Tormach PCNC 770 - Work Offsets and Tool Offsets

Chapter 5
45
UM10350_PCNC770_Manual_0916A
Intro to PathPilot
E-stopping the mill de-references the axes; be sure to reference again aer an E-stop.
5.1.2 Workpiece Preparation
For this introducon to using the mill, use a scrap piece of wood as a workpiece; a 2” x 4” that is at
least 4” long will suce. Using a piece of wood minimizes the chance an end mill is damaged should
you get a work or tool oset command wrong while using this tutorial.
5.1.3 Tooling Preparation
For this tutorial you will need a 3/8” diameter
end mill to machine the shallow circular pocket
and a 1/8” or smaller diameter end mill to
engrave the text (see Figure 5.3). You will also
need a way to hold these tools. Tormach’s High
Speed Steel End Mill Kit (PN 33465) includes
both end mills. You can hold them using TTS-
3/8” Set Screw Holders (PN 31820) as shown,
or using ER16 or ER20 collet chucks. The 3/8”
end mill will be Tool 1 and the 1/8” end mill
Tool 2.
5.1.4 Mill Position, Work Offsets and Tool Offsets
Work Osets
Work osets are a concept that allows the operator to think in terms of X/Y/Z coordinates with
respect to the part, instead of thinking of them with respect to the mill posion – work osets allow
you to assign an origin to any locaon within the work envelope.
When referencing the mill, it moves to the limit switches and stops at its home posion; this is (X,
Y, Z) = (0, 0, 0) in mill coordinates – however, these coordinates are not useful to the operator or
programmer who wants to think in terms of program coordinates. In this case, when you tell the
mill to drill a hole one inch from the le hand side of your workpiece, you would rather use program
coordinates (for example, X = 1.000”) than mill coordinates (for example, X = -6.5889”).
By moving the mill to a locaon on your part (oen the top face, center of your part or the top le
hand rear corner) and zeroing the digital readouts (DRO), you dene a relaonship between the mill
coordinates and the program coordinates. This general term for this relaonship is work osets.
Figure 5.3
Tool 1
Tool 2