Denford Software & Machines

We are doing controlled assessment today and when we have come to set the Z datum on the workpiece offset it will not reset to zero.
We have rebooted the pc and also turned the machine on and off numerous times but it will not work.
Please advise on how to overcome this problem.

Are you looking at the Machine positions or Program in the control panel ? Go to Jog mode, and click the top right button below the position display to page through the different display modes.
Any changes to work piece offsets will affect the Program position display, and get's applied properly when you close the work offset editor.

This is the print screen I have taken when the Z workpiece offset was set to zero.
None of the datums were setting to zero.
Please advise

I don't know what can be going on here, I've replicated your setttings, and all works fine here: What have you got set in the tooling offsets ?
If they're ok then I'd guess that there is a corrupt number somewhere which is stopping the program position being displayed properly.
Can you go to the menu Help>SupportMe > create support file and post it here (VrturningSUP.cab)

I have created the support file, but this was on my demo which had worked fine previously. The pupils' offset has disappeared which is strange, also when I tried to run my demo set up after the datums refused to zero (which worked fine previously) the program threw up an error code message.
Please advise ?
I have sent the support file direct to you as an error message appears saying the extension is not allowed when I try to attach the file.

The support file will not send, I have a connection error message 10060 ?

A quick google of that message 10060 would suggest your mail server is down (the connection to it timed out)

It's strange that you can't attach a .cab file - I tried one myself and have checked the system settings, and it should allow it.
If it dosn't, then try rename the file to VRTurningSup.zip and upload that.

Hi, thanks for the advice. No problems with attaching as a .zip file

Ok, I'm still not sure what's going on...
I've used your offset file and tooling file, moved to the same axes positions as your original screenshot, then created and activate a new set of workoffsets called team5 (to match your screenshot).
With tool 1, offset 1 active I press the datum button on the offsets page and can get the program display to zero no problem.
Have a look at my offset values generated: X6.34 and Z-4.17 - these look ok to me and that the workpiece is not very far from the piece you used to set the tool offsets.
I noticed that your workoffset values were X-213.85 and -169.67 - these look wrong as it would mean the datum position would become Z-334.04mm away from the home position - the Z travel is only -225mm

I wonder if you are putting values into the distance to origin editor (after you hit the datum button for X or Z)
For your original screenshot, that value should be something like Z-4.17 and a clearance of 0.00

I have had time this morning to do yet another set up on the machine. I have print screened each step for you to look at and see if you can see what the problem is.
Please advise.

Hi, Can you tell me which school / college your are from. Then we can try and help you move forward with the problems

This is the point where tool number 8 flipped out and went totally off the line.

I don't undertstand what this means - you're screenshots show you are setting tool 7 ??

From a quick look, I can't see that you are doing anything wrong but some of the values shown look wrong.

I feel like you should start again and clear all the tool offsets (make a note of the values if you like)
When you set a workpiece offset to a particular tool (eg tool 1), then tool 1 offset values should be zero ie, X0 Y0
The workpiece offset values will be something like X-180 Z-200

Then select the next tool, say tool 6 which is a drill. you should find that setting the tool offsets will give you small values which are actually the difference in position between the tip of tool 1 (used to set the work offset) and the tip of tool 6 (the drill)
For example, these values might be X-12.234 Z36.214

Alternatively, you could ignore work offset values completely (ie, set them to 0,0) and only set the tool offset values - in this case, all tool offset values will be around the area of X-180 Z-200
There are lots of methods to setting the tool positions, but we have never had a problem with the software not reading them correctly.

I hope this makes sense