Tool Post Properties - Turret dialog (PartMaker)

Use the Tool Post Properties, Turret dialog to view, or change, details of a turret tool post.

To display this dialog, click the Properties button alongside Turret 1, Turret 2, Turret 3, or Turret 4 on the Machine Data dialog.

The following settings are available:

Definition — Select how you want to define the turret for the machine:

• Parametric — Select to create a parametric representation of the turret from the data contained in the Dimensions fields.
• Solid Model — Select to use a solid model to represent the turret. Click the Model Data button to select the model you want to use from the Model Data dialog.
• Components — Click to display the Components dialog, where you can specify which components of the turret are displayed during Full Machine Simulation.

Tool Locations — Use these options to choose how the location of the holder on the turret is specified:

• Automatically Calculated — Select if you want PartMaker to calculate the location using the data specified in the Dimensions fields.
• User Defined — Select if you want to specify the location, then click the Tool Post Layout button and enter the data in the Tool Post Layout dialog.

Turret Plane — Select whether the turret is parallel to the XY, ZY- or ZX- plane. The axis of rotation for a tool change is perpendicular to the select plane. This field is required for parametric or solid model turrets.

Home Position

• At Main Spindle — Specify the coordinates (Xh1, Yh1, Zh1) of the turret at the main spindle.
• At Sub-Spindle — Specify the coordinates (Xh2, Yh2, Zh2) of the turret at the sub-spindle.

Dimensions

• Diameter (D) — Enter the circle diameter encompassing the turret. This field is required for parametric or solid model turrets.
• Thickness (Th) — Enter the distance from the reference point to the edge of the turret flats. This field is required for parametric or solid model turrets.
• Tool Block Size (B) — Enter the size of the cubical tool block. This field is required for parametric or solid model turrets.
• Flat to Flat Distance (Ftf) — Enter the distance between turret's flats.

Travel Limits — Specify the coordinates (Xh1, Yh1, Zh1, Xh2, Yh2, Zh2) of the travel limits.

Align Tools to a Plane Parallel to a Turret Face

• Align Tools Working on Main Spindle — Selecting this option makes all Z-axis tools align their tips to a plane located by a distance (specified in Distance to Front Face) from the reference point.
• Distance to Front Face — This is a signed distance in the Machine Coordinate System to the location of the alignment plane for main spindle turret tools.
• Align Tools Working on Sub-Spindle — Selecting this option makes all Z-axis tools align their tips to a plane located by a distance (specified in Distance to Back Face) from the face of the turret that is closest to the sub-spindle.

  This will make all Z-axis tools align their tips to a plane located by a distance (specified in Distance to Back Face) from the turret's Thickness value.

• Distance to Back Face — This is a signed distance in the Machine Coordinate System to the location of the alignment plane for sub-spindle turret tools.

Turning Insert Location — Select the side of the shank on which the turning tool insert sits. Your selection will apply to all turning tools that sit on this tool post. If you want a specific tool to face the opposite direction, set the spindle direction for the tool to ccw in the Tools data file.