In other cases, tool lengths are measured offline (meaning not on the machine) and entered into the Tool Table by the operator. This is a special purpose probe that the machine uses to automatically measure Tool Lengths. Some machines will be equipped with a Tool Length Touch Setter. In extreme cases, where the tool length offset is completely wrong, this can cause a collision that will damage the tool and likely the machine or workholding too. It’s very important that the Tool Length Offsets be correct for each tool and accurate to ensure the tool will cut correctly. This can be one of the more complex parts of CNC Setup, but it’s not so bad once you’ve done it a few times.
It uses this information to adjust the spindle position relative to commanded positions for each different tool. The machine needs to know how long the tip of the tool is from some reference, called the “Gage Point”. Setting tool lengths automatically with a Tool Touch Setter… – Ultimate Guide to Selecting Toolholders for Millingĭeliverable: Tool Table on the CNC Machine has the proper length offsets for all the tools that will be used. ER Collect Chucks have torque requirements that should be observed when tightening the nuts, for example. You load the desired tools onto a cart, roll it over to your CNC Machine, and load the appropriate tools into the machine’s tool changer.Įach type of toolholder will have its own requirements for ensuring maximum performance. Perhaps the tools are located in your shop’s Tool Crib. Typically, we will organize the tools for a particular job on a tool cart or a tool tray as part of CNC Setup. If you have a CNC Setup Sheet for the Job, it will list which tools are needed as well as what their Tool numbers are in the g-code program.
Our goal here is to get the tools into toolholders (or just available if your machine’s spindle doesn’t use interchangeable toolholders), and to load those toolholders into the machine’s tool changer or make them handy near the machine for running the job and changing tools by hand. Note: If your CNC machine does have a tool changer, you’ll still want to have all the tools in readiness so they can be popped into your spindle quickly as they are needed. Deliverable: Tool changer on the machine has all the tools needed by the gcode program for the part.