Losing X & Y Zeros when trying to Resume a Job on ShopBot

[nikdoobs]

I'm trying to resume a job that error-ed in the middle of a job. I need to reset my zero to the same spot so my cut paths will line up. When I use the go to command and type in the line # I can gauge whether my x & y zeros are close to the original x & y.

The problem is when I go back to adjust my x & y I lose the zero point. It will send the router to a random spot on the table.

I hope this makes sense. Anyone have experience with this issue? If so do you know why I am losing my zero?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Chriswagner92]

Can't help you with this specific issue, but I can give a tip, at least it works on our machine, warthog router running winCNC:

When you set the z height, start the spindle and let it kiss the material so that it leaves a mark, or a hole even, that way if it does stop you can set the x and the y to that spot and keep going. This is especially useful when you cut one piece out, you can just lay out your next job on the material that's left and you dont have to worry about it being off.

 

[Z SIGNS]

re zero with your proximity switch

 

[CES020]

I think it comes partially because of an error in the way you are using the machine and software. I'll take a leap here and that means I could be very wrong. Are you using Aspire or PartWorks?

If so, there's an "offset" value that comes up when you start a new job. It's normally got some value in there and a lot of people just uncheck that and move on.

What's supposed to happen, if I understand it correctly, is that you should zero the machine using the prox switches, and then job to the edge of your table. Write that value down and then when you start a job, you enter those numbers as the offset value. It really shouldn't change for most sheet work where the zero doesn't move.

What that does is tells the machine how far from the X0,Y0 prox switches the actual work zero is.

That allows you to crash the machine, turn it off, do whatever you want, and when you turn it back on, zero to the prox switches, and hit go, it'll know there's a certain distance to the edge of the table where zero is.

Unfortunately, most people don't do that (myself included), and that causes issues like you are seeing where the zero gets lost and there's no way to pick it back up reliably.

 

[Chriswagner92]

I think it comes partially because of an error in the way you are using the machine and software. I'll take a leap here and that means I could be very wrong. Are you using Aspire or PartWorks?

If so, there's an "offset" value that comes up when you start a new job. It's normally got some value in there and a lot of people just uncheck that and move on.

What's supposed to happen, if I understand it correctly, is that you should zero the machine using the prox switches, and then job to the edge of your table. Write that value down and then when you start a job, you enter those numbers as the offset value. It really shouldn't change for most sheet work where the zero doesn't move.

What that does is tells the machine how far from the X0,Y0 prox switches the actual work zero is.

That allows you to crash the machine, turn it off, do whatever you want, and when you turn it back on, zero to the prox switches, and hit go, it'll know there's a certain distance to the edge of the table where zero is.

Unfortunately, most people don't do that (myself included), and that causes issues like you are seeing where the zero gets lost and there's no way to pick it back up reliably.

+1 on our machine there is home and go home, which do basically the same thing.

 

[Techman]

Does your system show the g code while running If So you can find the reading it is in the error state.. Then compare that to what the reading should be when the cutter is in the correct position. From there it is a simple math problem to reset the co ordinates to the cutter.

However, Many of us using mach 3 use a edge finder routine to locate the absolute 0,0,0 according to the work piece. If a fail occurs it is easy to do another edge find routine to get back to 0,0,0,. Does your system have this feature available? If so then it would be good to figure it into your routine.