Off topic (tool pre-setting)

[DC Gorn]

We are looking into a pre-setter for tools. I wanted to see if anyone was doing this.

With this pre-setter and a good setup sheet a tool crib attendant could built all the tools for a given job. He then presets the tool and enters the tool number and tags it. When all tools are set he runs the output program that uses a post processor to writes a program to load all the offsets into a machine. Setup guy puts the tools in the RIGHT pocket and runs the offset program. I can not find any fault in the logic, it should work. That sounds too easy.

 

That combined with a pallet system and programming from machine zero or known pallet zero should make for a very fast setup. At least that is the idea.

 

Comments?

[Travis_Buchanan]

You are going to get a hundred different answers to those question. You will have to find out what works best for you. It sound like a plan, the only fault is numbers typed in wrong, tools in the wrong pockets, you still have the human factor. Nothing is foolproof.

[gcode]

quote:

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That combined with a pallet system and programming from machine zero or known pallet zero should make for a very fast setup. At least that is the idea

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Using a presetter makes your first part more accurate. The relationship between all the tools

is good so blends are good the first time.

When setting up with hand offsets, you'll find the operators "sneaking up" on floor blends, tweaking the offsets and running the toolpaths over and over. This pratice is greatly reduced

with preset offsets cause they are dead on the first time.

 

I've never seen this done, but its possible and makes good sense to me. You can upload tool offsets into most machine contols just like

NC files. The tool crib guy could make an offset file that is loaded into the control with the NC

file. This would save 10 minutes or so and eliminate data entry errors at the machine.

also, the offset numbers for insert mills and drills don't change so they would't have to be gaged with every setup.

[Müřlıń®]

Heat also affects tool calibrations.

Cold machine 0, hot machine .005 diffrence on a large toolset.

[robk]

It makes sense, but like Travis mentioned... There is always room for error by doing manual entry.

We have a Command pre-setter in here, but are moving slowly away from it. We are using Renishaw tool setting system on one machine already, and we find it works very well. Operator still has to make sure that he has correct tooling in the correct pockets, but that's part of his job anyways.

[Brian Scullion]

Check out The "Elbo" tool presetters http://www.nikkenworld.com/presetters.htm

 

Their software prints the tags for the tooling and writes the tool parameters to a program you can load into the machine, as you record the tool values

 

Its what we use and it works great

[Bruce Caulley]

Saves us a fair bit of time.

 

Bruce

[Leif Johnson from MICO Inc]

We have a parlec. There is no manual typing of the numbers. It also has length tolerances we can put in for each tool. That ensures that the tool is sticking out the correct distance. Hopefully you have it all integrated with your tool management system. It makes it alot easier because every thing can be generated by the BOM.

[Müřlıń®]

We use air to cut and the workpiece and machine tool will expand over the day so our operators set the tool off of a 2" electric guage on a common spot on the workpiece.

 

No manual number entry is required, just dial it down till the light comes on and press a calibrate button on your machine tool....

 

But we do mainly prototype work ......

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I am working with a Blum Laser in a horizontal. Setting is a breeze, and we're working on a way to automate it to make in even easier. Say if the offset is = to a certain number then execute the Tool Length Measurement for a certain type of tool, if it is = to another, execute the TLM cycle for a different type of tool.

 

In machine Automatic measurement IMHO is MUCH better than Offline measurement because it takes more of the human factor out.

 

I have used Offline Presetting though and if you don't have in machine measurement, you cannot beat it. Touching off each individual tool in the machine is HORRIBLE and is suceptible to many different kinds of errors, some if which were mentioned by Gcode.

 

JM2C

 

 

JM2C

[MACHINEMASTERG]

love preset tools wish i i did it years ago ...

[JayMan]

There could be a lot of debate over this topic, when i first started out with nc tape machines, it was done with a presetter, then we evolved to the cnc, what your accually doing now is going backwards, i'm not saying your wrong but with the offline programming and offline tool setting, your definatly making a machinist obsolete, operators is all you'll ever have, not responsable for anything..BUT, that might be what you want..