[Dennis Fletcher]

I need to mill out a rounded bottom cavity but I need to tool comp for my 1/2 inch ball endmill. Before you ask, No I can not get the CAM software to do the comp. So can I get the Haas to do tool comp if I select the x-z plane then just do a G41 or G42? Does this even work?

[jessebpm]

I may be wrong but i think if you try using g41 or g42 in any other plane than g17 you will get an alarm. The alarm will probably say something like cutter comp illegal in x-z plane

[Matt@RFR]

It's right in the manual.

If cutter radius compensation is selected (G41 or G42), you may only use the XY plane (G17) for circular motion.

[JohnJW]

Can you use the G43 Tool lenght comp to compensate for the z axis and then the G41 for the X?

[jessebpm]

No as i said last night if you comand a G41 or G42 in any other mode than G17. You will get an alarm.

[dcoupar]

It's right in the manual.

Here's the section from the manual Matt was referring to.

[JohnJW]

I mean, if he is cutting a rounded bottom cavity using XZ moves, can't he just G43 tool comp/tool length offset to adjust for the depth? If he is using XY moves with stepped Z, he also use G43 to adjust for depth and G41 to adjust for the XY dimension of the cavity, right?

Does using XZ moves for round cavities give a better finish?

[Autumn]

Try G141 I believe that this is 3D cutter comp.

[Jaxbubba]

Depending on your control, you will have to give it a command to change to an XZ plane, G17 is the XY plane for a Fanuc Style Control, If I remember right, I'm old. the G18 or G19 command will change the cutter plane to an
XZ plane which will allow you to use your current cutter comp number and the same offset table for cutter dia. But remember that you will have to imput the G17 command in the next line to bring you back to normal XY programming.