Current workflow is a piece finishes, next piece goes on, start the machining and rough sand previous piece. If I haven’t done so, I’ll prep my next pieces on table saw or miter saw. Rinse and repeat.
I only pay close attention on initial pass, to ensure it’s correct and clearing clamps. Rest is by ear, as you definitely hear a problem real quick, hah. I’m still in the shop doing other things.
I had a bit of a issue last night. Literally my last part for the night. I closed CM and reopened it and had to reinitialize. It did it’s bit setter check and I did my lower left corner but zero Z clear.
Start the job and the machine goes hard left X to the rail and plows thru my clamp knobs. Hah. Turns out my setup had been centered not bottom left. Good lesson to always double check everything.
Out of curiosity, let’s say there was a service that provided a remote tool monitoring that watched your CNC run and even had the ability to turn off your device and notify you… Is that something you’d pay for?
Nope. That’s what I’m for. Why else would I do this “thing”? I can order crap from China to do whatever I want, but I’m the only one that can do this “thing” that we all do in our own way.
I never leave the building. I don’t have to stare at it but I will be nearby. Too much Money wrapped up in all of it to walk away. Some use remote cameras with apps that control on/off switches. Apps are glitchy. My reaction time is not.
So I ran my 2.5 hour job…it was my first 3D modeling attempt - and it came out really well. I told myself I’d clean my shop while it ran - after all of this discussion (and my initial question).
I watched the 6 minute rough pass…all looked good. Then I started watching the finish pass. Of course, I had to watch the finish pass until it got to some of the finer details…so I watched for a while. Since it was the first time I did a 3D modeling exercise, I was fascinated by the way the shapes just appeared from nowhere as the material was removed.
Two and half hours later, I stopped watching. I never cleaned the shop.
I don’t think I’ll be quite so mesmerized the next time, but the question was moot as soon as I saw what that machine was doing! This is really cool stuff.
There’s some interesting 3D printing projects that are using AI to detect bad prints (spaghetti monster).
There’s definitely space in the market for a high tech alerting system, even if it’s just an aid.
I’m actually surprised that some of the same tech 3D Printing tech isn’t used by Carbide 3D, like crash detection and mesh leveling. I know there are differences but I’m sure there are interesting possibilities
It would be nice to see stall detecting stepper drivers on the C3D machines but there is a min motor speed limit to that stall detection for a lot of the more affordable driver chips.
Personally I’d spend the extra and go closed loop but if C3D did things like that the price of the machine would go way up whilst the perceived value for new customers would stay pretty much the same.
There’s no reason not to install a smoke detector as a “check the machine” reminder however
Mostly what others have said. I know the official stance is to never leave its presence. I second what @nystromd said. I use a $25 Wyze camera and can watch/listen on my phone. I also scale my willingness to leave by my calculated risk. Bigger bit, full depths of cut, possibility of my tape/glue hold-down failing? I stay put.
If I’m clamped, have run the job before, and am only doing shallow depths of cut, I’m much more forgiving. For example, on the final passes of these cnc photos, I’m taking like 0.03in or so with a 1/8 and 1mm. I’m really not worried about this. Minimal removal, minimal forces, minimal dust (if there was going to be a hot router/dust fire issue).
I would never dream of leaving my house, that’s for sure. Most of the time, particularly after seeing some fire reports here, I don’t leave the room. I have bluetooth hearing protection and watch youtube videos/hunt on Craigslist/Amazon to salivate over things I won’t buy but dream of
Edit: and, meant to add, even when I think nothing will go wrong, I’ve had a bit slip from the collet and start eating into my t-track/wasteboard. Glad I was there to stop it! Also, when doing tons of boring operations to make a threaded wasteboard, I didn’t realize that my cut was just at the limit of my lower z travel. I ended up driving the z carriage off the freaking rails (the bottom rollers came off the v-track). Holy crap good thing I was there for that vs. the router going hog wild with a 1/4 spiral big and flailing all over.
Maybe key point is: no matter what we think we know… you can never know for sure. No one can sign off on you leaving. Obviously if we knew an “oh sh*t” moment was going to happen… we wouldn’t leave. The very fact that everyone’s stories of “I’m glad I was there” or “it was horrible I wasn’t there” are going to amount to unexpected issues. So, if you want to leave… accept those issues/risks. None of us can sign off on this for your peace of mind! It’s your own decision based on what can possibly happen, and the damages that might result.
If its a job I have run quite a few times, and I am confident all is running well with the Gcode, I walk away. I keep an eye on the monitor to see when the job is finished. Place the next piece in hit run and walk away again.
The whole reason I got the SO3 was to automate and the repetitive tasks I need to make, and it does a great job at that.
Sounds like you just need a little more confidence. If you’ve run the file before and you know you set the workpiece in correctly, walk away and do something else nearby.
I’m actually writing this reply as the machine is running. I don’t have eyes on it right now and I can barely hear it. But the job that is running, has run on that machine maybe 1000 times with no issues. It take 13 minutes. It’s almost done so I will finish this post so I can switch out the workpiece for another blank.
Keep at it and gain confidence in your workflow. It will open up a lot of free time to work on other things.
I couldn’t help thinking that it would have been really funny if you had written that as:
…I’m actually writing this reply as the machine is running. I don’t have eyes on it right now and I can barely hear it. But the job is … oh wait… what the…#$%#!
I actually thought about that as I just went to get the mail. My thought was, “ well that would really suck if something went wrong while I am out here”.
I “always” watch my projects run. It’s not just a case of being ready to hit the kill switch (which I’ve had to do a few times), it’s about understanding more about the process and what works and doesn’t work so well with feeds and speeds and different materials.
Do I watch every move? No. If it’s a repeat job, or it’s something like a pocketing action that’s taking some time (lots of passes on large area) I’m happy to potter around doing other things in the workshop while it runs, but I never leave it totally unattended.
Spinning things make heat and if something gets stuck (e.g. USB disconnects as it has done in the past) then that heat on wood eventually turns to fire and that’s not something I want to have to come back to.
I think this is an interesting question, and enjoyed seeing the responses.
Personally, I usually watch if it is a new job, or I’m uneasy about it (approaching limits, trying new bit or cut, etc.). Or if the job is using a 1/4" bit or larger (a 1/8" or smaller bit will snap before damaging the machine).
I don’t watch if it is a job I have run before (same gcode), or a long-term carving job.
Also, if it is a long-term job I sometimes set up a video camera and a wireless-controlled outlet. I can observe the progress of the job on my phone and can kill power remotely, if there is a problem.
I did install an ESTOP switch on my first machine and kept it ever since.
OTOH, my Dad was an old machinist, and just enjoyed watching it work. So while he was still around I could position him near the ESTOP and not worry about it.
(Sounds like a movie I once saw! :D)