Configuring a machine using Carbide Motion 5

To configure a machine using Carbide Motion 5:

  • click on “Connect to Cutter”

  • click on the Settings link at the top right of the screen

  • make the selections appropriate to your machine:

    • Size: Standard/XL/XXL — this will determine where the rapid position points are
    • Z-axis type:
      • Belt Drive (Classic) — for older machines with belt drive Z-axes
      • Z-Plus (Leadscrew) — current production machines, and older machines upgraded with a Z-Plus
      • HDZ, Full X Travel (Ballscrew) — for machines upgraded with an HDZ which are able to take advantage of its increased X-axis travel
      • HDZ, Reduce X Travel (Ballscrew) — for machines upgraded with an HDZ which have had dust collection systems added which interfere with X-axis travel, reducing it to that of a machine with a Belt Drive or Z-Plus
  • Various checkboxes for accessories — configure these per instructions once those accessories are installed. We recommend not adding accessories until the basics of the machine functionality are set up and tested.

The click on “Send Configuration Data” (a window showing progress will appear) and “OK” (the progress window may reappear)

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Will, I disable (uncheck) the Bitsetter (temporarily) when I use a 1"D. surfacing bit. Do I need to “Send Configuration Data” at that time?

The reason I ask is that if I don’t “Clear all offsets” when I reset the XYZ zero, then I will have a problem with Z-zero. The Bitzero “Probe Z” function will sometimes not get a true Z-zero when I check it manually. “Clear all offsets” seems to fix the problem.

I know there are several gotchas involved with that, but my point was does the configuration need to be resent every time something is changed in the dialog mentioned above.

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I’ve been able to just check and uncheck the box (EDIT: and then click “OK”)

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“Send Configuration” is only required for things that require to modify some of the GRBL parameters (e.g. different Z axes require a different number of steps per mm). The BitSetter presence (and location) is managed at CM side, not GRBL, so there is no modified GRBL param, this checkbox just changes whether CM will go and probe for tool length upon initializing and job start, or skip those actions.
Out of curiosity I just double-checked by dumping ($$) the GRBL params before and after unchecking the BitSetter (and clicking OK), and unsurprisingly the values stayed the same.

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I unchecck the bitsetter when I level my spoil board. I also move the bitsetter off the front of the machine because I dont want the fly cutter to hit when moving accross the front. I mark the location with a silver permanent marker and just reattach it with the set screws. I have never had it loose the bitsetter position when I recheck the bitsetter. It would not hurt to recalibrate the bit setter location but I have never had to.

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