Reassigning drivers to different axis

[ron7749]

I'm pretty sure I did this way back when on a PS. Can the drivers be assigned via software switch, to different axis. Can the A driver be assigned to act as a X driver and vice versa?

[Gary Campbell]

Ron...
Within a few limitations you can assign any of the driver channels to any axis, but why would you want to? This is a leftover from the late 90's when controllers were much more limited than they are today. This was probably most often done for rotary axes, swapping X or Y for A or B. That workaround is seldom needed with todays hardware, most of which can handle 4, 5 or even 6 axes, some with multiple motors.

Just plug in the motors, assign the proper units and cut away. Side benefit is that an active channel will hold the X or Y for rotary work and maybe some off axis machining, instead of trying to position and clamp.

[ron7749]

Thanks for your quick response Gary. You hit the nail on the head, I have an old PRS with a 2003 controller that I use only as an indexer. I have files I have written over the last twenty some years using the X axis as the rotary axis. I have a couple old controllers with one non functioning driver that would still work on an indexer, but the drivers would have to be reassigned.