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Tool Setters and Offsets

Creating a Tool Setter

Open the Calibrate Tool Setters window. Found on the Tools tab.

Tool Setters Button.PNGimage.png

Creating a Manual Tool Setter

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  1. To

    1. In the Tool Setter tab, click Add New to create a new manualtool setter.

      • Each tool setter, press 'Add New'. All tool setterssetter must have a unique name.name.

      • After naming the tool setter,it, select it from the list,list andto thedisplay its settings for that tool setter will be shown on the right-hand side.

    2. Select the

      Under setterSetter typeType, toselect beManual.

      manual.

    3. Measure the height of your setter, and enter it into the Tool Setter Height field.

    4. The Z position for the tool setter shouldand beenter the value in the Tool Setter Height field.

    5. Set the Z Position.

      • For a fixed-mounted setter, use the Z Position Wizard to determine the machine coordinate for the top surface of the toolsetter.

        setter is sitting on.
        • If the tool setter is permanently mounted and the Z position does not change, the Z position wizard can be used to determine

          Once this number. Once itvalue is set correctly, it will not need to be changed.

          Set
          • a
        • GoTo position so that the spindle will always go to the setter before touching off.

          If the setter is mounted outside ofthe soft limits, toggleenable 'Disable Softlimits'Softlimits.

        • If the tool setter is used in random locations, or the table height changes, then set the Z position to 0.0 and leave the GoTo positions blank.

      • (Optional) Set a GoTo Position.

        • Define a position so the spindle can safely move to the tool setter before touch-off.

        • This ensures a consistent approach and reduces the risk of crashes.

      • For randomly placed setters or variable table heights, set the Z Position to 0.0 and leave all GoTo fields blank.

        • This indicates that the setter position may change between uses.

      • Click Save to apply and store the configuration.

    Once the Z position and height are calibrated, the system will automatically use these values for all tool length offset calculations.

Using a randomly placed tool setter

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  1. Remove all tools from the spindle,spindle.

    and
      touch
    • off

      • If the manual setter or gauge blocks. If your spindle uses tool holders or collets, insert an empty holder into the spindle while setting the Z position.

  2. Click

    Place the Setmanual Positiontool button.setter Thisor willgauge useblocks on the positiontable at the desired location.

    • Carefully jog the spindle down until the tip touches the surface of the tipsetter.

      of
      • your

  3. Click Set Position.

      • This sets the Z position based on the current spindle location and the entered height of your setter to set the Ztool position.setter.

  4. Insert and measure each oftool required for the toolsjob.

    you
      need

      • Perform a tool measurement cycle for thiseach job.tool to record its length offset

Creating an Auto Tool Setter

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  1. Click Add New to create a new tool settersetter.

    with

    • Enter an appropriate name for the tool setter.

  2. Set the Setter Type to Auto.

  3. Select the setterProbe typeInput to be auto.

  4. Selectthat the probe input thetool setter is wired to.

    • The indicator bar below the input selector will turn green when the tool setter is triggered.

      You,
      • or
    • a helper, can manually

      Manually trigger the setter (or have a helper do so) to confirm that you have the correct input.input is selected.

  5. If the tool setter height is known, itsenter heightthe shouldvalue bein entered.the Tool Setter Height field.

    • If the tool setter height is notunknown, known,click launchLaunch theHeight height wizardWizard and follow the on-screen instructions forto measuring.measure Thisit.

      will
      • require
    • the

      The tool setter tomust be wired to the control.control for this process.

  6. The

    Set the Z positionPosition forto the machine coordinate of the surface where the tool setter should be the machine coordinate for the surface the tool setter is sitting on. The Z position wizard can be used to determine this number if it is not known. If the tool setter is randomly placed, not fixed, then this value will be set to 0.0 here, and will be set each time before you begin measuring tools. See the instructions above: Using a randomly placed tool setter

  7. Optionally, select goto positions to be associated with this tool setter.rests.

    • Selecting a position will cause the machine to go to that position before touching off with this setter. That works very well with a permanently mounted setter.

      If the position is unknown, use the Z Position Wizard to determine it.

    • For a randomly placed setter, set the Z Position to 0.0. This value will be defined each time before measuring tools.

    • See also: Using a Randomly Placed Tool Setter.

  8. (Optional) Define GoTo Positions for the tool setter.

    • Selecting a GoTo position allows the spindle to move automatically to the setter before touching off.

    • This is recommended for permanently mounted setters.

    • If the setter is located outside ofthe soft limits, turningenable onDisable 'disableSoftlimits.

      softlimits'
      • will
    be needed to reach the setter.
  9. With a

    For randomly placed setter,setters, leave theseall GoTo Position fields blank.

    Either

    • Manually jog the spindle to the setter,setter or moveplace the setter tobeneath the spindle.spindle Whenas youneeded.

      begin
      • the
    • process,

      The theremachine will benot noperform automatic jogging.jogging during this process.

Creating a Tool Setter Go-To Position

This is documented in Modifying GoTo Positions

Align Tool Edge to Center of Tool Setter

  1. ThisEnable the feature willby position the edge of the tool to the center of the tool setter.  To begin using this feature set the parametersetting Tool Setter Align Tool Edge To Setter to  Yes.

    2. Next
  2. configure

    Configure the parameter "Tool Setter Align Tool Edge Offset" andparameter.

    choose

    • Choose between using "Tool Radius"Radius or "Tool Setter Offset"Offset as the source for the offset neededused to align the tool edge to the center of the setter.

      • Lastly
    choose

  3. Select the Offset Direction to define which directionway tothe offsettool moves when aligning the tool edge to the center.center of the setter.

This feature positions the edge of the tool precisely at the center of the tool setter, ensuring accurate alignment and consistent measurement results.

Configure the following Parameters:

Parameter Name Value Optional Values Default Values
Tool Setter Align Tool Edge To Setter Yes
No
Tool Setter Align Tool Edge Offset Tool Setter Offset Tool Radius, Tool Setter Offset Tool Radius
Tool Setter Align (X or Y) Axis To Setter X Positive X Positive, X Negative, Y Positive, Y Negative X Positive

Parameter "Tool Setter Align Tool Edge Offset" must be set to "Tool Setter Offset" before the Tool Setter Offset column will show up in the tool table.

View and Edit the

The tool table directly

In the upper left corner of the Tools tab is the Tool Table button

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This table can be edited and customized extensively to meet the needs of your system. Please see Tool Offset Table Customization

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