I had pointed out in the past that when you perform a tool change CamBam assumes the machine is exactly where it was before the tool change. This can sometimes result in ruined work pieces and destroyed cutters. I fixed the problem with the Mach 3 based machines by saving the current coordinates at the beginning of the tool change macros and returning to them at the end of the tool change macro. On my PathPilot controlled machine I just perform tool changes with a Z clearance move, so X&Y do not change. Since that machine has a quick change spindle and all the tool lengths are stored in the tool table I do not need to move it to touch off again.
I pretty much thought I had that issue worked out. Until today.
I was using G54 and G55 to machine two parts at once. The header for each MOP has the appropriate offset command. I've done this before. Its handier than nesting because I can locate the work piece in each vise with each work offset. I don't have to know where the stock is going to be when I write the code. I just locate the stock when I load it in the vises. Works great. Until you have back to back features in different work offsets that have a concurrent end & start coordinate. It just goes to the coordinate that changed, and remains at the one that didn't. Since there is no tool change (kind of the point) and its actually going to a different machine coordinate it can ruin, not one but two work pieces.
I hear you. I hear you. How is Cam Bam supposed to know you switched the offset. Regardless its still a problem. 3hrs into a job today it bit me on the very last operation. Cutting a pair of simple slots in each work piece. Fortunately I had just walked up to the machine in time to see it slice the first work piece and was able to stop it before it sliced the second. I hand coded a fix into the MOP headers, but there's got to be a better way.
This lends itself to a feature request...
