Feature Request - Regarding Shared Bit Locations

[Tommy Wieler]

Just me thinking out loud again...
We have several bits that share the same location. Usually, proper bit locations are sorted out before the operator starts a job. However, for example, there are times when the previous job ended with using Bit #219 from location #9, and the next job starts with Bit #159 from location #9. Since these bits share a location, THM assumes that it already has #159 in the spindle since location #9 is loaded. So it's up to the operator to remember to manually unload 219, and replace it with 159 before starting the next job. It would be neat if THM would check the bit number currently loaded in spindle, and if it isn't correct, at least display a warning that an operator has to acknowledge before the machine starts cutting. This warning would have two buttons.
1. Unload 2. Continue
If operator selects Unload, the machine would unload the bit, then wait for user input before continuing the program.
If operator selects Continue, the program would begin cutting as usual. This option needs to be there as well, since we also have several bits configured with different parameters, but in reality, it's the same bit.

Thanks for reading my ramblings, and have a great day!

[Clint Buechlein]

Tommy,

I'll put in a feature request for some form of handling when tools match like that. There are current customers who take advantage of sharing positions to do clean up passes or skin cuts by having two tools set to the same location with different diameters or daylights for hand written programs. So for those customers then its an extra prompt that stops their program when it never did before. Then its how do we turn this feature on and off and make easy enough for the user, etc etc.

-Clint-

[Tommy Wieler]

I understand the difficulty... Maybe it would involve something like adding a checkbox in Tool Setup, where a tool can be designated as being a "multi-use" tool...
It's not a terribly urgent issue... just trying to think of ways to make the machine more rookie-friendly