Smithy CNC Mills - Manual (Page 85)

The "POC" column contains an unsigned integer which represents the pocket
number (slot number) of the tool carousel slot in which the tool is placed. The
entries in this column must all be different.
The "FMS" column contains an unsigned integer whichrepresents a code num-
ber for the tool. The user may use any code for any tool, as long as the codes
are unsigned integers.
The "LEN" column contains a real number which represents the tool length off-
set. This number will be used if tool length offsets are being used and this pocet
is selected. This is normally a positive real number, but it may be zero.
The "DIAM" column contains a real number. This number is used if tool radius
compensation is turned on using this pocket number. If the programmed path
during compensation is the edge of the material being cut, this should be a pos-
itive real number representing the measured diameter of the tool. If the pro-
grammed path during compensation is the path of a tool whose diameter is
nominal, this should be a small number (positive, negative, or zero) represent-
ing the difference between the measured diameter of the tool and the nominal
diameter used when the G-code for the part was written.
The "COMMENT" column may optionally be used to describe the tool. Any type
of description is OK. This column is for the benefit of human readers only.
The units used for the length and diameter of the tool may be in either millime-
ters or inches, but if the data is used by an NC program, the user must be sure
the units used for a tool in the file are the same as the units in effect when NC
code that uses the tool data is interpreted.
The lines do not have to be in any particular order. Switching the order of lines
has no effect. If the same pocket number is used on two or more lines, which
should not normally be done, the data for only the last such line will persist and
be used.
9.2 Tool Compensation
Tool compensation can cause problems for the best of nc code programmers.
But it can be a powerful aid when used to help an operator get a part to size.
By setting and reseting length and diameter of tools in a single tool table, off-
sets can be made durring a production run that allow for variation in tool size,
or for minor deviation from the programmed distances and size. And these
changes can be made without the operator having to search through and cange
numbers in a program file.
SmithyCNC Programmer’s Reference Manual: Tool File & Compensation 9-3