End Mills numbered over 20 Won't allow spindle to go on and gives "not enough axes" error

[allister_mcrae]

I was doing my first use of a 5/8" bit and a bull nose. I set up the end mills as one normally does.  Touching only the length, diameter, and speed settings.  When I hit the GO button on the software to make it go, nothing.

Initial thought was that the ShobBot PRTAlpha just didn't want to play with a bit that size or with that surface speed at 18000RPM.

The addition of the tools was done through the ToolPath Pick Tool button. 

Editing settings was done from the Tool Library button on the toolbar

I ran a number of tests, including:

• confirming the spindle turns by using another toolpath with another bit setting
• Bringing bit speed down to 5000RPM for the 5/8" bit
• changing the bit being used in software (no change)
• If I let it go past the "turn on spindle now" message in the shopbot sotware, the SB software would throw a an error that said something about "not enouch axes (axis swap?) ... add addtional axes"
• Tried bit numbers 21 and 22
• removing a redundant bit from position 3 and re-numbering the new bit to 3 - the  only thing to operate.

Has anyone else experienced this?  Are there workarounds?

Admittedly I'll be doing what I can to pare out redundancies. But I'm super curious whats up here.

Cheers

[Joshua.Aigen]

Hi @allister_mcrae, could you please attach the file. I have a 48"x48" Shopbot here in the Technology center, and I would like to see if I get the same error our machine.

Josh

[allister_mcrae]

Hey there @Joshua.Aigen 

I had built a new file and hadn't yet had a chance to test it.

But in watching script fly by today, I observed that the MTCon.sbp file contains the following lines that lead to further code I haven't yet identified, other than assuming its assigning tools to other devices not currently part of my setup. 

Do you still wish to investigate this further? Or does this seem to be the answer to you as well?

...

If &tool > 19 Then GoTo Spindle2
Spindle1:
SO,1,1
GoTo PressStart

Spindle2:
If &tool > 29 Then GoTo IsDrill1
SO,2,1
GoTo PressStart

IsDrill1:
If &tool > 39 Then GoTo IsDrill2
SO,5,1
GoTo PressStart

...

Cheers