To add (or subtract) tool positions to your ShopSabre CNC machine, you'll need to make some changes to WinCNC.


Dust Dock

If you are installing more tools with our ATC Pedestals and have the Dust Dock it is likely not compatible as we've added more tools. You'll need to disable that with this guide.


Below is a list of files to change in the C:\WinCNC folder. 

Open each in a Text Editor, make changes then save the file.

WinCNC.ini




CNC.mac

  • Open the CNC.mac file and add T# positions
  • Add Tools by copying a previous line and then updating the T# to the new number of tools you have
  • Below shows a 12-tool machine.




define section

Some machines will also have some definitions (see image below)in this file. If you see those, here we'll make some changes. If not, don't worry about this.

  • Optional but suggested - to raise your tool higher while traversing across the rest of the tools in X during a tool change, make the zdrop number smaller. We changed ours from -8.0 to -6.0


SPOS.POS

Adding Tools

  • Add Tools by copying a previous line
  • Copy the entire line including the XYZ information. We'll update that in the Calibration step later.
  • Update the T# to the new number of tools you have +1 additional.
  • Below shows a 12-tool machine.

Last Position (1 more than number of Tools)

  • The last position (1 more than # of tools you have) should be the "unload tool position"
    • For our PRO 408 with 12 tools we use T13 for this
  • This is roughly 1.47 larger in Y than your tool position Y.
  • Our PRO 408 travel ends at 107.5" so we have it travel to just under this.
  • The safe and easy way to see what this should be is to jog your machine (without soft limits) to where the tool holder just clears the tool fork but the gantry does not crash or potentially leave the gantry Y rails!
  • Check WinCNC for the Y position here and you should be able to update that last tool position



TC.MAC

  • Change Tool Unload Position # to +1 more than the number of new tool positions. For a 12 position = T13
  • Optional but suggested - to raise your tool higher while traversing across the rest of the tools in X during a tool change, make the G53z-N number smaller. We changed ours from -8 to -6.
  • Save File and close.



TU.mac

  • Change Tool Unload Position # to +1 more than number of new tool positions. For a 12 position = T13
  • Optional but suggested - to raise your tool higher while traversing across the rest of the tools in X during a tool change, make the G53z-N number smaller. We changed ours from -8 to -6.
  • Save File and close.