[tropopv]

I am currently working with a nonprofit organization called The Geek Group on their training and demonstration Haas machines. These machines are not intended for production and are often used by people with little CNC experience. In order to protect the machines from damage, we were looking at ways to control how and where tool changes are made.

Currently we set parameter 81 to use M06 as a macro which reads:

O9000
M05
G00
G53 X0
G53 Z0
M99

This works exactly as intended, but requires an M code that isn't technically required to change tools on Haas lathes. If someone forgets to add the M06 before a tool change, they can still crash the machine.

Is there a better way to make absolutely sure that the turret is home prior to indexing? This machine is equipped with a tailstock so X needs to be clear first.

[Ydna]

I tried doing the same thing (I use a similar aliasing macro with mill toolchanges) but I could never get it to work with the lathes. The mills have the added use of M16 which makes it easy.

Nearest as I could tell, you could force your own alias code (like G06 or something unused) to run the position macro, but then it's required to always insert that into their G code.

At the college where I work, we instruct everybody to simply output a G53 x0. z0. coordinate before and during every toolchange. We have several sized machines, some where there's lots of room, but on others you almost have to go back to machine zero if there's any drills or boring bars installed. People usually catch onto it before too long...usually...

Anyway I'd love to hear anybody else's suggestions...

[Billetgrip]

G28 before the tool change works for us..

[tropopv]

G28 before the tool change works for us..

I agree with that for people who know what they're doing. I'm simply wondering if there's a way to protect the machine from those who don't

The M06 macro is working just fine and we can continue to work with that if needed. Alot of people who come in are already used to using M06 with a tool change anyway which is why I picked it for the alias.

[Ydna]

I don't like using G28 for students either. It's asking for trouble unless they know exactly how it's used. The other thing is it can do unwanted things to programmable tailstocks (lol)

[dcoupar]

I agree with that for people who know what they're doing. I'm simply wondering if there's a way to protect the machine from those who don't

The M06 macro is working just fine and we can continue to work with that if needed. Alot of people who come in are already used to using M06 with a tool change anyway which is why I picked it for the alias.

I agree with Billetgrip. G28 prior to a turret index (as shown in the Haas Lathe Operator's Manual example program) seems to me to be the best/safest way, rather than having them use a M06 command which isn't standard on the machine. In my experience, most CNC lathes don't use M06 to index the turret.

[tropopv]

I agree with Billetgrip. G28 prior to a turret index (as shown in the Haas Lathe Operator's Manual example program) seems to me to be the best/safest way, rather than having them use a M06 command which isn't standard on the machine. In my experience, most CNC lathes don't use M06 to index the turret.

As Ydna pointed out, we're concerned about tailstock interference, especially with long tools, with using just a G28 which is why the macro moves X to zero first.

This is not for me personally and it's also not for people with cnc lathe experience. I use G28 through an intermediate point in my code to avoid the tailstock. I suppose though that we could teach them to do the same rather than introducing an abnormal command.

Thanks for your input