Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Rotary indexer - Lathe Tool Changer

I hope to make these type of toolchangers -
and will use cnc. (Partly).
For many good reasons.

Like ability to adjust tool position (live tooling is therefore possible),
ability to use shortest path to next tool (faster toolchanges).
I may (optionally) run the toolchanger with a separate pc - we shall see.

The mechanical part ill be slightly different to most -
we will see how it works.

My indexabe tools to test with were ordered nov 26th ...
and I may finally get them monday.
My timing belts have been sent twice, and I have still not received them.

Spain is a thirld world corrupt country in many ways ....
8 out of last 9 international packages have now failed.
The courts over here are of no use in these kinds of things.

So I´m about 3 months behind ... (And just a bit frustrated).

I hope to show the toolchangers in about 2 months.

David A. Frantz wrote:

>
> You might want to consider a different approach than CNC if you can find
> an indexing drive real cheap someplace. Go this route and you can
> index the tool holder with a simple DC motor. You would need a PLC to
> take care of control and position sensing but that can be rather cheap,
> you also have the option of doing the control on a spare PC.
>
> Implemented right all you would need is the tool postion value from
> whatever CNC controller you are using. So if you are talking tool 5
> you just drive the indexing motor until position 5 locks in. The
> biggest problem is tool position sensing which can become a pain if you
> have much more than sixteen positions.
>
> I see some advantages to keeping the indexers control out of the CNC
> code, but frankly that depends on what CNC package you are using. Some
> like EMC are trying to integrate PLC control into the CNC package.
> Potentially a good thing.
>
> Dave
>
> roboticscnc wrote:
> >
> > Hi Group,
> > I'm in the process of making a Lathe Tool Changer and am wondering how
> > this would be controlled in Mach 3.
> > Would you use a normal encoder with 1 Index pulse per rev for a home
> > position as well as A,B channels ?
> > Has someone written a program to run in Mach 3 to control this ? It
> > could be just considered a rotary axis but would be easier to use if a
> > "T" Command went to the appropriate tool position.
> > Thanks,
> > Glen.
> >
> >
>
> __._,_._