Tracking tool to pot relationship and ability to programmatically select by tool number or pot number would be the responsibility of the machine builder, not Fanuc.
A machine builder could easily have logic in their ladder program to have T codes refer to tools or pots and use a keeprelay for the user to select which method they want to use. Could even assign an M code to make the switch. In the case of the OP’s Makino, they program the control integration logic in a structured text language rather than ladder but the same capability exists.
Since it does not exist is a result of the builder not seeing a need, not because of some limitation of the Fanuc control.
Hello Kevin,
I agree with you 100%, but calling by Pot Number would be difficult to achieve with a Random Pot Number exchange of tools type tool changer. The Pot Number in the part program will not change, but the Pot in the Tool Magazine where the tool now resides is for sure going to change.
SWhittaker said:
They are not numbered sequentially. We have a set tool list that we use but it has 100's of tools on it. We go from 2 to 1999.
Hello SWhittaker,
If I understand what you want to do is as follows:
1. Say out of your list of tools 2 to 1999, tool number 1999 is going to replace T1 in the magazine, which for this example is in Pot Number 1, then in your program that uses Tool 1999, you want to call Pot Number 1, as Dan from Oakland has pointed out and I concur with, with a random access tool changer, I can't see that easily being achieved, even at PLC level.
However, if say your tools from 2 to 1999, in increments of the number capacity of the magazine, are always going to replace the same number tool in the magazine, then you can right the tool number that corresponds to your Tool List, say tool number T1993, in your program and the tool number that corresponds to that tool in the magazine will be selected.
This system falls down when a new tool from the tool list used in your part program needs to replace a tool in the magazine that also is used in the program.
Regards,
Bill