Overview
We are striving to make RapidChange ATC compatible with as many platforms as possible. We have integration tools available now for those listed below. We will be adding support for more as they become available. If you would like to be informed when we release updates or new solutions, please fill out this form. Be sure to indicate the platform(s) about which you would like to be notified.
Closed Systems
There are many “Boxed” CNC machines available with their own proprietary controls that are very limited in what they can do with custom macros and spindle control. Our recommendation for determining the compatibility of a machine falling into this category is to contact the manufacturer and ask them these questions:
Can I create custom macros? Particularly M6?
Can I run the spindle counter-clockwise with g-code?
Can the spindle be programmed to run at a minimum of 1000rpm?
(Regardless of minimum RPM rating, learn about running below your spindle RPM rating here)
If your manufacturer answers “yes” to these questions then RapidChange ATC should be able to be integrated with your machine. If you get this far and would like assistance, please contact us and we will be happy to work with you.
If your manufacturer answers “no” to any of these questions then please feel free to let them know that you would like to see support for this functionality in the future. Through customer demand, manufacturers will be more likely to introduce the support and functionality required.
Integrated Platforms
RapidChange ATC Magazine offers the following integration packages. Upon purchase of a magazine customers are given access to all of the current and future resources that we have available for integrating with your machine.
FluidNC – We currently have modified builds of v3.4.3 and v3.7.8 with WebUI/yaml support for configuring RapidChange along with M6 and M61 support for fully automatic tool changes.
Mach3 – We have a screen set available for configuring RapidChange and scripts for M6 and other useful macros.
UCCNC – We have a plugin available for configuring RapidChange and scripts for M6 and other useful macros.
Centroid Acorn – We now have a config macro available for configuring RapidChange and scripts for M6 and other useful macros. We have introduced a macro that will probe the spindle face to use as a baseline for tool length offset independent of the work offset. This means that every time a tool change occurs the tool length is updated in the table tool table. This is different than the way we currently handle offsets in Mach3 and UCCNC however we will be updating those to have the same functionality.
Linuxcnc – Keyepitts has a current working version of the LinuxCNC M6 remap for RapidChange.
Link to Github- https://github.com/keyepitts/CutterOuter_V1/tree/main
Planned Integrations
We hope to have integration for M6 with other platforms and are working to have solutions available for those listed below. If you do not see what you need on the list. Please fill out this form and let us know what you are looking for.
Grbl
GrblHal
Mach4
Marlin
Masso (a post processor work around has been developed by GF)
My Platform Is Not Integrated
If you are using a controller for which we do not have a fully integrated solution for M6, we will provide you with the g-code necessary to run tool changes on your machine as macros. You can see an example of using RapidChange ATC in this manner here.