Offline presetting tools

[tcncj]

Hi

I'm curious if this will work...
I want to do offline presetting of my tools. Just the toollength, I don't care about diameters.
Those fancy toollength setters are an option. But way too many features for what I want,
I just want to set lengths and that's it. So the machines can keep running while I set the tools for the next jobs.

I'm thinking about a block with a taper that matches the toolholder (bt30/and 40)
Using a reference tool in the machine (measure it with a manual height setter clock) so I know it's length,
Then measure the same tool in the block on the digital height gauge (tesa micro hite magna) and reference it so it matches.
Touch off all tools based on this reference points.
I can export these values to Excel and fill these values in on the machine.

Does this make sense?

If so....
I need to make a steel block that matches the taper of the toolholder. Which acts as a repeatable reference point.
Because I don't think a block with a hole in it and resting the holder on the flange will give the desire results (some is BT30, and some BBT40 tools). Who will say the flange is the same for all toolholder manufacturers, and it doesn't work for BBT anyway.
But... letting the tool rest on the taper of the holder/block should give good results.

 

[rklopp]

I do what you are proposing using a 50-40-taper adapter supported by its flange on a surface plate. The tool tapers fit the adapter taper nicely. I zero my height gauge against my Haimer Taster with its probe pressed down to zero with the height gauge scribe, and then use the Haimer as the master in the machine to pick up my Z reference. I now rarely use a manual height setter in the machine. Of course I still have the risk of fat-fingering a length - I have no easy way to pick data off the height gauge and send it to the machine control electronically. I suppose if I had an SPC cable and some software ... (Mac-specific)??

 

[5 axis Fidia guy]

How are you going to pull that tool down into the CAT taper? Just setting it in there won't be very accurate. It takes seconds to shoot a tool thru a laser on the machine, is it really worth it?

 

[rklopp]

How are you going to pull that tool down into the CAT taper? Just setting it in there won't be very accurate. It takes seconds to shoot a tool thru a laser on the machine, is it really worth it?

It's kind of tough to use a laser you don't have (antique machine). I have not had an issue with a difference between setting the tool in the surface plate taper versus drawbar pull into the machine taper. Any difference is small and accounted in wear offset easily enough if it matters.

 

[gbent]

The flange on the tool holder has 10 times the accuracy of the rest of the method you have proposed.

 

[rklopp]

The flange on the tool holder has 10 times the accuracy of the rest of the method you have proposed.

??? The flange is irrelevant unless it’s a dual-contact machine using dual-contact tooling, which mine is not.

 

[tcncj]

I do have Renishaw toolsetter. But I want to set tools offline. I don't want to spend time setting up tools in the machine while it can be making parts. Yes I can buy a dedicated presetter if this won't work. Do they pull the tool down in the taper?

I have two ground blocks that matches the spindle taper. Will let you know if it works or not

 

[Zeuserdoo]

I do have Renishaw toolsetter. But I want to set tools offline. I don't want to spend time setting up tools in the machine while it can be making parts. Yes I can buy a dedicated presetter if this won't work. Do they pull the tool down in the taper?

I have two ground blocks that matches the spindle taper. Will let you know if it works or not

We have one and yes they do "pull" down the taper, but not by the retention knob. It uses a vacuum to pull it down, I doubt that the vacuum makes much of a difference vs. just sitting in the taper.