ZZeroing techniques...

[harryball]

I find myself fighting with the software, Part Wizard and VCPro, on zeroing Z. Maybe I'm just not getting it but the software seems lacking.

When I'm carving or milling on the surface I want to zero z to the top of the block. However, for profile cuts I want to zero to the table. I've taken care of the physical part with a touch block at bed height. Anytime I am not cutting through I zero on the material, when I am cutting through I zero on the bed.

My issue lies with the software. It doesn't make it easy at all to choose where you want to zero z by toolpath. It's global to all toolpaths. When I go change the zzero method in VCPro I get a warning and it seems to behave. I can just calculate the paths desired and save them. I get no indication, however, of the current state so it's sort of dangerous.

In Part Wizard when I change the zZero method it changes the start depth of the toolpaths to the thickness of the material.

My question is this... could someone advise me on the "professional" way to handle this situation? Does better software allow you to zzero by toolpath instead of globally?

I love the method at the table, it works great and my spoil board thanks me. It is just cumbersome on the software side for something that would seem to be simple.

Robert

[fleinbach]

I'm sure everyone has their own techniques when it comes to setting up their cut files. I do both 3-D and 2-D cut outs and I always zero to the surface of the material. For me this simplifies things and alleviates the possibility of confusion as to whether I was zeroing to the table or zeroing to the top of the material. This may be the reason why all the software out there, doesn't provide for zeroing on each individual cut path. Not to mention having to stop just for the purpose of re-zeroing for a second time.


I generally use a quarter-inch bit to cut out the entire job. By zeroing on the top of the sheet I am able to drill holes, make rabbits and do my cut out all from one file.

[paco]

R Ball,

I do it just like you in that I use the top when I work the top and use the bottom when I machine down the bottom.

In CAD/CAM package I always use the top as a "convention" and a good reference; in other word, I make it as simple as possible. You don't have to change that witin a single project. I only change the XY home point for specific jobs.

When I zero my tool for cut through, I zero at the spoilboard surface and add the thickness I've set in the CAD/CAM, that's it... not exactly, I subtract 0.01" to make sure I don't have any skin left over because my spoilboard/support board system wrap over time.

Here my latest Zzero that does it all in one. It prompt for material thickness so if your working on the material top, you enter 0 (zero) or nothing. If you set your toolpath(s) based on say 1 inch material in your CAD/CAM, you enter 1 but zeroing from the the spoilboard surface (I always somewhere I can zero on my bed).
I've checked the variable it use and it "should" use the same as yours (my_variables.sbc system) but check it (get familiar with the code) out first before zeroing your most brittle tool with it. It use the VC (or %(28) system variable) safe Z and not the my_variables.sbc one as I prefer to have the hability to change it over projects. Always test "foreign" file first; you can Zzero in the air rather than on solid. After the prompts, it'll wait for you to touch the bit (ground) for a second to start the zeroing process so don't wait for it to plunge. It'll wiggle before plunging; could be a sound but it's too loud in my shop.
This is just a demonstration that you can do it your way, what ever your way is.




4995 (3.8 k)

SB code hacker, let me know if you would happen to have a more elegant way for the input #1 trigger to start the process... I haven't figure any other way so far. Ted, how about a WAIT command for something to happen on inputs? WAIT ON INP and/or WAIT,# for and clock dwell... Could be a nice file process control command.

[paco]

Hummm... WAIT,# is already there as PAUSE,#... pretty silly me...

Still, WAIT FOR INPUT could be nice. How about PAUSE, INP (#,#) which would control the file flow with input signal. Sort of a input prompt instead of a user prompt (PAUSE; at the monitor)?... or maybe IF %(51-58) = # THEN WAIT FOR %(51-58) = #.

Does that make any sense?!