ACU-RITE CNC 3500i - Manual (Page 225)

ACU-RITE 3500i 199
7.
3 Pr
obing Cy
cles
7.3 Probing Cycles
Tool, and Spindle Probe cycles
This section describes operation and an overview of the tool and
spindle probe canned cycles available on the 3500i CNC products. The
cycles provided perform the most common tool and spindle probing
functions. Custom cycles to perform specific functions can be written
using the primitive and parametric programming. If Probing has been
added post-sale, beside Machine Parameter changes, there may be
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) program modifications required.
The tool probe cycles are only supported on machines with automatic
spindle forward/reverse and spindle speed, and homing with a
permanent X, Y, and Z machine position. The method described
assumes the use of negative tool-length offsets. In this method, the
Tool-Length Offset (TLO) in the length column for each tool represents
the distance from the tool tip at machine home to top of work piece
and is a negative number. This method does not require the use of any
Z work coordinate offset to be active. This procedure finds the
effective tool diameter by turning the spindle on in reverse and
touching two sides of the probe stylus, then storing the tool's
diameter in the tool's diameter offset table.
The spindle probing cycles are designed to assist in part setup. Using
these cycles, one or more features (edges) of a part can be measured.
Using the data obtained with these measurements, calculations are
made that can be used to set a given fixture offset. It is also possible
to find the orientation angle of a part so as to not always have to align
the part exactly.
Tool and spindle probing does not allow rotation, scaling, and
mirroring. Plane is set to XY when these cycles are complete.
The use of all Tool Probe and Spindle Probe cycles
requires the purchase of the Touch Probing Cycles
Software Option, I.D. 648809-01. These cycles will not
execute, and will generate program stop errors if
attempted to be used without this option enabled on the
system SIK.