Tap Pitch From Tool Library

[ronengineer]

Hello,

Does anyone know of a way to pass the pitch of a tap through to the post directly from the tool library.

When you define (or use an existing) tap in the library it has a pitch parameter stored with the tool.

I have my posts configured to use the dwell parameter box (which I have re-named Pitch) as a place to enter this value when tapping.

This works OK but it has to be input manually each time and can lead to errors.

It would be much safer and easier to use the values directly from the tool definition file.

Are the paramaters which are used in the tool library, to create a tool, available to the post when that tool is used ?

If so then what are the variable names ?

If not then why not (why create a library full of data which cannot be used) ?

Thanks to all that reply.

 

[CycleTimeCharles]

The variable available is 'n_tap_thds'

Covered already

http://www.emastercam.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000979.html

[ronengineer]

Thanks CycleTimeCharles, worked a treat (my search didn't find the previous thread ).

Do you know if there is a full list of tool definition variables anywhere ?

Mainly I need to know where the inch-values flag (we are working in metric) is stored as we use both metric and inch tap forms. To the use n_tap_thds variable effectivly I have to destinguish between threads/inch and pitch this could be done most simply with this flag.

Cheers.

[This message has been edited by ronengineer (edited 05-21-2001).]

[Luther_Heggs]

The entire tool definition can be found in the 20000 lines. Your post manual (or online help) should have the definition of these NCI lines somewhere.

[CycleTimeCharles]

The met_tool variable is what you are looking for.

It is in the 1016 line

All this info can be found in the C:Mcam8ChooksMP.HLP file.

[ronengineer]

CycleTimeCharles,

Thanks for the help, however I have already found met_tool in the mp.hlp file and have discovered that it doesn't change (from 1) when the inch values box is toggled in tool setup.

I have solved my problem by passing (parsing ?) the 20007 paramater (variable 11) from the nci by rpar into my own variable names.

This was taking up on the suggestion of LutherHeggs (thanks Luther) and it does work but is a bit long-winded.

It would be simpler to use a MC internal variable name like met_tool instead, is it possible this name is out-of-date for v8.1.1 ?

I welcome any feedback.

 

 

[CycleTimeCharles]

ronengineer, looks like MET_TOOL does not read the "Metric/Inch values" in the tool definition page. It just reports wether you are using a Metric or Inch .CFG file.

Looks like you can get it from the 20007 line.

Check out "pwrttparam" in the MPMASTER post to extract these values, or search for "rpar" in the MP.HLP file