How does it work?
Ballsum Tool Setters work by sending a 24 VDC signal through a signal cable when it is activated. Many CNC controls can read this signal and make calculations according to its Z position at the moment the signal was received thus automatically generating the tool height offset.
In which type of controller can Ballsum tool setter being installed ?
Ballsum Tool Setters will work on any control that can receive a 24 VDC signal as an input. The following is a list of industrial controllers that have this ability.
1. FANUC
2. SIEMENS
3. Mitsubishi
Though these are very well-known CNC controls, there are many others. For these industrial controllers, there is a function called G31. G31 is called skip signal function. A “Skip Signal Function” or G31 code will automatically stop the machine from moving once the CNC control sees the signal when the tool setter is triggered. Machine coordinates can be read to macro variables and decisions and calculations made accordingly.
Using this macro program
"G31 Zx x x Fx x x" Same as the G01 function
Z axis motion stops when G31 skip signal is triggered by tool setter, from 0 to 1;
About wiring a tool setter.
Find your manual book of Controller, find out where is the G31 port is.
Connect our tool setter(Blue,Black) to the G31 port before you do the installation , give a 24V/0V voltage to Red and White cable, then you may see the light on when you pressed the tool setter.
Check your controller, and lookup the manual about G31 signal to learn how to check the G31 is on or not.
Press toolsetter -> G31 detected.
When the signal is ready, you may start to install the tool setter into your CNC machine.
Use your CNC machine to make a cube stand let the tool setter fit your CNC table.basically, a square stand with 4 screw holes which can fixed the tool setter to your CNC table, and also do the flatness modulation.
When the tool setter is fixed, you are going to need to do the air blower , connect your air cable to tool setter, in the middle , put an air valve which connect to your controller giving a ON/OFF signal to turn the air valve on and turn it off before you do the automation tool setting process.
tidy up all the cables .
try the macro problem below(MDI mode) to exam the connection is ready or not.
G91 G1 G31 Z-18. F400. (mm/min)
G91 Z+.2 F200.(first touch)
G91 G31 Z-.1 F40(Second touch)
About tool setting process
1.Move your spindle to the top of tool setter, 10 or 30 mm higher
2.Turn on the air valve to clean the surface of the tool setter
3.Turn on the G31 detection
4.Move down your spindle with F50 to F200 process to touch the tool setter
5.When you first time touched the tool setter
G31 will return a Z-position number , set it to zero position , or record the position
When next time when you touched the tool setter,maybe after 10 cycles working or 100 cycles working
Compare the position with zero position, if there is any difference , this difference is the tool length difference.
if the difference is larger than your tolerance ,you may do the tool length calibration or tool changing process.
Reference
CNC marco program
http://www.pmpa.org/docs/technical-conference/cnc-programming-workshop.pdf
Probing using G31 (Fanuc)
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-machining/probing-using-g31-fanuc-121651/
Discussing about G31
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/fanuc/140491-skip-signal.html
G code about Probe
http://machmotion.com/cnc-info/g-code.html#G31_Straight_Probe