Tool Change

[JamiePhillips]

Is it possible to get the Xcarve to do a manual tool change? I can’t seem to be able to generate a tool change within the CAM software as the G code format for Universal Gcode Sender doesn’t support multiple tools. I’m currently playing with aspire on their free trial. Also Universal g code senders’ reset zero just comes up with an error with the latest grbl firmware so there would be no way to reset the zero after a tool change, unless I manually typed in the g-code.

[DanBrown]

I’m interested here too, I have a number of ideas that will require multiple tools… MeshCAM sends an M6 for tool-change.

[BartDring]

Typically most people generate separate files for each tool. All CAM software I have used allows you to do that.

Grbl does not allow you to save tools offsets (the length of the tool), so you need to re-zero the Z after each tool change anyway.

[DanBrown]

Ok, so with GRBL it’s more or less just handled as several separate machining operations with a common X-Y zero, then. Sounds easy enough to me, thanks Bart!

[JamiePhillips]

Different files makes a lot of sense. The issue I may encounter is, with some programs you can do a roughing pass and then the finishing path will clear up what the roughing pass has missed. If I had a separate file for roughing and finishing, the finishing path would see that the model has had no previous roughing pass and would attempt to cut the entire model, even though most had been removed via roughing,

[DanBrown]

In MeshCAM, anyway, I can save the different parts of the program separately. At the “save toolpaths” portion, where I post the toolpaths, I can select the roughing toolpath and each of the different finishing toolpaths separately. I’ll probably just save then into a folder titled with the part name, numbered sequentially. “Rough”, “Finish 1”, “Finish 2”, etc.

[JamiePhillips]

I never thought of that! thanks! I think aspire as the same feature

[WilliamPaukert]

I believe they are working on adding the two stage cut/tool change feature to Easel:

Continuing the discussion from Two stage cuts?:

@JeffTalbot

@ChrisWundram, @MikeMerzke, @AllenMassey: I’ve given each of you early access to test and provide feedback on Easel’s Roughing/Detail feature. If anyone else wants access, just let us know, and we’ll hook you up.

Here’s a little guide to how to test this early access feature. Keep in mind we are looking for feedback as to how we can make this feature better. It has a few rough spots right now in the workflow.

How to test the feature:

• By default, Easel will act just like it did before

• If you go into the Machine menu and check Use Detail Bit, you can then specify 2 bit sizes. The original bit size field will be treated as the larger “roughing” bit, and the new bit size field will be treated as the smaller “detail” bit:
  <img src=“//discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/6385b926d22682a6adce509239134da6e58a4abfe11.png” width=“319” height=“122”>

• When this box is checked, 2 things will be different:
  (1) Easel will generate 2 sets of toolpaths every time you click the Show Toolpaths button. Areas that can be cut with the roughing bit will be shown in light blue. Areas that can only be reached with the detail bit will be shown in dark purple.
  <img src=“//discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/6377e0bd61a0e3aff9b1d401e3caab23a915611296a.png” width=“285” height=“277”>
  (2) Every time you go through the walkthrough Easel will ask if you want to run a roughing pass or a detail pass.
  <img src=“//discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/639c32efe7276b6cb3655dfedcb43f6ec43670eb302.png” width=“690” height=“247”>

• If you select a roughing pass in the walkthrough, Easel will ask you to confirm your larger bit size, and then it will proceed to cut only the areas of the design that are reachable with that bit size. It will also skip all “outline” elements, which it will save for cutting on the detail pass.

• If you select a detail pass in the walkthrough, Easel will ask you to confirm your smaller bit size, and then it will proceed to cut only the areas that the smaller bit can reach but that the larger bit could not reach. It will also cut all outline shapes.

• After you’re finished with the roughing passes, you’ll need to change your bit. This is main the part of the feature that we have not finalized yet, which is why it’s still in early access. The current process is pretty much left up to the user. What I usually do is try very carefully not to move the spindle in the X/Y direction by making sure the motors are locked before changing the bit (if your motors are not always locked, you can lock them by using the machine controls on the right side of the walkthrough window). If you need to raise the Z axis to change bits, you can also use the jogging controls to do this. After you’ve changed bits, ideally without moving X/Y, you will need to jog the spindle to the original Z zero. I usually use the jogging controls to do this. Then you can start the detail run as described above, making sure to set a new zero point.

[DanBrown]

I saw that in Easel, that’s going to be REALLY nice for getting corners and stuff! In my case, though, most of my work will be from solid models and external G-code. Which, unfortunately, tend to be nowhere NEAR as awesomely easy to use. Specifically, most of mine will end up being, say, roughing the shape with a quarter-inch square end mill, then coming back with an eighth-inch ball-nose for profile finishing, then a .020 drill or so to put in a couple holes.

[MichaelDujardin]

Hi William I would like to get access to this feature.