Rotary Table information/questions

[[Ja...]]

I have started a new position in a new company and they use rotary tables and I have never programmed this way before. 
Is there somewhere i can find a resource that can give me the basics and proper ways? 
I am understanding what they are doing but at the same time I don't. 
They program from a zero of the RT and then find the part and then align the part. 

I was told by the guy who was retiring that he was told they program wrong but "that's how it's always been done"
There are a couple programs that they have a squareness check and it will cancel the program if the part is not square enough to XY. Isn't that something that can be utilized with the rotary table? 
Also with how they are doing the alignments, they are doing the find, then do a rough align with minimal points, then a 2nd alignment with more points for each feature, then a third alignment scanning most of the features for alignment. 

They don't have fixtures for any of the parts so the parts are never fully in the same location. I am thinking a start alignment manually would eliminate the "find" part of the program and then we can set the base alignment and loop it with the delta kickout set within the alignment loop and i feel this would be quicker that the way they are doing it. BUT, because they program from the rotary table I don't know how big of a change this will end up being. 

I could be completely off since i have never used a rotary table before. It just seems like a lot of extra time that could be utilized in other ways. 

I thank you all for your thoughts, direction, and comments in advance. 

I want to learn the proper way to do this and not the "this is how it has always been" way. 
Have been searching the forums for info but seems like there is mostly just issue posts or tips and not a link to a guide anywhere.  

[[Ke...]]

You lost me at "They program from a zero of the RT" 😅

[[Ja...]]

The Base alignment recalls the RT alignment and they start from there. 

So, for example, 
Base Align - Recall "A Start RT"


Which then leads to this on the Characteristics 

Edited yesterday at 06:57 PM

[[Ch...]]

There's not much to go on here, but I/we can point you in the right direction to get started.  Start by reading the Calypso manual chapter 14, it covers the rotary tables.  

Are you using the RT01 or the RTAB?  The RTAB(air bearing) has a few extra things you need to know about raising and lowering.  

You'll need to understand how to make the rotary table alignments.  You'll need to decide if you want to set the RT alignment using the sphere method or taken off the part.  This is in the RT menu, you either load in the axis you created or select "measure axis".  If you need to learn how to make an axis off the part, as again on here, there's several things you need to do to get it right.  A rule of thumb, if you're part is tall and cylindrical, its best to take it off the part.  But I could argue all day about advantages and disadvantages of both methods.  

It sounds like you also need to understand the "Pre-alignment at CNC start" menu.  This controls how the RT behaves at the start of the program.  You can have it home to zero at the start of the program, or have the rotary table rotate based on the base alignment.  

 

I've added some pre-alignments to help find parts on the rotary table (especially on parts that are not rotationally symmetrical), but it sounds like you guys are really fighting it.  

 

Pick a more specific question with some screen shots and we can really get you dialed in.  

 

[[Ja...]]

So, they are RTAB's, Which i know you have to raise to do manual measurements and lower when you want to mount items. 

I will definitely go look at that manual. 

How they currently establish the "A Start RT" is they have a program to take a circle in the ID of the RT and a point on top of it. That becomes their base alignment that they then recall in every other program. I guess from what i understand, this came from them using their base alignment of "A Start" which was before they had the RT. This alignment was based on a threaded hole in the table, which i do not understand their reasoning on this.   

None of the parts are cylindrical but they have bores in all different angles and locations based on different datums. 

I guess i am trying to figure out if they can be aligned from the part, which can then be comped by the RT to square it up and run the rest of the program. 
I was told he tried to do this but it messed everything up so he went back to the way it was always done. I am guessing the settings were not correct for what he was doing. I have been finding a lot of that in just the items not related to the RT so far. 

Again, I apologize for the vagueness of the question. I am trying to understand what they are doing and what I can do to make this better and try to learn the RT at the same time. 

 

Edited yesterday at 07:19 PM

[[Ch...]]

PM'd

[[Ch...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

Yeah, one of the many reasons I left Moog (California), this method is designed for quick operator runs, it works to a degree but there lots of room for improvement. I recommend using Zeiss method of Base Alignment especially with rotary table or you lose some functionality, such as ability to align part to 'base alignment'. In Cali, our parts on R/T were actively scanning with R/T, e.g. gear/shafts. Also as a note here, that temp probing should always be first, and it is my understanding it does NOT work if you start the program with a 'secondary alignment' such as recalling 'A Start RT'.

 

[[Je...]]

Please sign in to view this username.

 is your rotary horizontal or vertical?

[[Ch...]]

I agree with Chris.  Although I understand why and how they would take the base alignment off the rotary table, I wouldn't recommend it. 

You should be able to locate the base alignment just fine using the part vs recalling the RT axis into the base alignment.   If you are struggling with crashing on the base alignment due to no part fixturing, then just use a start alignment before the base alignment. 

This will allow you to use the "Pre-alignment at CNC start" functions better (found in the Rotary Table button under Measurement Plan).   For some programs, I like to do a homing run at the start of the program and then use "Base Alignment Axis" to match the RT axis and Base Alignment axis.  It all depends on what works for you.  Putting a RT position back to 0 is sometimes useful in your End Park Position, helps with loading the next part.  

 

Do you understand how to do RT position and RT qualification?  Found under Resources>Rotary Table

 

[[Ja...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

one is mounted into the table the other is on the table. both are level horizontally. 

 

 

Please sign in to view this quote.

That was what my thoughts were. If they do a simple start alignment, that should eliminate the "Find x, y, z" that is being completed. 
You can then have the actual part base alignment that can then be looped and shorten the beginning of the program. 

We did the Position after the one CMM was calibrated and the rotary table put back in place. 
As for the RT qualification, the operators are currently doing that after qualifying probes. But it runs from a program that i haven't looked into. 
Beyond that, as i say, I am new to rotary table stuff and learning as i go. 

[[Ch...]]

IF you are only using rotary table 'passively' there isn't tremendous need for R/T qualification again.

 

If you are scanning round parts with rotary table movement, that is where it becomes essential and often overlooked or not done correctly.