[skmetal7]

Hey guys. I'm having a problem with Mach3 and jogging, It won't let me jog during a tool change. So I can't re-zero my z axis. I'm using a smoothstepper to control my servo drives, so I'm not sure if it's that or Mach3. I tried jogging with the keyboard and with the software MPG when you press "tab", neither work. The DROs don't change. If I press STOP, then I can jog, but then I have to do a "run from here." The "jog on/off" button is green at all times.

[Jon.N.CNC]

Hey guys. I'm having a problem with Mach3 and jogging, It won't let me jog during a tool change. So I can't re-zero my z axis. I'm using a smoothstepper to control my servo drives, so I'm not sure if it's that or Mach3. I tried jogging with the keyboard and with the software MPG when you press "tab", neither work. The DROs don't change. If I press STOP, then I can jog, but then I have to do a "run from here." The "jog on/off" button is green at all times.

It is Mach 3 infact most control software does not allow jogging during a program run.

If you apply a safe z move after toolchange, you stop program, jog z to zero, set and run, it shouldnt require a run from here move if you only jog z and not X and Y.

It's not ideal but think the toolchange macro is more for atc's using tool holders and pre configured tool lengths.

There may be a way of doing it without a stop with automatic tool measuring with a probe, it would require a dwell period to allow manual tool change but not sure if you can get a macro to feedhold so as a manual resume can be made to confirm tool change has taken place.

[mactec54]

skmetal7

When you are running a program, you should not be able to use the Jog, you should preset your tools and make the tool change position move to where you can do your tool change, Mach3 is doing what it should do correctly

[skmetal7]

I can jog the z and rezero the tool on my other mill just fine. Maybe it's my gcode, I never ran this program on the old mill. I'll have to take a look at it when I get home. Normally what I do is the program will stop at an m1, I do my tool change, rezero z and press cycle start. Am I not supposed to do it that way? I can't possibly have every tool zeroed out in a tool table, I don't have any kind of quick change system (like tormach's).

[skmetal7]

Ok so I tried running the program with m1 ignored in mach and now I can jog the z axis to zero the tool. Maybe the smoothstepper won't let mach jog when you have m1 active in mach, since I can jog on my other mill that doesn't have a smoothstepper.