Tool change issue

My design is made in Fusion 360. I used CAM in fusion 360 to output the NC file and have made sure that there is a pause for tool change. I use Carbide Motion to load the file. At the time of tool change, the cutter pauses, goes up in the z axis and a window in CM pops up saying to change tool. I do that but there I can’t figure how to reset the Z axis with the probe. If I just click ‘continue’, the S03 doesn’t know the height of the new tool and continues cutting at the wrong depth.

Any suggestions?

They suggest that you out put different program files for each tool change you have.

Alex, thanks. Would you happen to know if UGS requires the same?

Gunter, I do not use UGS but I know plenty of others on here do. Hopefully they’ll chime soon.

You can’t on Shapeoko 3.

Yes, UGS requires the same. The only reason tool changes work on nomad is because they intercept the tool change in the sender, then manipulate the machine and take care of the length adjustment with a built in tool length setter.

It’s theoretically possible to do all that in a sender for Shapeoko, but it’s honestly a lot easier to just break the job up into multiple parts anyway.

UGS does have a nice multi-file send tool that give you full control of the machine between files, but takes care of all the loading and such.

Official docs on this at: https://docs.carbide3d.com/tutorials/tool-change/

Surely it can’t be too hard to implement this with the Shapeoko if it runs on the same hardware as the Nomad?

I’m in the process of putting together something that at a tool change command will stop the spindle, move the tool to the front so I can change it, then I click continue and it will move to a fixed point on the machine where I’ll have a toolsetter placed, change the tool offset, start the spindle and continue the job.

I’m running my XXL LinuxCNC, which is super customisable but taking me a while to work out how to get what I want. I think some of the other guys on here had something similar working on CNCJS, which works with the CarbideMotion board.

Anything that talks GRBL will work with the CM board.

True, it’s probably not super hard to do, and I’ve wondered the same, but I also don’t think they’re just sitting around drinking coffee, they’re busy, there’s a lot to running a small business. Honestly, doesn’t bother me that much to have to have two toolpaths.

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Agreed, it probably isn’t hard to implement with GRBL, especially with the Macros available with CNCJS, UGS and the like.

I was certainly not taking a shot at the C3D guys, I think they do awesome work and have produced by far the best CNC router in it’s pricerange, and even challenges machines worth twice what it is. Add to that the fact they have developed software to design jobs and run the machine… all the while keeping customer service top notch.

I’m not bothered running separate toolpaths, I just like the idea of only setting the XYZ Zero once, then either pause for a toolchange if all tools are in one file, or when I load the gcode for the second tool having the machine do a tool length probe, change the tool length offset then continue with that file…

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