Zero plate problem

[bill_moore]

I can't get the zero plate to work. I double checked the wiring in the control box and it is correct by the book. The input green light on switch 1 comes on when I touch it to the bit but I can't get it to stop when I am moving Z either with keypad or MZ. I did a google search on the forum but anything I found was for a PRT mine is a new PRS ALPHA. I just finished putting it together last week. I can't find any mention of how to use it in the manuel. Am I missing something? If I do a MZ from Z 6 to Z 3 during the move I touch the plate to the bit the light on sw 1 comes on but it keeps driveing to z3.
Thanks

[paco]

Bill,

move the bit 2-3 inches above the spoilboard. Now hold the Z-plate in your hand 1 inch above the spoilboard and hit (or ask for help) C2 (this custom cut should be set for the Z zeroing routine as the default setup). If it happen to not be C2, browse your hard drive (FP command) to find 'Zzero.sbp' in the Sbparts folder (C:\Sbparts\). The routine will prompt you a couple of time but at some point, it will move downward and once it'll hit the Z plate (hold it steady and firmly) it will stop, move a bit upward then move down again. You'll discover the way the ShopBot zeroing routine behave. I'm suggesting tho hold the Z-plate in your hand and above the spoilboard in case something doesn't work as expected (it wont be hitting an hard surface); the person at the keyboard will be able to hit the space bar to stop the process. If you prefer, you can lay the Z-plate under the bit on the spoilboard and just see what happen. Make sure the Z-plate wont move in the zeroing process and avoid chucking in your most expensive bit yet until you know that it act correctly.

Let us know how it goes...

[fleinbach]

Bill,

An MZ move will not stop the travel of the Z movement using the Z-zero plate. You need to use the Icon. It is the 6th from the left right under the [C]uts drop down or from the [Z]ero drop down choose zero[Z] axis

[bill_moore]

Thanks folks. I wish I could find these things myself. I guess I'm not looking in the right places.
Bill

[Brady Watson]

Bill,
The Zzero plate will ONLY work when you use the C2 function. It will NOT work under any other circumstances, even if the light lights up.

Place bit under plate and type C2 into SB3. Let it do it's thing. That's it.

-B

[fleinbach]

I was in a hurry yesterday and made an error in my statement above. Everything I said up to the last thing about the [Z] zero command was correct but the [Z] zero command will only zero out the Z axis it will not stop movement via tha zero plate. I should have chosen to state as Brady did that it is the C2 command located under the [C]uts drop down.