The definitive semi-automatic toolchange setup thread

[qldsteve]

I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get semi-automatic tool change macros working with my cnc router . I have read many posts here ,on the Facebook group and YouTube.
There appears to be multiple macros posted and multiple probing plugin versions and different versions of UCCNC.
I would like to start collating some of the relevant information around this with a view to a more user-friendly summary of what is required and the steps to set up.

Question regarding UCCNC Version 1.2115 and the latest probing plugin I found 1.3.4.2 Beta
Some time ago dezsoe wrote

Forget the fixed probe mode, it's not your way.?

Q1. I have a fixed probe and a mobile probe, is the fixed probe still not the way to go?

Q2. What Macro should I be using to get tool changes happening and should I select mobile or fixed probe? I understand I will still need to edit and enter the tool change location position in the macro.

Q3. On the UCCNC settings page, should I tick Run the tool change macro (M6) ?
Thank you.

[BKG]

Sorry, no ansver, only Question for You

Q1 Vhat settup do You have Toolrack, linear, round, manual change ?
Q2 Hov du You vant the machine to perform toolchange
Q3 Do You vanna use tool higt ofsett In UCC og do You vanna probe the tool for every toolchange ?

Think You vil gett a lot of good ansver if You serv this info

[qldsteve]

I appreciate your reply BKG
All tools are changed manually and the height of z calculated by automatically moving to the fixed probe and probing. (except the first tool)

The below is something I am looking to set up.

1. The first tool will be probed via the mobile probe or zeroed by the user at the z height of the job.
2. At the end for running of the first tool path(s), the machine will move to a specified tool change position (set once only somewhere in UCCNC) and display a msgbox prompting the user to change the bit (showing the next bit number and bit description required)
3. The user will manually change the bit and then press ok (or continue).
4. The Machine will then move to the fixed probe location and then touch off the new bit and adjust the z height based on the height returned on the first tool (step 1).
5. Steps 2, 3 and 4 will loop/cycle until the entire job is run.

Thanks

[George M]

That's my process every time using Gers screen set 2022.
One more thing, after it zeros off of the set plate it should wait for you to click proceed so that you can remove the wire and install the dust boot.

[qldsteve]

Thanks George
I had forgotten about the dust boot. My probes don’t use a wire on the bit.

I have looked at Gers screen set , it looks good and I might still go down that path.

However, I have purchased an Axbb-e, a UCSB Single Port Breakout Board, and a genuine UCCNC licence.

I figure I should be able to get some sort of support around clarifying the answers to my questions from the manufacturer on their support forum without having to buy other items from a third party developer.

I have read the documentation and many posts, and given the amount of times it comes up here and on Facebook, it would likely be helpful to others in the future.

[BKG]

Q1 Probe the tool ofset after every include the first toolchange Use M31 Probe macro BTM (nead to configure it)
Q2 Use like this ex "t1 m06" (option for change location) Use mobile probe vith "Probing screen" to set worckpice hight
Q3 No

please corekt me if some vrong

Sorry for my lousy English

[dezsoe]

qldsteve,

A bit late, but I try to answer your questions.

Use mobile probe mode. I'll rename these modes later to prevent confusion. The fixed probe mode will be something like TLO, I haven't decided it yet, but you may find out that it will support tool length measurements for using the tool table and tool length offset (G43/G44). The idea behind the "mobile probe mode" was that you have one probe and a place where you can put it. You can use the same probe to find points on the workpiece and/or measure tool length. However, if you have a fixed probe and another that you put on the workpiece then you still need to use this mode. (Or you don't have a second probe: the 1.3.4.2 fixed the bug which didn't count with the gage height in manual probe mode. In manual probe mode you have to jog to a position and tell the program that this is the point that you wanted to find.)

First you need to reference the workpiece. To do this you have to press reference current/probe as workpiece. Reference current will assume that the spindle is set to the zero point on the workpiece (or in a distance set by the gage height), ref. probe will start a probe where the spindle is. After this the spindle moves to the mobile probe position and probes again. The probing plugin will now know the offset (in Z if G17 is active) between the surface and the mobile probe.

