Moving from G54 to G55 without machine going to G30

PathPilot
1

Hi,

I have a Tormach 1100M stepper drive system, no tool changer. I use Fusion for design and generating G code and PathPilot on the machine… I have several parts to machine where I use G54 and G55. The two pieces of stock are at both ends of the vise. The operation uses 4 tools, and ordered by tool so tool 1 completes on G54, then moves over to G55 and so on. I want to have the machine go to the retract height instead of G30 when moving from 54 to 55. The tools range from a short endmill to a long drill bit in a chuck so simply changing G30 to a lower position isn’t great because I have to jog when I need to switch tools. I’m ok with going to high position for tool changes. Because Z travel is pretty slow, it adds about a full minute to a 6 minute operation.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I’m pretty green with CNC as I’m just moving over from all manual machining so if this is a basic issue, forgive my ignorance!

2

My instinct is G28, g28.1 but I’m not sure if it is work offset specific or how it works. I do know it will go straight through anything between current position and g28 position.

3

Is that z retract the max for the e 1100 or is your jog speed set incorrectly in fusion?

4

Kevin
Which post processor are you using?
Ed

5

Hi and thank you for the responses.

So I believe I’m using the tormach processor that I loaded from the fusion machine choices. The travel speed to move to G30 is maxed out which is still quite slow in z.

6

Kevin
Most of us use the Zoomspeed Post Processor for many reasons

among them is a selection box under Section 4 - Retraction

“Retract on WCS Change” - I have this set to “None”

doing this will give the effect you’re looking for

If you want or have to stay with the basic Fusion Processor
you will have to manually go through your G-code and remove the G30’s that are between your G54 and G55 operations . Just make sure you don’t remove any prior to a tool change

this will also stop a full retract when changing WCS
Ed

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7

Thanks Ed!

How do I get the zoomspeed post processor? Is it available from the pull down in fusion?
I understand what you mean about editing the gcode to remove those commands. That would be a new experience for me as I have never messed with the gcode.

Thanks again!

Kevin

8

Zoomspeed has a website owned and run by David Loomes who wrote the PP… its a free download there as well as several other nice things

Actually Tormach provides the PP buried in the files on your machine…under a folder called “Probing” I believe, but David had a major update last year so you would want that.

If you ever want to do in-process probing with fusion you will need his PP as well

Good luck
Ed

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9

Thanks Ed!

I’ll check that out.

Kevin

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10

Kevin,

In the post there is an option for “safe retracts and home positioning” and you can select the clearance height. You can also just move where G30 is on the machine.

You can do in process probing with the standard post as well but there are currently bugs if you are using metric programs.

Thank you,
Norman

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11

Just chiming in to point out you’ll find that superior post processor at xoomspeed Fusion post processor

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