ACU-RITE MILLPWR 3 Axes - Manual (Page 185)

SETUP
MILLPWR ®
Operation Manual
All tool lengths originate from datum. There are several different ways to establish datum, such
as “touching off” with an empty spindle, using a repeatable standard or using an electronic edge
finder (refer to Establishing Datum).
If you begin setting the tool length offsets by setting Datum using an electronic edge finder it
must have a fixed and repeatable length. The current tool information cannot have a length value.
All of the tool length offsets in the program will be the difference in length between the tool and
the edge finder.
When defining tool length offsets in the Tool Step, touch each tool to the same surface and press
the
TEACH TOOL LENGTH softkey to establish the tool length.
Once you have identified the tools you will be using, you can program the length offsets into the
tool steps.
Entering the first tool
Decide on a method that you will use to set your Z-axis datum. You can choose to set your Z-axis
datum with the spindle nose (without a tool inserted), using a repeatable standard, or using a 3-D
electronic edge finder. To begin your Tool Library, set the current tool information in the status
bar so the tool length is zero. In our example, we begin with the spindle nose to set datum zero. If
you wish to use the ACU-RITE 3-D electronic edge finder, or a tool holder with a repeatable
standard, then place it into the spindle instead.
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