Starting position

[kubotaman]

I have a simple question. When I made a file, made in Aspire, I told the file to start at X12, Y12. That it did but as it is moving to the "cutting" position it is descending as it is moving. Is there a way to tell it to "hold" position, in Z axis, until it reaches the cutting position before it descends?

[srwtlc]

Daryl,

You will have to make a small change in the post processor file that you use. Open it in your favorite text editor and look for this line...

+--------------------------------------------
+ Program moves
+--------------------------------------------

begin RAPID_MOVE

"J3,[X],[Y],[Z]"


+---------------------------------------------

Change it to look like this...

+--------------------------------------------
+ Program moves
+--------------------------------------------

begin INITIAL_RAPID_MOVE

"J3,[X],[Y],[ZH]"
"J3,[X],[Y],[SAFEZ]"

+---------------------------------------------

begin RAPID_MOVE

"J3,[X],[Y],[Z]"


+---------------------------------------------

Try that and see if it works the way you want. I've been using it this way a number of years now. Never liked the thought of clipping something it shouldn't on the way there (clamp, jig, screw, etc.).

Scott

[tmerrill]

Daryl,

Another option is to use the Material Setup menu in Aspire to set your Clearance (Z1). This was designed to keep you above clamps, etc., until you get to the cut position.

Tim

[srwtlc]

Tim is correct, but that will make all your rapid moves at that height which will add time to the file. I will often want just the start to be higher and rapids between cuts to be lower. A good example would be a v-carving file with a lot of small cuts. You'd have many retracts to say 1" when all you need at that point is just a little clearance. In that case you'd add quite a bit of time to the file.

No wrong or right, just preference. ;)

[kubotaman]

Thanks guy's for the information. It's appreciated!