I think it could be done, but it would be programmatically. Using the M56 ( if I remember correctly, I'm at home), and S and T values, you can load offset data into the Makino side. There are a number of M codes in conjunction with S and T values to load anything from tool life, load mgmt, offsets, etc into the Makino tool data side. That's how we load out life management with our programs. You can do a M233 tool data dump in MDI and view the contents of the file to parse the codes. Getting the info into the control at the time of tool change would be a simple matter of altering the M6 macro to read the data during tool change.

We just went thru that with Internal Tools key cutters. Internal analyzed them and said it was a bad batch of carbide. They replaced them all, and thanked us (big discount) for bringing it to their attention. Handled like pros.

I know someone with an old (I know, redundant) HC15. Let me ask... Does it have the original acramatic, or has it been updated?

Two bad ones come to mind.... One, I was crawling around under a new machine install leveling, when a bomb went off. The Niigata next to the machine I was leveling sent the side of the spindle into the tombstone, knocking the tombstone off the pallet, shearing all bolts. Second, our night crew threw a 62" multi thousand pound part off of a VTL. completely trashed the guarding off the machine, and killed a Bridgeport and saw with the spinning part.

Kinda makes me wish I was still there, if nothing else, just to see what you got going with the Makinos. They happen to be a favorite of mine. We've got five of them. Three since I showed up Maybe if I go up to visit my daughter one of these days I could con you into a visit.

Ya, the chord height will only help for solids and surfaces. It won't change the way tool path looks. That parts kinda strange.

Check your cord height in config -> shading

I use templates. For every machine. With many components (tombstones, vises, dovetails, you name it) on various levels. It is always easier to move a single part to the template zero than to gather up all components and do multiple translate 3D's to match my part. Specially in 5 axis, where I have my rotational offsets pre modeled in. And all my posts calculate my G10's rather nicely.

I'm with JP here. In all of my 30 ish years in aerospace (granted longer than cam), I've never had anybody tell me that I couldn't move a part from the originating part space. It's not part of Boeing's D6-51991 (trust me, I've helped more than a couple companies meet the requirements), and none "big boys" we did work for dis-allowed it or mentioned it in a contract or a PO. I've done parts for shuttles, ground, air, space, you name it. From DC10 & L1011's to the F35 CTOL and STOVL's. Validating models once out of it's native cad environment is one thing, but once a model translation is validated, it doesn't matter if zero is the pilots eye, or on the moon in world coordinates. As long as surfaces validate to the authority dataset, you're good to go. You can even create your own coordinate structure for data point cloud validations. I'm not saying you aren't under that constraint, but I've never been told not to move a part in space. Ever.

Is that SGI.4 on the pro 5? If so, you'll love it

Wish I coulda made it....

We use these Harvey's all the time. The flat out past the radius is actually a 2 deg angle up away to prevent the sharp from gouging at full radius contact. We do customs for these, mainly cause we set TLO and CRC dia to center of the radius. Much easier to set offline in a presetter if the pilot length to the radius varies. Always gives a good blend that way

IMO, that would be very similar to a gang style swiss machine, with the exception of the sliding headstock. Here is a view of our swiss sim.

Rich, I have sent you the library. I have tried to do what you said, and here is the difference between methods. First pic is from importing directly from new, imported tools-6. Second pic is from re created DXF file. Also in the import dialog, the drop down only allows for .dxf files. I actually have to enter *.* in the file name to get it to show all files so that I can choose a .tooldb file to use as geometry.

Yup. Back to x6..... I've wasted two days in X8 and got about zero progress. Look at the help file for dragging the projection. Then try it. It won't work. But back in 2013, Jim Evans said how to do it correctly using the ctrl key. Learned that after spending hours searching the forums. 2013.... And the help file is STILL incorrect.

This is what I ended up with..... Note the zero is not at the tool zero, but at the holder attachment point to allow the tool to "slide" in and out of the holder. Also note that the tool is laying down as opposed to the upright revolve we are used to.

Thanks Colin. That was the first thing I tried. I've had to remove centerline for some tools (never know which til they don't work) back to X2. I ended up having to lay it down, close off the ball of the probe as cut, then close off the shank and body as one nocut. If I just removed centerline, I got a tool sometimes (can't replicate) but only the shank and ball. Never the larger body of the probe. I could never get it all to work till I laid it down and made separate levels. Ron, I always update my tool files. I keep the previous versions just in case.

Just started playin with X8......Skipped X7, because of all the issues. Now, I am trying to create my tool library/assemblies. Most tools and holders have come in ok, but none of my custom tools. After reading in the help file for the new tool manager, it appears that I need to re do all of my custom tools to comply with the new DXF requirements. Somebody please tell me I'm missing something here!!!! The way I see it, I am going to have to create nocut levels and rotate away from the pre X7 XY half tool. Below is a simple probe I use daily in X6, and the backplot view of it.. X8 will not accept it, and if I try to import geom from a file, it tells me there is a proble with the custom tool file. WTF did they do? I've got hundreds of customs.....

I find if I do Gview=Tplane (on my RMB), no matter the zoom level, I can get the handle.

Just re-installed X8. Everything points to C:\Users\zoober\Documents\my mcamx6 again. There is no C:\Users\zoober\Documents\my mcamx8 folder. Even though during the install, it shows X8 as the default shared location. Time to uninstall, delete all traces, AND CLEAN THE REGISTRY!!

Yes I was. Sorry. I wonder if they will have a session called "How migration made me lose a day of work"?

Yes. After finding update folder missing, I took my chances (ya, stoopid me) on Migration wizard. I did a custom, selective (no subfolders)because posts, MD/CD, tools, etc are all network based. Those are the only folders I updated. It shouldn't have touched mu config folder. I was able to save X6 by deleting my config. Then, When I X6 opened, I went into config, and a lot of stuff was pointing to mymcam X8. I repointed, and All is good for X6. I also had to clean a bunch of X8 stuff (workspace, -8 stuff, don't know if I got it all) form my mycam X6 CONFIG folder. But X8 is dust. It will not let me select default machines, and it wants my config from X6 only. How they can screw up migration worse than it was is beyond me. Gonna delete all traces of X8 and try again. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. I skipped X7 all together, cause it was a steaming pile.......

Just happened to me. X6 is hosed too. But I didn't use the migration wizard on install. But after, when I found update folder utilities gone. Thanks CNC!

In Valencia. You all have to drive up here. ROUR!

It looks similar in action to our Makino BTS system. Works really well for catastrophic breakage, but it is really only accurate for tools missing more than 3.5mm of the tool end. That is a problem for our tiny tools that may only have 1/8 of flute. Also doesn't pick up chipped corner, or one flute gone, if it is on the under side of the wand hit. That system may be different, but those are the cons for ours..... The biggest pro, is it is tied into tool mgmt, and does it outside the machine in the carousel area for free. Doesn't increase cycle time like the in machine ones.