[dtheweather9]

Greetings

I'm working on trying to setup a customized tool lifetime macro on one of our fanuc machines.
The unit has a very handy System Parameter, #6754, which tracks the cutting time (time operating only on G01,02,03, etc).
I'd like to be able to use that System Parameter as a Macro variable, but I haven't seen anything where we're able to read a system parameter into a variable for the g program. Is this something that's possible to do?
I've seen mention of setting System Parameters using G10, but thats not particularly useful here as I'd need the value.

Thanks
DMP

[fordav11]

that's a nice theory but it's not possible to read parameters into memory and use those numbers elsewhere.

you could probably use the macro time function to store time data in a user variable.
before cutting read the current time. read the time again at the end of the cutting, subtract the 2 numbers and you have your cutting time. then store the number in a variable (etc). store your tool life time in another variable.

#500=#3012 (read time and store in #500)
...
(cutting here)
...
#501=#3012 (read time and store in #501)
#502=#501-#500 (calculate time that has passed and store in #502)
IF [#502 LT #510] GOTO N100 (skip alarm if expired time is not more than the pre-set tool life time in #510)
#3000=1(TOOL LIFE EXPIRED)
N100 (just continue on)

you'll also need to work out exactly what the time number is. the subtraction will probably give you the time that has passed in seconds so you'll need to do some trial and see what is output.

in reality it's a lot of work to keep track of all of the numbers of multiple tools for something that is already there. all you need is the tool life management option.

[samu]

It's not absolutely impossible but it involve ladder editing. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/fanuc/...s_program.html. I'm not an expert about that but some guys here could probably help you if you wanna know more about that option.
With the pmc Window read function you can read a parameter(sub51 function code 17), then with window write function you can write this parameter to a macro variable(sub52 function code 22)

[drdos]

Sometimes we over think tool life. We think we need the accuracy of cut time versus cycle counts. The truth is cycle count is as accurate as cutting time, the only difference is the the preset value. Keep track of how many cycles a tool can last for the set your tool life to that number of counts. The only reason you would need real cut time is when you are running many different jobs all the time and have no consistency with cycle times.