Setting Absolute Tool Length

Getting Started

Select the Absolute Tool Length setting in the Tool Utilities and Settings screen. Press Auxiliary; User Preferences; Tool Utilities Settings.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Getting Started

ABSOLUTE TOOL LENGTH

The Tool Cal Length value is the Absolute Length of the tool measured from the spindle nose face to tool tip.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Press More (F7) on the Tool Setup screen. Then press Tool Measurement Settings (F6).

This value is a measured distance from the Z axis home position to the tool touch-off location referenced to the spindle nose face. The tool touch-off location is whatever surface the customer wants to use to reference his tools example: the machine table surface.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Press More (F7) on the Tool Setup screen. Then press Tool Measurement Settings (F6).

One way of measuring this value is to use a block of known height, placed on the surface of the machine table, and bring the spindle nose into contact with the block until friction is felt between the two surfaces when sliding the block back and forth.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Press More (F7) on the Tool Setup screen. Then press Tool Measurement Settings (F6).

Teach the location using the STORE MACHINE POSITION button, and then add the height of the block used, to calculate the actual Z REFERENCE position for the machine.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Device Height = the measured height of any object used to set tool lengths.
Example: Hurco Dial Height Gage

Active Device

Notice that when a Gauge Device Height is entered the Z location (top of the gauge device) is calculated automatically by the controlZ Reference minus the Gauge Height equals the calculated Z Location. The control will use these values to calculate the absolute tool length.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Using a Hurco Dial Height Gage
Zero the dial by using the gage pin supplied with the unit. Touch-off ALL tools to the top of the gage and jog until the dial reads zero.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Part Setup

Part Zero Z is an actual measured distance from Z home to part zero not relative to tool tip.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Part Zero Z Value

The PART ZERO Z value represents the measured distance from the spindle nose face at Z home position, to the top of the part.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Part Setup

The control will automatically calculate the Part Setup Z value when using a tool of known length.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Using a Tool Probe

Select Device Type as Probe

Height is measured distance from the Z Reference Surface to the Probe Stylus surface or Laser Beam

Setting Absolute Tool Length

The following slides will briefly explain how to probe a tool in the Absolute Tool Length mode when using an automatic tool probe.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Enter a reference length measured with a scale as a rough estimate of tool length.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Enter the distance above (Rapid Clearance) the probe contact point for the tool to rapid to(.3937 is the default value). Enter the distance past the expected probe contact point that the Z axis will be allowed to travel before alarming.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Offset values are used to locate the tool off-center in the case of a facemill or larger endmill to contact the probe on the cutting edge.
Feedrates used to locate the probe. See description on screen.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

These settings are for advanced probe usage, and usually not used.

Setting Absolute Tool Length

Press PROBE CURRENT TOOL NOW softkey, followed by the START CYCLE button, to measure the tool.