I've got two new Mazak lathes, a Quick Turn Smart 250, and a Quick Turn Smart 350, both with "Mazatrol Smart" controls. I'm having problems getting the G41/G42 nose radius compensation to work right. After-sale support sucks, which is why I'm asking here instead of getting support from Mazak or our distributor...
We are using the machines with EIA programs, not Mazatrol, because we are using Renishaw touch-probes and had trouble switching between Mazatrol and the Renishaw's EIA macro programs. Currently, we use the TOOL DATA page for all of our tool offset information. We are doing only 2D turning, no live tool or milling stuff...
The problem - The control reads the correct offset information, but it will not execute a tool-path correctly using the G41/G42 nose radius comp modes. Instead of working as one would expect, it executes the G41/G42 tool-path as if it were a mill tool-path - that is, the control offset's the entire tool-path by the nose radius amount, as if I were using an end-mill to do the turning portion. Example: If I input a 1.6mm nose radius in the TOOL DATA page, when I run the program, the tool will be 3.2mm in X, and 1.6mm in Z, from the desired geometry. I'm completely stumped by this, and I've tried a few things to remedy the problem, with no success... The programs were copied from Okuma and Fanuc lathe programs, so I know the G-code is sound.
I've setup the tools in the TOOL DATA page to include their appropriate geometry, and quadrant for their nose radius. I've tried using the TOOL OFFSET page without success. At this point, I'm thinking I have some parameters set wrong.
For what it's worth... Our first machine (the QTS 250) was setup in metric when I started here. We had the problem then, and the only solution I could come up with was to manipulate the G-code to account for the tool's nose radius. I hate this approach, because it opens you up for more errors, and just plain complicates things. We bought the 2nd machine which was delivered in Inch mode, and the TNR-comp was working as supposed to. When the setup/apps guy switched the machine over to metric, he copied parameters from the 1st machine we have, and inherited the TNR-comp problem like a bad disease.
If anyone could shed some insight to what might be causing this, I would greatly appreciate it. Like I said, I'm led to believe that the problem lies somewhere in the parameters, but with our piss-poor service, and Mazak's piss-poor electronic manual, I'm not quite sure where to start. Thanks again.
We are using the machines with EIA programs, not Mazatrol, because we are using Renishaw touch-probes and had trouble switching between Mazatrol and the Renishaw's EIA macro programs. Currently, we use the TOOL DATA page for all of our tool offset information. We are doing only 2D turning, no live tool or milling stuff...
The problem - The control reads the correct offset information, but it will not execute a tool-path correctly using the G41/G42 nose radius comp modes. Instead of working as one would expect, it executes the G41/G42 tool-path as if it were a mill tool-path - that is, the control offset's the entire tool-path by the nose radius amount, as if I were using an end-mill to do the turning portion. Example: If I input a 1.6mm nose radius in the TOOL DATA page, when I run the program, the tool will be 3.2mm in X, and 1.6mm in Z, from the desired geometry. I'm completely stumped by this, and I've tried a few things to remedy the problem, with no success... The programs were copied from Okuma and Fanuc lathe programs, so I know the G-code is sound.
I've setup the tools in the TOOL DATA page to include their appropriate geometry, and quadrant for their nose radius. I've tried using the TOOL OFFSET page without success. At this point, I'm thinking I have some parameters set wrong.
For what it's worth... Our first machine (the QTS 250) was setup in metric when I started here. We had the problem then, and the only solution I could come up with was to manipulate the G-code to account for the tool's nose radius. I hate this approach, because it opens you up for more errors, and just plain complicates things. We bought the 2nd machine which was delivered in Inch mode, and the TNR-comp was working as supposed to. When the setup/apps guy switched the machine over to metric, he copied parameters from the 1st machine we have, and inherited the TNR-comp problem like a bad disease.
If anyone could shed some insight to what might be causing this, I would greatly appreciate it. Like I said, I'm led to believe that the problem lies somewhere in the parameters, but with our piss-poor service, and Mazak's piss-poor electronic manual, I'm not quite sure where to start. Thanks again.