Tool change position on a Mazak lathe

[Mr. M]

How do I get it to change tools like in a mazatrol program when using .EIA?? Right now it goes all the way back home, but in the mazatrol it only goes to a clearance point for the longest tool (figured out automaticly)

[Mr. M]

Anyone?

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Mazatrol looks at all the tool lengths on the tool set page, and the clearance parameters for turrent indexing. Then it decides where to position for indexing. IMO Mastercam won't be able to do this. Here is an option I used on my Mori lathes, maybe the mazatrol has something similar:

 

At the begining of each program I add:

 

G10L50

N1241P1R0

N1241P2R-200000

G11

G30U0W0

 

G30 is a second home position. G10L50 directs it to the parameter page. N1241 is the parameter for 2nd home position, distances are from G28 home position in metric values. P1R0 is the distance in the X axis. P2R-200000 is the distance in the Z axis (-200000 = -200mm). G11 turns off parameter setting. G30U0W0 rapids the machine to the second home position. Each tool sequence needs to end with G30U0W0.

 

All the setup guy has to do is manually position the X and Z axis to a position that allows a safe index (visually). He look on the screen for "machine position" X/Z values and then alters the two values on the N1241 lines in the program. The hardest part was making the guys comfortable converting inch to metric as this parmeter requires metric values only.

[crazy^millman]

It really depends on the G30 PX method of the tool calls. The G28 methods is what sends it home if you use the correct G30 PX method then 1 is one position, 2 is a different position, and so forth depending how many numbers your machine has for the P position on the G30 change. Pretty simple once you understand what the G30 PX number does and how it relates to the tool change call. I would be very careful since if you did this with a boring bar it could rapid the bar though a part. I would think about using clearance points and the G30 PX on a lather. On Integrex's is pretty straight forward since they use a mill type tool change you always have to send them home to change tools, but on a turret lathe you need to think differently. Another thing you might be able to do is change the tool without sending home by using the right M code. Big time risky if not thought about in advance, but doable.

 

HTH