3.5 Set Tool Length Compensation

The "T00" and "TOOL LENGTH" icon will appear and tool table at setting page would provide length compensation feature when Z axis is detected. User could fill in the tool length table themselves. However, here offers a simple tool length measurement. There is a requirement for this method, which is the cutting tool must be gripped by tool holder not clamped directly on the collet at the end of the spindle. In other words, the length must be the same even the tool, on the tool holder, is removed and mounted again. If the machine meets the requirement, the tool length compensation table could be built with following steps.

1.	Choose a fixed plane in the machine travel as the reference height. Take this plane to calibrate the tool length.
2.	Remove the tool from spindle and move the axes until the end of the spindle nose exactly touch the reference plane.
3.	Touch "TOOL LENGTH" icon. A window with tool length info would pop up. Select the last item "RefHeight" and press key 1. Current Z position would be save as the reference height in tool table.
4.	Mount the tool on spindle, take Tool#01 as an example, and move the axes until the end of the tool exactly touch the reference plane.
5.	Touch "TOOL LENGTH" icon. A window with tool length info would pop up. Select the tool number to be set, Tool#01, and press key 1. It will calculate the compensation value and store it into the selected tool number.
6.	If there are other to-be-set tools, repeat from step 4 to step 5 to set up other compensations into other tool numbers.

After the tool length compensation table was built. User could set the Z-axial program position of a new working material with following steps.

1.	Mount the tool on spindle, take Tool#01 as an example. Touch "T00" icon. A tool number selection window would pop up. Select the wanted tool number, Tool#01, and press key 1.
2.	Program Position PZ would compensate with the selected tool length. "T00" icon would turn to "T01", current tool number, also.
3.	Reset the 0 of Z-axial program position with Tool#01. Other tools would follow the relation of each tool length and correct the working position automatically.