Tool Pocket Assignment was developed so that a tool could be assigned to a specific pocket number in the tool changer magazine. (Watch video tutorial)
This is most useful when a tool is being used that has a diameter that is too large to allow another tool to be inserted to into an adjacent tool pocket.
In the past, an operator had to choose to leave all even, or all odd, numbered pockets empty in order to facilitate the use of a large diameter tool.
This severely limited the number of tools allowed to be loaded into the tool magazine.
This is no longer the case with the new Tool Pocket Assignment option.
First, you must install the latest WinMax release for the mill.
You will need to install WinMax Mill version 9.1.250.31 or 10.1.96.34 or higher on your Machine.
Once you have done this, restart the Hurco control and stop WinMax from booting by pressing the space bar or the touch screen during the 5 second countdown.
Now, Click on the left hand Shell Arrow and Select the Opticlient soft key.
Expand the Mill Options section by pressing the + symbol next to the left of the text. This should display all the machine’s options.
Navigate down and find the “Assigned ATC Pockets” Option.
Select the option by touching or clicking on the empty box so that a check mark appears.
Then, select the Request License Codes Button.
Now Select the Pending Tab near the top.
Select the Save Pending File button and save the file to your USB drive.
Email this file to [email protected]
Once you receive a file back, place this on your USB drive .
Take the USB drive back to the machine and plug it in.
In Opticlient, at the top, select “Tools - Activate Options From File”
Point the browser to your USB drive and the file returned to you and press Open.
You should now be presented with a conformation box with a green indicator next to the new option.
Select the left hand Shell Arrow.
Select Shutdown near the bottom and select ok to reboot the control.
Now you will notice that when WinMax starts, you see the following message:
When the ATC is configured to allow tools to be assigned to specific pockets, at least two pockets must remain empty and unassigned to allow the tool in the spindle to be automatic and to support automatic tool changes.
This message will also appear if you try to fill all of the pockets in the tool changer magazine with this option enabled.
To assign tools to pockets first go to Manual Mode\Tool Management. The following screen will be displayed:
Next, select the Auto tab at the top of the screen to display the tool pockets:
As an example, we will assign Tool 3 to pocket 3. To do this, highlight Tool 3 and then press the Toggle Pocket Assignment (F5) softkey and a lock symbol will be displayed next to the Pocket number.
Until it is changed, tool 3 will always be placed into Pocket 3.
To change this, press the Toggle Pocket Assignment soft key again and the lock will no longer be displayed and tool 3 will no longer be assigned to this pocket.
The next step would be to lock out the adjacent tool pockets to pocket 3. Ensure that both adjacent pockets are empty…
Then highlight pocket 2 and select the Toggle Pocket Assignment softkey.
This will place a lock symbol next to the pocket number. Repeat this step for pocket 4 and the screen should look like the following
This will ensure the tool does not get placed next to another tool when going into the magazine from the spindle.
This is a requirement for tools larger than 80mm as they must be assigned to a fixed atc location with adjacent pockets locked.
In Manual Mode, when changing an assigned tool, to or from the spindle, the tool change arm will remove the tool in spindle and place the tool in the magazine.
The Start Cycle pushbutton will then flash and a prompt on the screen will ask you to verify that there is no tool in the spindle
After pressing the Start button, the tool will be placed into the spindle.
Please not that maximum tool diameter will vary by machine model. Check the tech specs for your machine.
