manual tool change

[mark mcbride]

hello.

i have a bar style tool changer and i would like to use a tool that will not be in the changer. currently it is set up in the tool manager in the tool one position, i manually insert the tool and run rebuild each time i use it. are there any other options for this?

thanks
mark

[Daniel Vonderheide]

Mark, it depends on the version of software that your Thermwood machine is running. If your machine is running version 7 or higher, there is a procedure that can be run from the tool management. If you go to tool management, tool changer, there is the changer maintenance on. When you click this, it will allow you to manually remove the tool and insert another tool without having to put the machine in estop or leaving the file that you are in. You have to make sure though, that the tool being installed is called in the program and that it is either set for the same changer location as the previous tool or that it is set for no tool changer locations. Once you are finished with that tool, you would have to use the changer maintenance again to reinstall the original tool so that tool changes could continue automatically. You have to be very carefull when using this as it is easy to cause damage to the machine if a tool is not removed or installed correctly.

[mark mcbride]

we run an older version here. i'll keep doin what im doin. thanks for the sugestion.

mark