Tool Change

[Rich1]

I am just beginning to use Cut2D after being away a for a bit. Perhaps I have changed something but more likely it is not letting me do something I have done in the past. I am cutting parts out of .25” plexiglass. I get the best edge results if I do a rough cut and them move in a few thousandths and take a skim pass. In the past I set a toolpath with a .065 bit taking a 0.127 deep cut with each pass. I would then set a second tool path telling Cut2D that the mill was 0.050 and take a 0.250 deep cut I would then save them both as one tool path. Cut2D would warn we that I was changing tools but it would let me save as one toolpath. Beginning yesterday it stopped letting me save the path unless I uncheck the box “output all visible toolpaths to one file”. I am running version 1.507. Has the program changed, have I changed something or am I just mad.

Rich

[Adrian]

You're using two different diameter tools. Cut2D doesn't support toolchanging so it won't let you output two different tools into one file.

1.5 has always worked like that. Where you using an older version before?

[Rich1]

Adrian think you may have hit it on it. I bought my original copy in Nov.2013. I have not used Cut2D in the last six or eight months. During that time I got a new computer and reinstall with in the last couple of weeks. My original install was probably prior to V 1.5. Is anyone aware if two tools in a single tool path was allowed in earlier versions.

Rich

[Rich1]

I got a reply from Tech services and Adrian you were right Cut2D was never intended to do this. However I figured out what I had done previously and was able to repeat it. So I will create a tool path with a tool. I then create the same tool path with no ramp plunge, modify my tool to tell Mach3 that it is .01 to .015 smaller than the original tool. I now have two tool paths with different tools. I then save toolpath to file. When the window opens I check both toolpaths and the Output all visible toolpaths box to one file. The first time I do this the Save button is grayed out. However if I change my Post Processor from Mach2/3 Arcs (inches)(*.txt) to Mach2/3 ATC Arcs (inches)(*.txt) the save button will now be available and I can save to a single file. It seems that after I have done this the first time it makes no difference which Post Processor it am in I can save until I shut the program down.

When I go to run the tool path it will execute the first tool path, return to 0,0,Z and immediately start the second tool path. The effect of this is that it moved the mill in a few thousands and skims the previous profile.

P.S. I am doing a lot of this and instead of editing the tool the second time I have created a “smaller” tool in my Tool Data base.

Rich

[kstrauss]

That capability would be wonderful for some of my jobs but I can't get it to work using Cut2d 1.507 build 919.523.62. I get the red error message about tool change not being supported. Could you possibly help with a step-by-step? I would be forever grateful...