[ballistic42]

Hello I was looking to create an ATC for my mill. I was wondering if anyone with a Tormach ATC Mach3 Screen set would be willing to share the ATC screen set page or the Macro for the M6 tool change. I am trying to learn how the pages are put together so that I can design my own. I know the page would not work for my machine but again I am looking for examples.

Thanks,

[TXFred]

You can download the version of Mach3 for an ATC from Tormach's website. That will give you a copy of the two ATC screens that you could work with.

[ballistic42]

Yes I found it and looked at it. I did find that Tormach uses a plugin not a Macro for their tool changer. I have decided to go about it on my own with help from others to write an ATC Tool Macro. I have the Macro Programmers Reference Manual, VB Scripting Manual and other good reads. I should be able to figure this out. I am finding it's not as easy as taking a Mach3 page from someone and incorporating it into mine.

Here is what I am trying to do.

1. Move the Z to safe Z location
2. Move the X,Y to the tool change location
3. Activate Output 3 which is the ToolChanger Carousel Air Cyclinder Valve (this is to push the carousel under the spindle)
4. Select the empty slot in the carousel tool changer to drop the tool from the spindle.
5. Move the Z Spindle down to drop the tool into the carousel. Activate Output 4 for PDB.
6. Activate Output 4 Power Draw Bar air cylinder valve to drop the tool in the carousel.
7. Move Z spindle up to safe Z (so that the tool carousel can change to new tool)
8. Deactivate Output 4.
9. Tool carousel rotates to get new tool requested.
10. Z spindle moves down to clamp new tool
11. Activate Output 4 To operate PBD
12. Z spindle moves up to safeZ location
13. DeActivate Output 3 causes Tool carousel to retract
14. Move X and Y back to machine position
15. Move Z down to top of part to continue milling

[TXFred]

I see, you're after the code that operates the ATC. From your original post, got the impression that you wanted to use some of screen elements (buttons and images).

As you say, the Tormach ATC handles its logic via its own system board, and it communicates to Mach via the plugin. So you won't be able to use the Tormach ATC program to drive your DIY ATC.

Frederic

[rwskinner]

There was a screen shot of the ATC screen I made that goes along with my macro. It was pretty simple except you have to create the screen and make button scripts to do what you want.
Most of it just handles setting up the default positions and speeds for the DRO's the macro uses. These could easily be inserted directly into the M6 macro. There is a button that loads the Mach Tool table into the user DRO's as well.

ToolDRO = 2010
LengthDRO = 2030

For I = 1 To 12
ToolNum = GetUserDRO(ToolDRO + (I-1))
ToolOffset = GetToolParam(ToolNum,2)
SetUserDRO(LengthDRO + (I-1),ToolOffset)
If ToolOffset < 0.001 Then
MsgBox("Tool Length not set for Tool # " & ToolNum)
End If
Next I


Remember, you can put any tool number into any slot, so there is an array for the slots that hold which tool is in which slot, then once you have the tool # you can call the function to return the tool length offset from the Mach Tool table.
Pretty rusty at this because I mainly use the machine and hadn't played with the code in awhile. No, I will not be supplying screen sets or code. There is a certain amount of satisfaction from being creative and creating your own stuff.
My stuff was quick and nasty and needed tons of clean up, but it works fine. My M6 macro has evolved a little since then as well with more safety checks and air pressure monitoring and other small things.

Richard