Cutter change

[Bondo48]

Hello,I am cutting a clock gear that has 2 different size holes in it how do I change to the other size cutter,or do I need to do a new setup.thanks

[garylmast]

As long as the bit is smaller than the hole, there is no need to change sizes. If you have one hole that is 1/4" and another that is 1/2", a 1/4" bit will cut both holes. (Correction: the smaller hole size would need to be .251" so the bit will fit in). I think that's what you were asking.

[Bondo48]

One of the holes is 1/4 with six others at 1/16 the gear is about 4-5" in diameter and 1/4" thick and I didn't want to cut out the whole gear with the 1/16" cutter so that's why I wanted to change the 1/16" to a 1/8" one.

[JimG]

Hello,I am cutting a clock gear that has 2 different size holes in it how do I change to the other size cutter,or do I need to do a new setup.thanks

Generate a file for the toolpaths for each cutter, then load a file and setup and cut with one cutter. Then change cutters and set the zero on the second cutter and load the file for it and run it.

If you want you could edit both files together to run as one file as long as you leave the default pause for tool change in the second file so that your machine will stop for a tool change before running the toolpaths for the second cutter.

I do this a lot with several cutters for a workpiece for the same reasons as you - i.e. only using smaller diameter cutters where
necessary to keep the job time down.

Jim.

[Bondo48]

I understand to change the tool and we have to get machine to pause during but how do I do that in the cut2d program itself. I've learned tool paths and etc in the program but need to know how I go abouts pausing the machine to change the tool bit. Do I do it on machine itself or in the programming? If it's in programming could u give me brief details on how to go about doing that. Thanks.

[Bondo48]

I understand to change the tool and we have to get machine to pause during but how do I do that in the cut2d program itself. I've learned tool paths and etc in the program but need to know how I go abouts pausing the machine to change the tool bit. Do I do it on machine itself or in the programming? If it's in programming could u give me brief details on how to go about doing that. Thanks.

[Adrian]

Cut2D doesn't support any sort of toolchanging code so you generate one toolpath file for the first tool, load and cut that one and then, after changing the tool, load and run the second one.

VCarve and Aspire are different as I they support auto and pseudo-auto tool changers.

If it's something you're going to be doing a lot then you can edit the files together and insert additional code as has been said.

[JimG]

As a default on my Cut2D, a tool change line is put in at the start of the file

( 52x150Setts-1mm )
( File created: Friday, April 25, 2014 - 09:03 PM)
( for Mach2/3 from Vectric )
( Material Size)
( X= 156.006, Y= 57.025, Z= 3.000)
()
(Toolpaths used in this file:)
(Cutout)
(Tools used in this file: )
(4 = End Mill {1 mm} Coarse)
N100G00G21G17G90G40G49G80
N110G71G91.1
N120T4M06

....that's the line N120 which generates a pause on my mach3 setup until I change the tool and/or hit return to continue with the program. So if you are editing more than one file together you have to make sure that you leave the M06 line in to keep the tool change.

I've just checked my current version to see if this tool change line is selectable in the setup and can't find any mention of it in the help file. My original copy of Cut2D always did it as does my current V1.5 version and I've always assumed that it is a feature.

Jim.

[Bondo48]

Thanks JimG but looks like you are doing a startup change. I am looking to change tool during machine cutting so I don't have to do mutliple different tool paths. Does this apply as well? Thanks.

[JimG]

Bondo,

I was just showing the tool change line which appears in every Cut2D file that I generate. If I wanted to have one file to cover all the toolpaths for a job with two or more cutters, then I would generate the toolpath files for each cutter, then edit them together to get one large file. To edit them, you have to take the finish codes off the ends of the files, except the last one, and prune some of the startup lines off the starts of the files, except the first one, but always leave the lines with the MO6 command in so that your machine should stop for a tool change for each cutter size. My version of Mach3 doesn't worry about repeating line numbers, but if you use another type of controller which does, you will have to go through and edit all the duplicate line numbers in something like WordPad to avoid the duplications.

I thought of doing this when I first started using several cutters on a job, but just stayed with calling up the individual files for the different cutters since I was having to be at the machine and spend time changing the cutters and setting them in any case, so another second or two calling up the next file wasn't a big problem.

Jim.