Probe Changer Question.

Question

So, I have an old Renishaw ACR1 changer on one of my machines and a spare MCR20 that I would like to incorporate into the machine. I have worked with multiple changers of the same type, but never 2 dissimilar types. Is this possible considering they are 2 different types of changers? 
 My thought was setting up a slot on the ACR1 with just the TP20 body and using that to pick up the TP20 modules in the MCR20. Would this body without a module pick up and return modules to the MCR20 before returning to the ACR1 to pick up other probe assemblies in the ACR1?

Don Ruggieri · Accepted Answer

You do not need 3 racks to make this work. The two you have are fine. Let me try to give you an example of the slot definitions. Let's say you have 3 probe assemblies' TP20_A, TP20_B, and TP20_C, and each of them uses the same body but a different module. The body is stored on the ACR1 in slot 1, and the modules are stored in the MCR20 in slots 1, 2, and 3. This is what the slots contents should show 
 ACR1 Slot1 should include TP20_A, TP20_B, and TP20_C, all in the single slot 
 MCR20 slot 1 should have TP20_A 
 MCR20 slot 2 should have TP20_B 
 MCR20 slot 3 should have TP20_C 
 
 Now if you add another TP20 body, say in slot 5 of the ACR1, but it uses the same 3 modules you already have, then slots would look like this. 
 ACR1 Slot1 should include TP20_A, TP20_B, and TP20_C, all in the single slot 
 ACR1 Slot5 should include TP20_D, TP20_E, and TP20_F, all in the single slot 
 MCR20 slot 1 should have TP20_A and TP20_D 
 MCR20 slot 2 should have TP20_B and TP20_E 
 MCR20 slot 3 should have TP20_C and TP20_F 
 
 I hope this helps and does not just add more confusion