random tool numbering?

[SteveLucas]

Is it just me or is everyone seeing this random tool numbering ?

When I use templates that I have created in Process Manager from other milling / drilling sequences it seems the tool numbers seem to be random. It used to be the tool order was set as they were selected by sequence number in the model tree (sequence 1 tool 1,sequence2 tool 2) now they seem to be just random tool numbers. the only thing I can think of is they follow the numbering of the sequence the templates were created from.

Getting old having to go in and set the tool number to the order I want them to be in which is the same as the sequence order in the model tree.

this has been going on for a while I have just had enough of the re-ordering of the tools for every job

Cre2.0 M080

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[RaphMORIN · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I don't think numbers are random. I think the numbers come from the milling/drilling sequences you used to create your templates.

I made drilling/threading templates from M2 to M8 (metric) threads, so I had several tools. Now when I use my templates, the tool numbers corresponds to my original milling file.

Anyway, as you say, this is rather annoying

[SteveLucas]

Raphael,

you are correct the tool numbers seem to come from the sequences they were extracted from. Not exactly sure when it started but I don't like it!! It's something else to check before coding a cl file other wise you have tool numbers scattered all through the tool carosel.

Seems when adding tools to your program using templates you could have tools 1 through 4 set then a template will throw in a tool 15 then when you add another tool it will be too16 because it wont go back to tool 5 and put it there.

Steve

[razmosis]

I use the templates all the time, and really do appreciate the fact that the template does keep the tool location in the place it was created. We have several tools that are always in specific locations on the machine, so it would be a big headache for me to go in and change all the locations after inserting the template. I could see the issue you have with it if the machine is torn down every time, but it works awesome for us. The only thing I see is that if you have a tool in #3, then insert a template that has a tool in #3 - the template sequence tool location goes to the next available location and that seems somewhat random.

[Wheelsofsteel]

just on using temlates and process manager, I have another problem with tooling.

I have to program twin turrets, so my saved templates are showing HEAD 1 and HEAD 2 as they have been created, I have even opened the xml file and checked that it is saved this way, and the parameter within the xml file is correct.

Now when I bring a template back into the process via the process manager, HEAD 1 imports correctly without issue, but HEAD 2, which was saved as HEAD 2 and is in the file as HEAD 2, is imported into HEAD 1, this results in the tool assigned being dumped into the tool table for HEAD 1.

I have to then select no tool, switch the HEAD1 to HEAD 2, then go in and delete the tool if they haven't been assigned, but if a sequence is already using it , regardless of the HEAD selected, I can't remove it, this leads to messed up tool tables.

I have repeatly flagged this with PTC , but they don't want to know about it

If only they could spend some time to fix little issues like this , it would make the software far more productive to use.

[SteveLucas]

Matt,Wheels of steel,

I see your point about being useful to keep the same tool location for tools that stay in the machine. but we have limited tooling and locations so the tool carosel gets cleaned out every time. The only thing that stays in the tool carosel is the touch probe.

It would be nice if it could be a prompt where it would ask what pocket or head to use to put the tool in, Or the same location where it was previously rather than random locations if the spot where the template was created was is taken.

that would probably satisfy every one.

[RaphMORIN]

That's a good idea !! Maybe even a config.pro option to set the default behavior.