I am running Fusion 360 and ive been successfully doing manual toolchanges on a shapeoko router.
BUT… on the MR1 it didnt prompt a manual toolchange. I am using the Cut Control post available on langmuirs website.
I tried to even do a manual NC (force tool change) in between milling types. BUT… No luck the drill bit almost attempted to be a end mill. So I had to manually stop the entire program. Change the bit. Then individually export each program. Kind of frustrating and took twice as long to machine the part.
If you guys have any advice please let me know thanks
UPDATE: So I just watched one of the videos on their YouTube Channel and it literally states you have to individually post process your milling operations… For example you have a couple of pockets you milled out with a end mill tool (T1). Then you wanna chamfer the pockets with (T2). The machine will not prompt you. Once T1 completes the machine HOMES then you have to upload the chamfer operation… My Shapeoko Router is pretty cool about it. It will finish with (T1) then automatically move to the front, stop. You perform the toolchange to (T2). Then you hit enter to tell the machine its been change. Then it automatically hits the tool setter then starts performing the milling operation. Its super basic and cant believe this isnt in the MR1 CutControl software.
Amazing machine dont get me wrong. Im halfway done with a Firewall Bulkhead Plate for my drift car and it came out pretty flawless aside from some chatter (my fault, wrong feed & speed). I gotta perform OP2 and once its done I will post it. But other than that my first complaint is the lack of automatic prompt manual tool change to automatic tool set function.
Glad you posted this. In the middle of building mine. So haven’t payed that close of attention to the cam side of things yet. I hope langmuir will modify it to prompt tool changes in the near future. Guess i figured thays how it would work.
One tool at a time. Fusion post processor for Langmuirs MR1 is single tool.
Only post each operation at a time. Now if you are using the same 1/2 end mill for 3 operation than thats great.
When I purchased the machine I was under the same impression as you were. That the machine would finish an op, move to front and prompt an M1 type stop for you to change to tool, once changed it would run the tool setter sub routine and continue on through the program.
The original tool change video posted by langmuir sure made it seem that way because there’s no way in hell I can do a tool change in under a minute with swapping the cutter, manually changing programs and running the toolset function to then run. This gets even more cumbersome when you are using multiple WCS (g54,g55,etc) to run multiple parts at once because you have to run the tool set function for each WCS.
This is supposed to be fixed in a future version of CC from what Langmuir tech support told me, really hoping that update comes out soon. The machine is awesome for the price, hardware has been spot on for me, but similarly to my CF pro when I originally got that, the software and electronics side of things is still in need of refinement. I have my fingers crossed for some more regular updates to CC soon with Shop Sabre and Langmuir teaming up
What does the cut control coding look like? Can you follow traditional fanuc code and manually add an M00; to get it to pause for a tool change? Is it a post processor issue?
Fusion Post Processor CAN do it because it does it for my little rinky dink chinese cnc router. So it should be able to do it for a higher end machine like the MR1.
So glad I am not the only one that experienced this. Ya its such a basic function that needs to be implemented as soon as possible.
Definitely glad to know that they know about it and are working on it. Cant wait for that update now
When you figure it out let us know. Langmuir post processor clearly states Single tool.
Hell it only take 2 min to change a tool. You still have to bring it to the tool setter anyway.
I dont think its a PP issue. Because I compared a Gcode that has the tool change functions vs the Gcode with the MR1 PP code. They looked identical. So it must be a software issue within CutControl.
This is a post issue imo, not a Cut control issue. You can make the necessary modifications to the post and get your machine working this way quite easily.
I looked at the Gcode from my PP Router Operation and it looked exactly like the MR1 PP Operation regarding tools. Thats why I was suspecting the software. I am no computer genius by any means and i am still new to G code
Tool changes are the biggest drawback to this machine; I am excited for the next software update! I’m not sure if this helps anyone but I made a wrench holding stop for the spindle flats that keeps one wrench completely hands free when both tightening and loosening. I attached a magnet to 1 wrench, so it stays in position and “clicks” in between the stops. I hope I never find out what happens when I forget the wrench!!!
If you’ve got a separate switch for a spindle e-stop, you could wire a hall effect sensor in series to detect the wrench and avoid turning the spindle on.
Alternatively, you could do the same thing with an off-board holder, that is, if your wrench isn’t in the holder (and likely sitting on the machine), the spindle won’t turn on.
