Makino model a3 cell controler

[Rick Henrickson 65]

can anyone enlighten me on the tool numbering system with the ptn ftn and itn

also how does it handle programs, offsets and subs?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Most cell controllers I've run (Mori Seiki's MoricAC, Mori Seiki's CAPS LPS, and Fastems COntainer, and Fastems Cell Controller) handle all three seperately. They each reside in diffrent folders in the cell controller and get uploaded when the the pallet enters the machine. I'd look for that first.

 

HTH

[Rick Henrickson 65]

I was just trying to get soe insight the matsuura cell i use to run is much diffrent. And the tool numbering system is weird to.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Are your tools like 1001 (for tool 1), etc...?

[Rick Henrickson 65]

James they are listed like this

 

number type

1 facemills

2 endmills

3 centermills

4 drills

5 taps

6 boringbars

7 back op tools

8 counterbores

9 reamers

the above list can be used with a 4 or 8 digit FTN system

 

4-digit FTN where the tool is number Tabcd

where a could be types of tools listed

where bc could be a unique number for the type of tool

where d would be the serial number or ITN

 

therefore an FTN of 4010 would be a Drill (4) tool, where 01 would be a unique drill which can have 10 iterations of that tool, including 4011, 4012, ......, 4019, and lastly 4010.

 

this is right out of the manual, I am lost!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

 

What a cluster!!!!!

 

 

To me it sounds like what MTB's (Machine Tool Builders) do with their conversational control for ptogramming at the control.

 

I've never seen anything that detailed before on a cell controller.

 

So do you have to define every tool this way before you can run the cell? If so, I'd spend some money and get a post processor built to handle that stuff so you don't have to think about it.

[Rick Henrickson 65]

I am flying to chicago thursday for a wedding I am going to spend thursday and friday at Makino there to get the info I need, I have been working on a post to handle this but I dont have all the info needed Im hoping to clear that up thursday and friay.

It also handles offsets alot diffrent then most it uses a constant H and D number witch the cell controller rewrites at tool changes it is all diffrent for me. I am good with Mazak, Mori, and Matsuura all fairly close. this Makino is quite a bit different though.

[Psychomill]

FTN = Functional Tool number

PTN = Programmed tool number

ITN = Individual tool number

 

***************

number type

1 facemills

2 endmills

3 centermills

4 drills

5 taps

6 boringbars

7 back op tools

8 counterbores

9 reamers

the above list can be used with a 4 or 8 digit FTN system

***************

 

This is just a guideline to assist in setting up the Tool Data. You don't have to stick with this (at least not on the B2 controls which I have).

 

Basically, it works like this:

The PTN is the actual tool number used in the part program. The FTN identifies a "family" from which the tool is based on. The FTN and PTN can be the same number. The FTN really is something that allows you to set limitations on particular tool types and usage. The ITN is the actual tool itself that is set in the machine. So, follow this as an example:

 

PTN = 4400

FTN = 4400

ITN = 4401

 

Let's say this tool is 4" shell mill. In the program, you'll have a "T4400M6" call. In the control, the ITN will determine which tool you're going to actually use in the machine. So, in machine 1, you'll see a T4401 on the tool page.

 

What I do, is set up the ITN to associate with the PTN/FTN by machine number. I have 4 spindles on each line. So therefore, ITN 4401 is in machine one, 4402 is machine two, 4403 is machine three and so on. Since the program uses T4400 as the tool call, and the tool is identified by the control, this allows the same program to be used in all of the machines. As long as the control has an associative tool (ITN) to the PTN, and the library knows which machine its in, the control knows which machines to run it in. This allows the program and parts to be run in any of the machines based upon availability.

 

[Rick Henrickson 65]

nice thanks for the clarification!

 

how does it handle the tool life and back up tooling?

 

and what about the program using H1 and D17 only?

[Psychomill]

Being not too familiar with the A3.....this is a guess (for tool life)....

 

The cell control should trigger an alarm for the tool that is up on the tool life. If you have a back up tool set up in the tool management system and it is located in the machine, the program will continue to run. If you don't have a back up in it, the controller will stop sending the pallet to the machine with the expired tool and will look to send it to the other machines. If none of the machines have the tool, or are all expired, then the control will park the pallet on the stocker and trigger another alarm for the job being on hold.

 

Programs using H1 and D17 will have no effect. It all depends on where you are pulling the M56 from and when. The A3 will send all of the tool data to the detail page. When your machine reads the M56, you identify where to put the offsets (in this case H1 and D17).