Z height not updating after tool edit in flowline..??

[RMagnusson]

I'm using a surface flowline toolpath to contour a filleted corner. We changed the tool we are using to do it, but the Z depth of the flowline WONT change. Tool is ~.5 off the part like it had the old tool in the holder. Tool length at .5" or 20" doesnt matter. Updated tool in machine group, in library, in the toolpath parameter, nothing is getting the tool down

 

Am I understanding correctly that since there is no cutter comp. active in flowline then it takes the tool height from MC, not from the mill as with everything else?

 

If our RS-232 connection hadn't skipped a few digits in the last transmission and sent the X axis off course 2085" and snapping off the old tool, I'd just put it back in and forget about it....but I can't.

 

Thanks for reading my rant. Any advice would be highly appreciated.

 

Ryan

[3rdstring]

quote:

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Am I understanding correctly that since there is no cutter comp. active in flowline then it takes the tool height from MC, not from the mill as with everything else?

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I think you still have to set your tools in your machine.

 

HTH

[ToolMan184]

Check and make sure your H # is correct.

[bellyup]

make sure you don't have a depth limit-limiting your depth.

or any other surfaces selected which may be either, blanked or on another level or not shown for whatever reason.

[RMagnusson]

Yep, tool length is set in the mill,

T4 and H4,

Depth Limit not checked,

Only correct surfaces selected,

All good things to check, thank you.

 

But still no dice..

[bestguest]

R,

I have run into this before.I think that you need to open the parameters tab of your toolpath and reselect the tool.Watch the offsets when you do this,they will update.I believe that this is a bug.

 

Regards

[RMagnusson]

Yep, tried that too. Deleted it, edited it, reselected it, renumbered it, still get same H # as tool and Z remains constant at .7398.

[Kurt M]

You may want to make sure that Tip Comp. is set for Tip, and backplot the segment, watching that the Z-depth corresponds with the part.

[RMagnusson]

Haha, this is almost getting funny.

 

Yeah, tip comp set to tip. Backplot looks good in MC, post looks fine, tool off of the part in the mill. Part length is measured using the automatic measuring device in the mill, so its super accurate.

 

The old cutter I was using was tool #2 .375 ball nosed endmill 4.1975 long from the gauge line. New cutter is tool #4 .250 ball nosed endmill 3.6975 from the gauge line. And I'm, as you may have guessed, .5 off of where I want to be.

 

I'm thinking its time for a work-around of some sort unless someone here hits the nail on the head. I'm totally freaking stumped.

[within a thou]

does the posted code coincide with the actual depth that the tool should be cutting at when you post it?

[RMagnusson]

No, it doesn't. I just made the surface for that toolpath .5 lower in MC and it seems ok. I dont like having to do that to get the desired result though.

 

[RMagnusson]

It seems that maybe I am not understanding the setting of the WCS in the mill correctly.

 

I just ran an op with a face mill. It too ran too high over the top of my part. It was too high by the difference between the length of the tool I used to set the Z zero depth and the length of the face mill (lengths from gauge line).

 

I thought that when you were setting your workpiece zero point, you took a measured tool and touched the spot where you wanted your zero and 'taught' the mill where that was. Then the mill knows where to place the tip of each tool as they are measured and recorded within the mill as well. Is this not the case? I am obviously doing something very wrong.

 

And thanks for helping out everyone. I know I can eventually figure this out, but as to how long it might take is anyone's guess...