Anyone know what system variable #3010 is?

Thanks. Single block works through the macro now. I'll take a look and see what exactly is happening inside the macro during these instances.

I'll have to get ahold of Camplete and see what I can pass through MC and into their software. What I am trying to accomplish is check a tool length prior to use to know that the proper offset was loaded from a presetter and then check a tool after usage for breakage. I would like to check every tool before it's used the first time to know it's been setup properly and then check most if not all tools for breakage. What I was thinking of doing is setting up the post from the tool presetter to output a .0001" in the height wear column and this would then get loaded when the offsets are downloaded. If the tool change macro sees a .0001" in the wear column it will run that tool through the laser and the put a 0 in the column. If the column is a 0 the cycle will not run to check for gage length first. I just need to take a baby step at this point which is why I'm trying to get this first part implemented with /2 and /3 for now.

Matsuura mx 520. Wanting to do it on the macro side because I believe I cannot pass the misc integers through camplete. Ideally I'd like to do it that way but don't think I can. I think I need to change a parameter to be able to single block through a macro call as is pass through the whole macro currently.

I'm trying to create a tool change macro that will pass a tool through my NC4 laser before a tool is used and after a tool is used, checking for proper gage length first and breakage second. I have the before setup on block skip /2 and after setup on block skip /3. Here is what I have so far and am encountering 2 problems. 1) When a tool not used in the program was in the spindle the machine tried to run a breakage detection cycle instead of changing the current spindle tool out to the one needed in the program. 2) When is swapped spindle tools in MDI the machine no longer runs any of the cycles. Any thoughts? %O9006(TK CUSTOM M6-MACRO)#3003=1 IF[#3010LT0]GOTO1000 G53N10(PLC INTERFACE)#1114=1IF[#1014NE1]GOTO10(WAIT PLC ANSER) IF[#1015EQ1]GOTO300(SKIP M6 MACRO) #1=#4003 #2=#4001 G91G28Z0 G49(TOOL BREAKAGE AT END OF TOOL)/2GOTO100G65P9301D.01N100G91G28Z0G91G30X0P2 G91G30Y0Z0P2 M29M6 M110 G#1G#2(TOOL BREAKAGE NEW TOOL)IF[#[10000+#4120]GT0]GOTO201GOTO202N201#3003=0G65P9301D.01#[10000+#4120]=0.#3003=1GOTO400(TOOL BREAKAGE EXISTING TOOL)N202/3GOTO400G65P9301D.01 GOTO400 N300 G91G28Z0 G49N400 #1114=0 N1000 #3003=0M99%

How do you force a level to be visible when a file is opened?

Where does one find the Verisurf tool?

Is there a way to add a note to a Mastercam file? Say you're working on a file and need to finish adding some small touches to the file the following day or want to leave an overview of what's going on in a file for someone else. How do you handle the communication? Something like a Wordpad file as the first operation comes to mind. Can you attach something like that using manual entry?

Now that right there is funny.

What Epilog unit do you have? Is it a pain to put marking solution on raw metals in order to mark them?

So would the Trumark Station 1000 be a nice table top enclosed unit?

Anyone have experience with Epilog. https://www.epiloglaser.com/

Any particular unit you have experience with?

What's good on the market for marking parts from 6 x 6 x 4 down to 1/4" end mills? Looking for budget friendly unit mostly for marking our in house tool holding, carbide tooling, vises, jaws etc.

Congrats Bob! Enjoy.

Interesting. Pm me some info.

You definitely know your work flow best! I guess it comes down to does it cost less to make a couple extra manual fixtures or integrate a robot with pnuematic or hydraulic fixtures... It seems the easy answer is a couple extra fixtures but maybe further digging will tell you otherwise. Use the modular Schunk tombstones and make fixtures to fit the "standard" tombstone. This way you're just investing in the "top tooling" only. I'd look at your work flow like this. The small jobs you're currently running, if it's a 10 pc run, can one part be proven out during the day and the other 9 be run at night. Do ALL your first articles during the day and then your quantity work at night along with your long running jobs. This is where a large tool matrix is needed. Leave all your tooling setup for each individual part you need to run. Make just enough fixtures to get you max unattended time at night. Maybe that would work maybe not based on your part mix. I'm sure you have but put all this in a spread sheet. Give the risks of multiple integrations a risk value, say "8", and see if it makes sense ROI wise. If there's something that could go wrong such as leaky hydraulics, crappy vision system, wrong stock orientation, etc. give it a realistic value Then give a well known integrated system (MMC) a risk value of say "2" and compare the two dollar for dollar. What gives you the best ROI? If the FMS only runs for 6-8 hours each night does it still give you a better ROI than the robotic solution? Maybe it gives you more peace of mind and just some more freedom than you currently have. At least that way you can see it all typed up and printed out, maybe makes you look at the numbers and risk involved a bit more. It would be interesting to see what that spreadsheet looks like... The Tonytn36 guy on PM seems to put everything in a spreadsheet and then shares it with a few trusted colleagues to give him a reality check. Maybe you do the same with your programmer. Just hand it to him, no instruction and get feedback.

Definitely understand dreaming big. We all do it. Just seems like adding to many separate things together and asking them to work all the time is asking for constant headaches. Might take years to perfect while going broke in the mean time. Playing devils advocate.

Maybe in missing something. Why are you only considering running one job at a time? You have a mmc with pallets setup for various different jobs you currently have orders for. Job A has two pallets netting 1 hour 45 minutes unattended time. Job B the same. Job C the same. Job D the same. If there aren't enough pallets in the mmc use schunk zero point tombstones in the cell. Load fixtures and go. Done. Don't need uber amounts of extra fixtures. Makino does offer integrating 5 axis into an fms. Kme does it as well now. It CAN be done. Though I think you'd be better with a d500. I think where your current machines come up short is tool storage capacity to run multiple jobs at once.

What's everyone using for mist collectors? What are some of the goods and bads with the various different ones you've used? I have 3 40 x 20 VMCs and 1 8" chuck lathe that I would like to add mist collectors to. Anything in particular to stay away from? Anyone have experience with Mistaway?

What's wrong with a human loading a number of pallets? Seems for the job shop environment the mix of parts is too high to justify all the end of arm tooling to the various different types of blanks.

We do the same here on a little smaller workpiece, it works really well. Going the route of Erowa or Sys 3R I was hoping to get a little larger workpiece in an automation setting for maximum flexibility for our environment. The repeatability on the Erowa and Sys 3R is MUCH nicer too. We'll see... Lang's pricing is attractive and the fact of not having to plumb air to the table certainly helps.

Matsuura offers it as an option, but says it needs to be done at the factory. This is why I contacted Tsudakoma since they make the table. I'm doubtfull I'll be able to make it work but it's worth a shot. I'm hoping to get some more info on what the actual size limiter is on the Lang system. Yup Dennis, follow you too. A lot cool work you've been doing... wish we had more of it. Pretty close in age too I think. TK

Depends. Anywhere from 2" cubed to 10" cubed to 1 x 7 x 18. Looking at it again it may suit most of what we see but not all, a lot of low volume high mix. Trying to encompass as much as possible. I guess it comes down to cost and ROI. My contact at Lang is out today. Hopefully get some ballpark numbers on Monday.

Yes, I contacted Lang. Nice system but the work piece size is too small for everything I'd like to load into the machine unfortunately. I have a call into Tsudakoma who makes the table for Matsuura to see if they can provide any info.