[kbo004]

I have been using a Fadal VMC 3016 for about a month now with and without success. The spindle keeps trying to drop through the part that I am working on. Every time I start I jog the xyz coordinates to the cs home points on the machine. I then pull the switch to shut down and pull it to start back up. After start i type cs to do a cold start. I then jog my xy coordinates to the zero that I specified for my mcs within my model. I then bring my z to the level of the mcs(1.0 inches above my part) and set the length of my tool (tool 1). I then remove the tool so as to avoid plunging my tool into my piece. I then input and run this very simple gcode:

N0010 G0G17G40G80G90
N0020 M5m9H0
N0030 T1M6
N0040 G0 G90 X.4267 Y-5.3314
N0050 G43 Z-.5 H1

Sometimes I can run the code and it works like a charm. Sometimes I end up with the spindle colliding with my part. Not only is this incredibly frustrating I am worried about the health of my fadal if I continue to make whatever error I am making. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[txcncman]

I do not understand the process of starting, then shutting down, then restarting. This should not be necessary.

Are you ever using or enabling a work offset (E1, etc.) during any of this process? What values do you have entered for the work offsets for Z?

[kbo004]

I completely agree about the starting, shutting down, and restarting. I am doing this sometimes because I forget to place the xyz coordinates back in the home position before the machine is shut off.

Whenever I look in the offsets settings, the first offset for the tool is .2020202e-x-7.555. The -7.555 looks like the length of the tool that I set. To answer your question I do not use a e1 code or anything though.

[txcncman]

One thing I see is that it looks like you have "H0" (zero), not "HO". I do not see why that would be creating an intermittent problem, unless you are keying it in as H0 one time and HO another time.

[kbo004]

I wasn't specifying g54 e1 so the fadal wasn't finding my offsets correctly. Thanks for your help txcncman.

[txcncman]

I wasn't specifying g54 e1 so the fadal wasn't finding my offsets correctly. Thanks for your help txcncman.

You are welcome.