Programming a 4th axis in Mazatrol

mada87 · Jul 21, 2019

So I am looking for thoughts/ideas on how to approach programming a part in Mazatrol on a 4th axis. I recently acquired a FJV25 (M+ control) with a 4th axis. I have run a few parts on it and it is really nice to be able to work on 4 sides of a part in one setup, but programming it has been kind of painful. So far the best that I have come up with is to do all of the work on one side, turn the part in a manual program and then do all of the work on a different side. The problem with this method is that it leads to a lot of tool changes. I am looking for a way to have "tool 1" and use it on all sides of the part (all rotations of the 4th axis), then change to "tool 2" and use it on all side, then "tool 3" and so on.

Also if anyone has any other tips and tricks that would be appreciated.

Thanks!

mada87 · Jul 21, 2019

sudsy55 said:
I don't know if this would work for what you are wanting to do but worth a try. Use the priority numbers in the mazatrol program. Number each tool in the order that you want them to do work. Like I said not sure if it will work but give it a go

Yeah, I haven't messed around with how this works with the 4th axis a lot, but the problem that I have found is that when you move the 4th axis in a manual program that only way that I have figured out it has to have the tool of the manual program, so it would put the tool away that is being used, grab the manual program tool, rotate 4th axis, and then pick the original tool back up. Sure seems like there would be a better way than that or what I explained in the original post.

Thanks

mada87 · Jul 22, 2019

sudsy55 said:
Can't you rotate the axis in Mazatrol?? I'm not familiar with that control and haven't done 4th axis work yet

Currently the only way that I am aware of running it is a manual program inside of a Mazatrol program, it sure seems like there would a way to do it straight up in Mazatrol but I haven't figured it out.

I did mess around more with setting priorities to try and get tools to do work on different sides of the part and that got the 4th axis all messed up, it would switch to the correct tools but wouldn't move the 4th axis. So if the manual program is for a center drill it would work correctly (rotating to the different sides) but all subsequent tools the 4th axis just sits there.

DieselMater86 · Jul 22, 2019

Its been a little bit since running a mazak.

So you can go in and change the Tools order of operations this should be the easiest way.

OR

You would program the tool on A0 and then copy and change the rotation to A90 or what ever corresponds to your needs.

I utilized this with an HMC Mazak and would run all side of the Pallet or had big parts and use this for those.

mada87 · Jul 22, 2019

DieselMater86 said:
Its been a little bit since running a mazak.

So you can go in and change the Tools order of operations this should be the easiest way.

OR

You would program the tool on A0 and then copy and change the rotation to A90 or what ever corresponds to your needs.

I utilized this with an HMC Mazak and would run all side of the Pallet or had big parts and use this for those.

Where would you see an A0 or A90 (or A(some angle)) option? Is this option in each new unit or is it a separate unit all together?

I attempted to attach a screenshot of my current program, changing the tool order of operations (priorities in Mazatrol) is not currently working as I am doing it. When I try to setup each tool to be used on all sides of the part, the fourth axis will only move for the tool called out in the manual program (in this case my center drill), for all subsequent tools the fourth axis just sits there.

DieselMater86 · Jul 23, 2019

Does your machine support 4th Axis as Indexing or Continuous motion. A is the 4th Axis call out, and try looking through this I believe its the one i used before. It has been a few years since programming in mazatrol.

http://www2.i-logic.com/manuals/Mazak%20EIA%20-%20Programming%20Manula%20for%20Mazatrol%20Matrix.pdf

mada87 · Jul 23, 2019

sudsy55 said:
Why have you got the centre drill as a manual program? In the Mazatrol tapping cycle you have the centre drill, tapping drill and tap in the one cycle.

The manual program is not actually center drilling, I have to have a tool called out in a manual program (or at least I believe so), so I call out the center drill in the manual program, tell the 4th axis to rotate to the desired angle, and then the center drill is the first tool called out in the Mazatrol tapping cycle (center drill, drill, chamfer, tap) called out next.

mada87 · Jul 23, 2019

DieselMater86 said:
Does your machine support 4th Axis as Indexing or Continuous motion. A is the 4th Axis call out, and try looking through this I believe its the one i used before. It has been a few years since programming in mazatrol.

http://www2.i-logic.com/manuals/Mazak%20EIA%20-%20Programming%20Manula%20for%20Mazatrol%20Matrix.pdf

I don't know for sure what it supports, although I do know that it is a full 4th axis (not an indexer) but I just don't know how or if I can use it as a full 4th axis. I bought this machine from a local high school that wasn't using it, it had been donated to them from Stryker and the school shop teacher only knew Haas machines, so I didn't really get any info on the machine itself other than what I could see, it actually wouldn't come up to ready state when I bought it.

That manual appears to be EIA/ISO I will see if I can find a similar one for Mazatrol.

DieselMater86 · Jul 24, 2019

It was the only link I had left over so 50/50 shot it would have been the right one but of course not lol.

Sudsy55 has it right I'm pretty sure of course from memory and I have slept plenty since then.

mada87 · Jul 24, 2019

sudsy55 said:
Not sure if the M plus is similar to M32 but if when you are writing the block you have the options on the bottom. If you select other it will bring up more options with index being one of them. Like I said I don't know if you have the same on your control

I think that is what I am looking for, can't try it at the moment but am pretty sure that you nailed it, not sure how I overlooked that one.

Thank you!

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