SUGGESTION--Using the Tool Change ability already in GRBL

[DOUG888]

I asked GRBL about M6 and this is the reply: "From Sonny Jeon.......First, you can do M6 tool changes already, if you have a GUI that supports it. Grbl provides the basic commands to do this, namely a tool length offset command to alter Z-changes in tools. All a GUI needs to do is intercept an M6 command and insert a (customizable) macro program to do the tool change. There are a few GUIs that do this. bCNC is one that I know does this."

This is a ray of sunshine I wasn't aware of, 1/. can this already be accessed in UGS Platform, if so how??? 2/. If not, can this be incorporated, Not sure how the "Customizable Macro" would work but I was thinking a popup frame with slots that lists tool parameters against a classic T number as most CadCam software tool lists do, so that UGS tool list can be directly related to the CadCam tool list.

[winder]

Actually, the new gcode processor modules could do this pretty easily.

Could you expand on your second idea? I can see it working in several ways: 1) When you load a program you get a bunch of popups asking for the tool offset for each M6, then insert the macro (i.e. raise tool to Z, move to X/Y, pause, etc). 2) The offsets could be added to the end of each tool change like M6 (offset: 1.23), then the macro and tool offset could all be processed automatically. 3) The code could be automatically split into separate files and the existing "workflow" plugin could be used.

[DOUG888]

in Your 1). the inputs would cover all the normal tool requirements and some personally customized slots...for example:- in Laser operation, I have a series of Tools (Lasers) at different feed rates, having the ability to alter the S value on the fly for all the "T1,T2,T3,etc" would be a benefit, at present my POST can only specifie a single S value. This is hard wired into the POST, but with tool change active, it would then be an Automatic process. Your 2+3) take the process thru the remaining steps.

UGS would look for M6, that would be the trigger,up comes a box with the pre-defined vales for that tool in it, where an M6 for a specific tool , say "T1" has been done , this would be stored and reused whenever a "T1" occurs in the Gcode and so on for all tools called.

I am not a programmer so i hope that this makes sense, all i can do is feed you a concept. Doug

[aforww]

Was there any headway on this? I was experimenting with using the M00 command to automatically halt the machine when an operation requiring a tool change occurred. However, there's no way of zeroing out the Z height as all controls are locked out. Maybe just allow the ability to control and reset Z axis and probe function after an M00 command has been issued would be the easiest way of handling manual tool changes mid-operation.

[TheNetStriker]

What is the status of this feature request? Ist this possible with the software now?

[CNCNoob]

What's happeneing with the tool change??? has anyone made a Gcode parser, which converts the M6 to a pre-storred macro??

[kjk25]

all what we need is a user macro for a M6 thats right, please implement it.

[dasarne]

As soon as I have a M6 command in the GCode, the connection from UGS to the board breaks. To reconnect, you have to exit UGS and restart it.