, due to the through-hole.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

It's alive! Spent the last hour happily swapping tools! I need to remove the carousel, and do a little remedial machining. Several of the tool receiver pockets are just a hair too small, and cause too much drag on the TTS shank as the tool is being inserted. I also need to widen the taper on the entry, to make it more forgiving of alignment. Doesn't help that a number of the knock-off Chinese TTS holders I have are poorly made - they have a very large center bore, leaving almost no taper at all. If the alignment isn't almost perfect, they just won't go in smoothly. I hope the changes to the receivers will get them working, despite their far less than ideal tapers.

Once I get the receivers modified, I'll put up a new video.

Regards,
Ray L.

[Titaniumboy]

Congratulations Ray! I know you've been working hard on this for awhile.

Looking forward to the new video.

Any chance that this could be modified to work on the Torus?