I'm going to try documenting my setup of a Haas VF2 with an HRT-160 in BobCAD. I may eventually get around to the machine base and the spindle but I'm starting with the basics of the table and the rotary. This picture shows the Haas machine geometry I am working with and how the Machine Coordinate System is laid out. Looking straight down on the table, all X and Y Work Offsets are in the negative region. The tool is at the "Home" position in the upper right hand corner:

Attachment 207672

The rotary is positioned in the center of the table. Relative to the Machine Coordinate System:

G53 X-15.0000 Y-8.0000

One of my first questions/decisions is where Machine Coordinate Z0 should be. Trying to keep everything as accurate as possible, my first try would be to set Z0 up high at the tool change position:

Attachment 207674

I'm thinking this may not be practical as I have yet to see any of the BobCAD examples defined that way. The 3 axis machines have the top surface of the table as Z0 and the 4 axis machines establish Z0 as the center of the rotary. But I do want to check limits on the machine, use real Work Offsets, and basically make it as close as possible to the real world. This machine has a Renishaw probe and the way tools are set and offsets established will be important (I think). So is this the proper way to start? I don't know, right now I have the table as Z0 instead of the rotary and maybe that will be my first error but that's where I'm going to start.

Attachment 207676