Gang Tooling auto tool change

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03 Apr 2016 16:50 #72631 by raglanlittlejohn
I'm trying to learn how to run a lathe on Linuxcnc. I'm using an old pc with BOB, and some drivers/steppers for testing. I've also fixed up a small variable speed motor and 60 slot disc, with three opto isolators for index, spindle phase a, and spindle phase b. I've made progress, and have got a working configuration with quadrature threading.
Seeing the Z stepper following the spindle speed change on a G76 cycle made the effort of learning very worthwhile.
I've now managed to get the tool offset table etc figured out, and can run a program with multiple tools. The program prompts for a tool change as it defaults to manual. Looking in the HAL file, I see the toolchange is set for manual.
My question is what changes are needed to run a lathe with gang tooling, so that the program will run to the end without prompting for tool change. I don't need an auto tool changer, I just need the tool offsets to come into effect.

Thanks,

John.

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03 Apr 2016 17:52 #72637 by andypugh

My question is what changes are needed to run a lathe with gang tooling, so that the program will run to the end without prompting for tool change. I don't need an auto tool changer, I just need the tool offsets to come into effect.


The minimum solution is just to short-circuit the tool-change request.
Instead of having:
net tool-change hal_manualtoolchange.change iocontrol.0.tool-change 
net tool-changed hal_manualtoolchange.changed iocontrol.0.tool-changed
net tool-prep-number hal_manualtoolchange.number iocontrol.0.tool-prep-number
You just need:
net tool-change-loop iocontrol.0.tool-change iocontrol.0.tool-changed

If you need to make a specific clearing move before the gang-plate re-posiitons you can probably put that in the INI file:
[EMCIO]
...
TOOL_CHANGE_POSITION = 0 0 50.8

You might also want to look at the sim/axis/lathe-fanucy sample config for a way to get a more lathe-like tool-change using just the T-command and no M6, and with optional wear offsets.
The following user(s) said Thank You: raglanlittlejohn, Scot

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03 Apr 2016 18:04 #72638 by andypugh
Going by the username, is it one of these that you intend t convert?
www.lathes.co.uk/raglan/page6.html

Maybe I should change my name to Holbrook Minor? (Sounds like something from Billy Bunter or Jennings books)

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03 Apr 2016 19:48 #72645 by raglanlittlejohn
I have got one of these (hence user name). Its in good order as I re conditioned it about 15 years ago (had bed strips re-ground, resurfaced under side of saddle etc). It does have a worn out leadscrew, and no gearbox, so would be a good candidate for conversion. My first priority is getting to grips with Linuxcnc.
Holbrook Minor sounds good, very high class!. I did reply to your first post, but forgot the code so not sure if it went. I'll make your chages
and let you know how I get on. It must be great to be able to re configure Linuxcnc, Thanks again for your help.

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03 Apr 2016 20:28 #72651 by raglanlittlejohn
Andy,
Just tried your minimum solution. the three lines to be removed were longer in my Hal. I backed up the original, removed the three lines, added your single line, and it works perfectly!. I'm very pleased to have it working. I've now backed up the new file.
I'll look into your other suggestions, but I want to get some gang tooling programs up and running first. Thanks again.

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03 Apr 2016 21:36 #72657 by andypugh

Holbrook Minor sounds good, very high class!.


Well, I would be higher class as Holbrook Major, and there was a model of that name in the range, but it is now fairly rare. Not nearly so rare as the "Magna" and "Marquis" though.

If you are interested, the conversion of my Minor to CNC is described here:
bodgesoc.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/holbrook1.html

I am trying out a few ideas I have had on other conversions, and I am spending an amount of money on it which would be hard to justify if there was anyone I had to justify it to.

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13 Oct 2019 04:09 #147785 by Scot
Replied by Scot on topic Gang Tooling auto tool change
This is literally years ahead of me entering the world of LinuxCNC. But this thread appears to be what I'm trying to do.

I've been running gang tool lathes for many years and I'm currently rebuilding two of them to put back into service.

Is there any way for you and I to communicate so that I can pick your brain to make my machines do what you've done?

Thanks in advance,

Scot

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13 Oct 2019 04:13 - 13 Oct 2019 04:17 #147786 by Scot
Replied by Scot on topic Gang Tooling auto tool change
I'm a few years late on this thread, but I'm trying to do basically the same thing with 2 lathes that started out as gang tool lathes and not conventional lathes.

The code is simple enough. But I'm unsure of where to put it in my files to make this work.

Any possibility we can elaborate on this subject?

Thanks,

Scot
Last edit: 13 Oct 2019 04:17 by Scot. Reason: I needed to clarify and elaborate on my descriptions.

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14 Oct 2019 07:53 #147859 by andypugh
What this describes is actually removing some code from the default setup.

Typically LinuxCNC is configured to pop-up a tool-change dialog. The changes described here simply remove that dialog.

LinuxCNC has at least two files for each machine config. There is an INI file that stores various kinds of data and there is the HAL file that wires all the signals together. (connecting axis outputs to step pulses on wires, that sort of thing)

Post 72637 shows a HAL file change that removes the tool change dialog, and an INI file change that sets up an automatic move prior to tool change.

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