Tormach PCNC 440 - Intro to PathPilot; Making Your First Part

Chapter 5
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UM10372_PCNC440_Manual_0221A
iNTRO TO PATHPilOT
5. iNTRO TO PATHPilOT
5.1 Making Your First Part
This chapter outlines how to make your rst
part on a Tormach mill. It assumes you have
no prior experience running a part program
on a CNC mill. Even if you have previous CNC
experience, following this tutorial gives you
an introducon to the controls of the mill.
Aer reading this chapter, read chapters 6
and 7 for details on the PathPilot® operang
system. This chapter is only intended to be
an introducon to the PathPilot interface
and several basic tasks.
The rst part program uses two tools – a 3/8” end mill and a 1/8” end mill – to make a shallow
circular pocket and engrave the text PCNC in a wood 2” x 4” (see Figure 5.1). Two tools are used to
give you an introducon to tool changes and the dierence between work osets and tool length
osets. For operators using the oponal automac tool changer (ATC), we recommend using manual
tool changes for this rst part to keep things simple.
5.1.1 Reference the Mill
Follow the Power O/On Procedure in chapter 3, Installaon, to turn the PathPilot controller and
the mill on. Aer clicking the ashing Reset buon, you can reference the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. You
should reference the Z-axis rst to help avert a crash as it moves the tooling as far as possible from
a workpiece or vise. All three axes can be referenced simultaneously by pressing the Ref buons in
rapid succession (see Figure 5.2).
Reference the axes before operang the
mill to establish so limits (protect the
mill from over travel) and give meaning to
work oset values. Aer referencing the
axes, the LEDs on the Ref X, Ref Y, and Ref Z
buons illuminate, indicang that the mill
has been referenced. While you can jog the
mill before referencing, you should not run
parts unl the mill has been referenced. If a
home or limit switch fails to work, manually
reference the mill.
E-stopping the mill de-references the axes;
be sure to reference again aer an E-stop.
Figure 5.1
Figure 5.2