[GM81]

Good morning folks! I am in a bit a predicament and I am pretty sure I already know the answer but here goes anyway. I am drilling some .250 holes 9.500 deep. I am using 4 different drill lengths to get to depth. The problem is cutting air. when I get to the last, longest drill the hole is already 3.75 deep. What I would like to do is start at Z-3.65 but retract to a Z-.125 as far as I can tell there is no way of doing this without writing a macro, which I have never done before or writing a bunch of short drill cycles and retracting to clear chips in between which is a bit ridiculous. Is there an easy way of going about this? I have 18 parts with 4 holes each, cutting air is killing me as is stands my cycle time on these holes is just over an hour.

Thanks for reading and offering any suggestions. :cheers:

[Smokio]

Our Fadal also has this problem, it refuses to accept drill cycles with a start point below z0. Have you tried a datum shift for each hole, so that the point where the last drill stopped is your new z0?

[lesr]

Hi Guy

Take a look at EditComm, this software will allow you to produce expanded ISO code very easily.

EditComm - CNC communication software - Les Robbins CNC Services

regards

Les Robbins

[Paul_S]

If I understand your problem, you want to rapid to the next level of drill depths.

Start your clearance plain peck cycle your chosen minimum above material, use G98. And for each different drill have your R word below the material just above the last depth for the R plain of the next drill and its depth. If drill breakage is a risk, add a program stop M0 after each drill before next tool change to check before starting next drill sequence.

If your post & CAM software will not make this type of output, make those few edits by hand.