Tool numbers

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Mikehell
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Tool numbers

Post by Mikehell »

So, I thought I'd get all organized and renumber my bits in groups. Flat end bits (non metric) are 1-9. Ball nose 10-19. Metric flat bits 20-29, etc..

So after hours of getting a weird error of "not enough axes defined" .I find out that you can't use bits numbered 20-29 for typical 3-axis work, they are supposedly "reserved" for a different axis?!?! Is this a shopbot quirk?

What other bit numbers can I not use? I need to know because I think I just used up my allotment every of every cuss word in the book last night. A 2-hour job became a late night - earrly morning gig. Ugh.

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by ger21 »

It's a shopbot thing.
Looks like tools 20-29 are for the second spindle (A axis?)

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showth ... n-use-quot
Gerry - http://www.thecncwoodworker.com

Mikehell
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Mikehell »

ger21 wrote:It's a shopbot thing.
Looks like tools 20-29 are for the second spindle (A axis?)

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showth ... n-use-quot
Yep. That's the post I finnaly read last night after pulling my hair out and decided to Goole the issue.

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Adrian
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Adrian »

I changed my shopbot routines years ago so I could use any tool numbers I like as I don't have drill banks, dual heads etc. Easy enough to do. One of the things I really like about the Shopbot software is how easy it is to customise everything to your own way of working.

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Mikehell »

Adrian wrote:I changed my shopbot routines years ago so I could use any tool numbers I like as I don't have drill banks, dual heads etc. Easy enough to do. One of the things I really like about the Shopbot software is how easy it is to customise everything to your own way of working.
Where do I make this change??

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Adrian
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Adrian »

In the MTC sbp files in the SBParts/Custom/MTC folder.

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Mikehell »

Mikehell wrote:
Adrian wrote:I changed my shopbot routines years ago so I could use any tool numbers I like as I don't have drill banks, dual heads etc. Easy enough to do. One of the things I really like about the Shopbot software is how easy it is to customise everything to your own way of working.
Where do I make this change??
.

Can you tell me what I need to change, or send me your modified files?

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Mikehell »

Emailed ShopBot and they say this shouldn't be done. ???

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Adrian »

They would say that because they don't want the support headaches. If you know what you're doing and understand the consequences there's nothing wrong with doing it.

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IslaWW
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by IslaWW »

Adrian wrote:They would say that because they don't want the support headaches. If you know what you're doing and understand the consequences there's nothing wrong with doing it.
I hate to be Cap't Obvious here, but if you did know what you were doing, it would be more than obvious what to change and why. Unfortunatley there are a few more files that need to be modified, those that turn the spindle on/off etc. Since you are looking at the MTC file, it is apparent that you dont have an ATC. So why isnt 19 tool numbers per file enough enough for you?


Most control systems use a limited number of tools. Usually less than 10, ATC's the number of holders on the machine. Being anal about tool numbers doesnt apply to CNC. (Been there, done that) :oops:
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Adrian
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Adrian »

I rewrote nearly all the routines that came with my Shopbot years ago as there were loads of bugs, missing features (automatic Z zero depending on material setup, safe Z auto set etc) and the code was very poorly structured. Being able to use whatever tool numbers I wanted was just a by product of eradicating the many other issues with the software at the time.

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Re: Tool numbers

Post by IslaWW »

Adrian wrote:I rewrote nearly all the routines that came with my Shopbot years ago as there were loads of bugs, missing features (automatic Z zero depending on material setup, safe Z auto set etc) and the code was very poorly structured. Being able to use whatever tool numbers I wanted was just a by product of eradicating the many other issues with the software at the time.

Adrian...

They still are just as quirky. My comments were not for you as you are more than capable of making the changes.
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by johntech2014 »

I would like to see a change in the software to where you can enter the tool number engraved on the bit, and be able to use
THAT as your tool number instead of 1 to 256 or whatever the limit is now. That way when I pick a tool out of my selection, the feeds and speeds, and the specs would already be set for that tool number. That way when I do a BOM, I have all the information right at hand and the tool number matches what is on the bit. I wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal to make this small change in the database.

John

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Adrian
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Re: Tool numbers

Post by Adrian »

johntech2014 wrote:
Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:17 pm
I would like to see a change in the software to where you can enter the tool number engraved on the bit, and be able to use
THAT as your tool number instead of 1 to 256 or whatever the limit is now. That way when I pick a tool out of my selection, the feeds and speeds, and the specs would already be set for that tool number. That way when I do a BOM, I have all the information right at hand and the tool number matches what is on the bit. I wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal to make this small change in the database.

John
I'm not following what you want to do there. Where is that information coming from? It's already in the database and you can set the tool name to be anything you want including the part number of the tool.

Tool numbers are used by the control software to determine which bit is needed for tool changes and for bit length compensation. They have to be simple numbers.

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