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MAKE G37 ETS MOVEMENTS MORE EFFICIENT

APR 03 2024

Here is the edit to save time with the factory G37 ETS subroutine. The factory routine is much safer, but if you know what you're doing, this saves a lot of time.

Step 1 will alter the initial move to the ETS so it doesn't climb to the very top of the machine, wasting time.

Step 2 will alter the ending retract after you set a tool length, which also wastes time.

You can do either or both steps. This will probably not survive PathPilot updates. Perhaps David Loomes can chime in with how to do that.

Step 1:

Open file:

/home/operator/v2.9.1/subroutines/g370remap.ngc

Where "v2.9.1" is your current PP version number.

Around line 100, there will be


( )
o20 else
(PRINT,G37.1)
G37.1
o20 endif
(force an interp/motion sync with a queue buster)
 

This is at the end of a large IF ELSE tree. It's easiest to just search for "queue buster" and the line you're editing is right above that.

Comment out the G37.1 line with

; G37.1 ; FACTORY LINE FROM TORMACH

Underneath that, insert:

G0 G53 Z-6                 ; GUARANTEED SAFE HEIGHT LINE.
G0 G53 X17.9878 Y-1.6829   ; LOCATION OF THE CENTER OF YOUR ETS, AS FOUND FROM THE ETS TAB.
G0 G53 Z-10                ; GET AS CLOSE TO YOUR ETS AS YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. THIS SHOULD BE SET TO CLEAR THE LONGEST TOOL IN YOUR ARSENAL.

Adjust these lines accordingly. Note that they're all in G53 machine coordinates.

To display your G53 coordinates on screen (to make the above step easier), enter into your MDI line "G0 G53 X0 Y0 Z0", then set all your DRO's to zero. Your current WCS will now match G53.

Again, have your longest tool installed.

So your code will now read:


( )
o20 else
(PRINT,G37.1)
; G37.1                   ; FACTORY LINE FROM TORMACH
G0 G53 Z-6                ; GUARANTEED SAFE HEIGHT LINE.
G0 G53 X17.9878 Y-1.6829  ; LOCATION OF THE CENTER OF YOUR ETS, AS FOUND FROM THE ETS TAB.
G0 G53 Z-10               ; GET AS CLOSE TO YOUR ETS AS YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. THIS SHOULD BE SET TO CLEAR THE LONGEST TOOL IN YOUR ARSENAL.
o20 endif
(force an interp/motion sync with a queue buster)
 

Your machine will now climb to your guaranteed safe height, then move to your ETS, then set tool length, instead of first climbing to the very top of Z.

Step 2:

Now, around line 150, find

G53 G0 Z #<ets_z_clear>

and comment it out

; G53 G0 Z #<ets_z_clear> ; FACTORY LINE FROM TORMACH

Below it, enter

G0 G53 Z-6 ; GUARANTEED SAFE HEIGHT LINE.

So that you have:


; G53 G0 Z #<ets_z_clear>   ; FACTORY LINE FROM TORMACH
G0 G53 Z-6                  ; GUARANTEED SAFE HEIGHT LINE.
 

This will now retract to your safe height after the tool probe is complete, instead of climbing to the very top.