To manually change tool you have more possibilities. The simplest is that you set "Stop spindle and wait for cycle start": at M6 it stops then you move to the tool change position (even using any of the park buttons) and after tool change you press start probing to move to the mobile probe position and measure the tool. The probing plugin will set the zero according to the saved offset. Then you press cycle start to continue the job. The other option is to use an M6 macro which does the same but automatically: moves to the tool change position and waits for you to change the tool then probes the new tool and starts the cycle again. Of course, if you use an M6 macro then you need to select "Run the tool change macro (M6)". This second option is exactly what you replied to BKG.

The tricky part of the M6 macro is that you cannot jog while the cycle is started. Because the probing process also executes movements, you cannot use the probe screen while the cycle is started. This means that the M6 has to stop the cycle, do what it has to do and at the end it has to restart the cycle. However, there is an issue with the macro management in UCCNC, so you must not call another macro from M6, because then you cannot restart the cycle automatically.

[qldsteve]

qldsteve,
..
To manually change tool you have more possibilities. The simplest is that you set "Stop spindle and wait for cycle start": at M6 it stops then you move to the tool change position (even using any of the park buttons) and after tool change you press start probing to move to the mobile probe position and measure the tool. The probing plugin will set the zero according to the saved offset. Then you press cycle start to continue the job. ...

Thank you Dezsoe, I understand more now and after following your advice, I have had some success with your steps quoted above.

One path did an air pass around 6mm too high. I suspect I used the wrong probe height settings (probes are different heights)

Can you please guide on the recommended practice for below?

Having to use both probes as mobile probes and not one as a fixed probe is presenting a problem.
1.Probes are different heights, 1 is (fixed ) around 2mm below bed level and the other sits about 22mm above the job z height.
Not keen on having to change the gauge height settings value each time.

Also FYI, below is an error I received.
On cycle, the 2nd bit was shorter than the 1st, and during probing I received an out of limits error. My limits and the positions looked all ok. I changed the retract height value from zero to one. This seems to have sorted to limits error out.

Thanks.

[qldsteve]

Dezoe, I just tried your second option using a M6 Macro.

Below is a summary of the steps you mentioned.

Option 2. Uses M6 macro and automatically: moves to the tool change position and waits for you to change the tool, then probes the new tool and starts the cycle again.
When using a M6 macro, you need to select in settings" Run the tool change macro (M6)" (once only, press save settings).

I did the below for reference:
• Added my gage height of the probe that sits on the workpiece into the mobile probe settings.
• Then I selected Zero Probe Axes and Axis 1 Count Gage.

The video from Tomahawk on YouTube was also helpful and a M6 Macro found on the FB group
All appears to be working well, thank you Dezsoe, George M , BKG and the Author of the M6 Macro for your assistance.

[Snoopyrider]

Gents,
Please advise me, i am soooo confused. First time i start to work with automatic tool probing.
I use the attached M6 which includes also tool lenght probing. I managed to costumize to my machine, all seems to work as it should. I just dont understand what should happen after exec.Code("G44 H" + Currenttool + "").
- i see that the that after touching 2nd time the probe, the Tool offset field is updated with the pre definied Tool Z offset from the tool table, but i dont think that should happen because then i see no use of the probe.
- let assume that "my G53 Z0 is G54 100 and G54 Z0 is the top of the work piece. G code finished work with the 1st tool. As SolidCam generates the code, now comes the M6 T5 H10. Machine does tool change and probing" What will be the G53 and G54 Z0?
- in SolidCam i also need to specify tool lenght, what would that effect?
- Before i used Mach 3 with M31, there i remember in the macro was some probe hight definition and Getvar and so, but in the attached M6 i dont have them. Do i missing them?

My goal is (ofcourse) that every time Solidcam G code calls M6 the new tool Z0 should be always the top of workpiece (or where i set 1st)
Thanks in advance for your help.