Chuck
A word of caution.
If you put the Gcode, something like G53 X.position Y.position Z.position
or G28 in the tool change portion of the post processor then if you then want to use Gcode
from another cam program say for example “fusion” in the future then you have to make or
modify fusion’s or whatever cam programs you use, post processor.
If you put the Gcode for the tool change position in the Mach3 tool change macro then the
Gcode from cambam or any other cam program just has to output, to change tool six
for example, “T6: M6”.
However, if you just want to home the spindle during a manual tool change
and only ever intend to use cambam for your Gcode generator and you have limit
switches and you have homed the machine then you can put the Gcode in the cambam
post processor tool change section. G28 see pic
If mach3 is not configured to ignore tool changes then the spindle will raise to the
clearance plane stop rotating, go to the home position and wait for you to change the tool,
This positions the tool at the home position however, this may not be the most
convenient place to change the tool, maybe you want the spindle to move to the front
of the machine in the middle of the Y axis travel.
So, you want to park the spindle in some specified location ‘parking is not homing’
even though you can ‘park at the home position’ for use with linear tool changers or
manual tool changes where the home position is not where you want to do the tool change
use G53 which uses the machine co-ordinate system or G30.
Dave
