Now that I have apparently sussed out how to set up and use rigid tapping (RT) on the Acorn, I want to focus on getting my automatic probing and tool setting functions working again.
The original installation I was given had a software release problem - they had forgotten to actually enable the RT functions in the full cream "digitization" version of v10. Bit of an issue, given the description of the product and the $330 upgrade price tag. The solution was to install a beta development version (v11). But that had an issue with the probing functions (something to do with a missing file). Bit of a shit storm, this.
So, the simplest solution is just to downgrade(?) back to v10 by renaming the directory of the previous CNC12 v10 installation back to the default c:\cncm name. Then everything works again. The Beaglebone Green gets automatically reflashed when you power up and then after a power cycle you are ready to go.
In my case, I went through all the parameters to ensure I have the latest settings, as I changed some of them since the reinstall. Job done - and it works fine as before. And with my dummy probe plug, I don't get the annoying "jogging with probe" error message when I jog when the Renishaw probe is unplugged.
Raising block for the tool touch probe:
The "tool length vs quill movement" issue is a major PITA for turret mills like The Shiz and the classic Bridgeport machines. The conventional recommendation is to choose a reference tool that is longer than the longest tool you plan / expect to use. That's all very well, but generally I try to minimise the tool stickout as much as possible. In my situation, I'm tempted to go the other way - choose a reference tool that is closer to the shortest tool I expect to use ie something like the ideal target length for my tools.
The worst culprits tend to be things like keyless / keyed drill chucks and possibly my tension / compression tapping chuck. There is a place for those and if I were planning to drill and tap a lot of holes, I probably wouldn't be mixing those operations with a load of other (shorter) tools. In the meantime, for one or two drilling operations, I will tend to go for collet mounted stub drills.
To illustrate the problem - the remaining quill movement available for machining moves is compromised by the range of tool lengths for the current job:
Remaining quill movement = [total quill travel (ie 140mm)] - [max tool length - min tool length]
So minimising that range of tool lengths is critical. Noting that the machining moves must include the G54 touchoff and any tool setting with the reference tool, it makes sense to do tool length measurements at around the same Z height as the work Z zero.
So I need to rise my tool touch setter to somewhere close to the top of the vise jaws. Currently it's a couple of inches below.
I found a nice piece of 6082T6 that I got from the offcuts bin at Simmal last year.
Drill through 12.5mm, then counterdrill 25.5mm:
Face off:
Open up and clean up the counter bore with a nice little carbide boring tool (CCGT060204 insert):
Face off the other side:
Slight relief, to ensure it sits on the table:
Drill and tap two M5 holes:
Held to table by M12 stud into tee nut:
Reset the tool setter coordinates in the Acorn controller and it's back to a working state again. This time, the touch surface is close to the top of the vise:
There.
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