Leo Voisine
Member
- Messages
- 6,011
- Location
- East Freeetown, Massachusetts
Getting back online with my CNC machine.
Still working out some details.
It IS possible to save all programs from Vectric into ONE file - EVEN though I do NOT have a ATC tool changer and even though the job I am running has sever completely different tools. So I made a tool tray. This try will hold my tools in the sequence I need for the program. This is an operating tool tray, not a put away location for the tools.
When the program is running it will come to a tool change code in the CNC program and prompt me to change to the next tool. The spindle moves to a tool change position - righ next to the tool change station - stop and wait for me to change the tool. I press cycle start and the machine measures the tool and continues where left off until next tool is needed, then repeats until all tools ran their cycle and the program ends.
The tool change sequence is customizable via Macro programming. In the CNC world Macro programming is an advenced programming that uses math and able to interact with the machine variables and parameters. The majority of CNC programmers do not use it. I have done a fair bit of it in industry. I still need to work on the sequence before I call it finished.
Anyway - my tool tray is Cocobolo with a Bushes Oil finish.

Still working out some details.
It IS possible to save all programs from Vectric into ONE file - EVEN though I do NOT have a ATC tool changer and even though the job I am running has sever completely different tools. So I made a tool tray. This try will hold my tools in the sequence I need for the program. This is an operating tool tray, not a put away location for the tools.
When the program is running it will come to a tool change code in the CNC program and prompt me to change to the next tool. The spindle moves to a tool change position - righ next to the tool change station - stop and wait for me to change the tool. I press cycle start and the machine measures the tool and continues where left off until next tool is needed, then repeats until all tools ran their cycle and the program ends.
The tool change sequence is customizable via Macro programming. In the CNC world Macro programming is an advenced programming that uses math and able to interact with the machine variables and parameters. The majority of CNC programmers do not use it. I have done a fair bit of it in industry. I still need to work on the sequence before I call it finished.
Anyway - my tool tray is Cocobolo with a Bushes Oil finish.

