Trouble getting started...

[jdh]

I have a used PRS Alpha (07 or 08....not sure which) which has been retrofitted with an air drill and an aluminum block installed beyond the cutting area which is to be used to zero the Z axis. I purchased a shopbot link and intend to use the machine to mill cabinet parts.

My questions are:

1: the Z-zero plate

While I do understand that using the top of the material (3/4" plywood in my case) as a reference of origin is a bad idea given the tolerances of plywood, I do not understand why using the top of the spoilboard should not be just as good or better than using the remote z-zero block. The top of the spoil board is my Z zero, correct? So why go through the extra step of having to define the height of the spoilboard in relation to the height of the Z-zero block rather than simply using the spoilboard itself?

Also, if I am to use the remote aluminum block to zero my tooling is there a custom program required or do I use the program that shopbot wrote with the exceptioon that I center the tool over my aluminum block when prompted to center my tool over my ride-along z-zero plate?

Now, assuming that this is the proper method of using the aluminum block, how do I then define the top of my table relative to the top of the aluminum block? The block is not installed immediately adjacent to the cutting surface which leads me to believe a caliper is not involved.

Also, how and where does the program account for the X offset between the spindle and the air drill?......and how do I zero these tools independently of one another such that the software understands the height of each?

I tried to "air cut" a cabinet and had the following issues:

After the "write to shopbot" button is pressed there is a prompt to start the spindle, and if you do so the spindle is turned off by the "enter sheet 1 prompt".....I must be doing something wrong there because that step makes no sense.

After "ok" to "enter sheet 1" then "ok" to "locate 3/4 generic then click ok to start operation" machine moves to 12,12,0 and prompts me to "change to next bit and hit ok when ready" which is NOT OK because I do not need this step as I am only using two tools both of which are riding on the gantry and thus DO NOT need to perform a tool change.

The next prompt is "open keyboard" and "hit yes to change zero location".....why would I want to change the zero location? My zero location is at the extreme bottom left of the table (i.e. X = 0 and Y = 0) which is, coincidentally, where I intend to place the bottom left corner of my 96 x 48 sheet of material so I DO NOT want to change my damn zero location.

When I hit "no" to the change zero location question I am prompted to "place zero plate under bit".......which does not jive with the fact that I have an ALUMINUM BLOCK BEYOND THE CUTTING AREA. :mad:

Even if this did mention something about the aluminum block rather than the Z-zero plate it still makes no sense that there is a zero operation inherent to every sheet that I cut because the height of my spoil board is not changing per sheet of cut material.

Now, if the machine knows the height of the spoilboard and is using this step to measure my material for me, then that makes a little more sense.....but I still don't know what to do with the aluminum block.

If you can't tell I have been wrestling with this machine for some while now. Any help would be appreciated.

Jimmie

[jdh]

what is considered to be the height of the air drill.......the position that it assumes when the air is introduced?

[Brady Watson]

what is considered to be the height of the air drill.......the position that it assumes when the air is introduced?

Set/adjust the maximum depth of the drill when it is activated/plunged. Verify depth with the tail end of a digital caliper. Watch your fingers when adjusting...it can bite you!

-B

[jdh]

Also, regarding some of the questions posed earlier, I think that I have found some answers in the literature.....doesn't mean that I wont have further questions though....lol

[Gary Campbell]

While I do understand that using the top of the material (3/4" plywood in my case) as a reference of origin is a bad idea given the tolerances of plywood, I do not understand why using the top of the spoilboard should not be just as good or better than using the remote z-zero block. The top of the spoil board is my Z zero, correct? So why go through the extra step of having to define the height of the spoilboard in relation to the height of the Z-zero block rather than simply using the spoilboard itself?

Before a job starts, there is no advantage. Should you break a bit or have to change one during a file, a separate zero block is needed to retain consistancy

Also, if I am to use the remote aluminum block to zero my tooling is there a custom program required or do I use the program that shopbot wrote with the exceptioon that I center the tool over my aluminum block when prompted to center my tool over my ride-along z-zero plate?

Most users have custom written these types of files for their own use. I have a couple versions of this, but are either for a 4 axis machine or an ATC. Others have asked for a copy of this. Sorry for the delays.

Now, assuming that this is the proper method of using the aluminum block, how do I then define the top of my table relative to the top of the aluminum block? The block is not installed immediately adjacent to the cutting surface which leads me to believe a caliper is not involved.

The variable file has an offset for the ZZero plate. I have added a variable to mine that has one for the ZZero fixed block

Also, how and where does the program account for the X offset between the spindle and the air drill?......and how do I zero these tools independently of one another such that the software understands the height of each?

I tried to "air cut" a cabinet and had the following issues:

After the "write to shopbot" button is pressed there is a prompt to start the spindle, and if you do so the spindle is turned off by the "enter sheet 1 prompt".....I must be doing something wrong there because that step makes no sense.

That "null start" of the spindle allows the operator to press the start button and accepth the spindle start button ONCE at the beginning of the file before cutting, instead of when drilling has completed. You can remove the "SO,1,1 and SO,1,0" lines from the job header box

After "ok" to "enter sheet 1" then "ok" to "locate 3/4 generic then click ok to start operation" machine moves to 12,12,0 and prompts me to "change to next bit and hit ok when ready" which is NOT OK because I do not need this step as I am only using two tools both of which are riding on the gantry and thus DO NOT need to perform a tool change.

This is due to either erroneous or missing entries in the my variables file

The next prompt is "open keyboard" and "hit yes to change zero location".....why would I want to change the zero location? My zero location is at the extreme bottom left of the table (i.e. X = 0 and Y = 0) which is, coincidentally, where I intend to place the bottom left corner of my 96 x 48 sheet of material so I DO NOT want to change my damn zero location.

This line refers to moving the location to zero the Z following a bit change in case the current location is not suitable. This will be fixed by addition of proper variables

When I hit "no" to the change zero location question I am prompted to "place zero plate under bit".......which does not jive with the fact that I have an ALUMINUM BLOCK BEYOND THE CUTTING AREA. :mad:

HAVE YOU TOLD THE SOFTWARE THAT YOU HAVE AN ALUMINUM BLOCK BEYOND THE CUTTING AREA AND ENTERED ITS COORDINATES?

Even if this did mention something about the aluminum block rather than the Z-zero plate it still makes no sense that there is a zero operation inherent to every sheet that I cut because the height of my spoil board is not changing per sheet of cut material.

Once proper variables and tooling numbers have been setup these problems will dissappear. You are correct, there is no need to do this on every sheet, but it is needed for every bit. Your correct variables will let the software know which case is true.

[Gary Campbell]

Jimmie...and other SB Link users that may be interested.

I did get off my butt on this one. Since I no longer have a machine to test these files, a couple of the SB Link beta testers have agreed to test the following files:

Block Offset; a file that reads the spoilboard height at any or specific location,compares it to the fixed block, sets the off table fixed zero block location, and writes all these values to the my_variables file.

Coming soon: a surfacer file that touches off on the fixed block after surfacing and writes the new offset to the my_variables file.

MTC Zzero; a file that allows either fixed block or oem z plate to zero a bit. Also recalcs the drill z offset(s) when a bit is changed without running the drill offset file. Easy user inputs for fixed block locations and ability to work as block only for SB Link files.

Testing currently is for single Z running GC MTC files up to 2 drills. US & metric. I hope to get this to SB to test for compatibility (and blessing)with the SB MTC system in the next couple weeks.