Not sure if this is the best spot for suggested improvements, but need to put it somewhere.
If you only have 1 machine, limit 1 session of Create Motion to open. Second time it opens give an error…
As talked about here, I check a box to let the SW know you have a Sweepy Pro. When selected, have a second pause between the BitZero and spinning up the VFD… Trying to put the bottom back on while the bit is spinning is dangerous…
Please let me know if there is some where else to post things like this.
What I do with sweepy is after I put the new bit in place, I attach sweepy before it goes to bitsetter. Since the bit check isn’t affected by sweepy, it’ll go and get the zero, then spin up and go already with the sweepy in place.
Two things that I would appreciate in Carbide Motion:
An option for the behavior after setting the z-zero point. Currently, you set the zero and it goes to the bitsetter, sets the zero point, then returns to where it was. It would be nice to have the option for it to just stay over the bitsetter and not move back. Many times I’m setting the z height before starting a job and so the head moves over to bitsetter, then goes allllllll the way back to the other side of the table where I zeroed it out, then alllll the way back to bitsetter to ask for the first bit for the job I just started. Just staying in the front corner after setting the zero would save me a lot of time.
A more “dense” control page option. I would love to have the buttons to set the zero points and the various quick move points on the same page as the jog controls. Having the shortcuts list available there also would be great. It takes too many clicks to get basic things done in the interface. I understand if the original idea was to accommodate smaller screens that can’t fit as much, but it would be great to have the option to cram a lot more on the page and make things more efficient in the process.
Pause from BitChange Prompt?
Is it possible to add a (small) Pause Button to the bitchange prompt to allow for a clean program exit? I often find that I need to make a small edit to the last toolpath and need to somehow cleanly exit the flow without affecting the current setup X/Y/Z zero. Current process is to continue, let it remeasure the same bit again, move to where it’s going to start the next toolpath and then pause it–I just don’t like pausing while its moving for concern of a skipped step on my (belt driven) Pro XXL resulting in an X/Y error when I restart with the fixed toolpath.
Thanks!
Also, it would be great to have more keyboard shortcuts for functions and have them available whenever the program is open. Being able to set zero for each axis, and for all, rapid position to current XY, rapid to current Z, current Z + 6mm, stuff like that. THey don’t have to be “easy” shortcuts, like the “X” key zeros out the X axis, they can be more complex like cmd/ctrl+x, or even cmd+shift+x, but if they’re shortcuts, they can be mapped in macro pads and other helpful devices.
I have a Contour Shuttle Pro Shuttle Pro V2 – The Programmable Shortcut Tool that I used to use for video editing and I can map any of the buttons and the dials to any keypress combination.
I know you probably want to push people towards buying the pendant but some of us will have existing things that we’d be able to use if we’re not in a position to spend the money right now.
I have a ShuttleXpress in a box in my closet. I used to use two with Mach3 (Tormach mill and my self-converted Feeler lathe). Until C3D came out with their own jog shuttle I was begging for an accommodation for the Xpress. My favorite feature was the (5-step?) variable-speed continuous jogging using the ring, together with one-step jogging using the center dial.