How to do auto tool change

General
1

I have all my tool rack locations set and drop off/pick up height set, tool #4 is slot 4 is all set, I’m trying to do a Tool change to T0M6, so it should put tool #4 into the tool racks, it doesn’t do anything but goes into dry run

2

Tool 0 is dry run. So it’s acting appropriately. Tool Numbering in MASSO

The drop off tool needs to be assigned to a slot as well as the pick up tool and your intended drop off tool must not be your intended pick up according to masso or else nothing will happen.

3

Curious: Are you trying to drop off the tool without picking up a new one?

4

Yeah that’s what I’m trying to do.

5

Me too… I thought we had to wait because the M6.1 command isn’t supported in the stable MASSO software… M06.1 - Tool Unload.

Does T0M6 work instead?

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6

Not entirely clear on what you’re trying to do… but if for some reason you want to unload a tool without any subsequent action (i.e. pick up another one)… there are a few ways to do that:

  1. Use the PWNcnc manual tool change button. If you don’t have it, I highly recommend it.
  2. In the MDI command screen on the F2 tab, press and hold the ‘set spindle clamp OFF’ button for a few seconds.
  3. On the F1 setup screen, select output 7 ‘Chuck clamp M10/M11’ and then press the space bar to cycle it.

Be prepared to safely catch the bit as it ejects from the spindle… I suggest wearing gloves… sometimes it kind of ‘shoots’ out. Maybe also put something under it like a rubber mat in case you suck at sports like me and miss the catch. Also be aware that once you eject the bit manually, the MASSO still thinks that bit is in there… so you still need to enter a tool change command if you are manually inserting another bit.

I’m sure someone will correct me if I got any of that wrong.

Mike

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7

Thanks Mike!

I’ve been wanting to make a macro that will put the table in a shutdown configuration: Tool stored, boot removed, spindle homed, Z-axis to bottom. If I don’t shut down the MASSO before losing power, the spindle drops. If the tool is still there, I get a crash.

I have been using the manual button, so I double check it’s lit and the RPM are 0, grab the smooth part of the tool holder without touching the bit, then push the button. With the v10 boot removed, I can double-check the tool holder is not rotating before grabbing the smooth part of it.

When I restart the machine, a manually removed tool is expected to be in the clamp. It’s not the worst thing if it has to go fetch the bit, but if it thinks it has the correct bit at startup, when it auto-tool checks and the bit isn’t there, I get a Z-axis alarm. I guess I’d get used to this eventually, alas…

Using a macro becomes an automated checklist.

Brian

8

Sounds like you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill there.

I know someone 3d printed or maybe they found a cup that was deep and wide enough to house a holder but still hold the spindle up. Just an idea that’s easier than the prolonged process your talking about.

Daniel used a piece of 2x4 to hold it for a while. I installed a brake a long time ago, but now 1f has it as an add on option.

Personally if the brake motor is out of the question, the cup is perfectly viable. You could even have a tall tool rack go to your park location and have it “fall” in it. Can further automate it by adding “go to park” at the end of your post processor.

9

Hah, one could say the same for purchasing such systems in the first place, no?

In discovering such solutions, we uncover capabilities. These capabilities lead to deeper nuance, and in rare cases to breakthrough combinations of features. It is ever rarer that one would discover breakthroughs without such discovery.

So no, this is just my exploration on that path. I’m not asking anyone else to follow my path and only broke it down because I was asked…

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