On my last 2 projects my machine (Shapeoko 3 XXL running Vectric V Carve Pro) has started engraving off to the right of where it was supposed to start (dead center). It has ruined a large project already and when I just tried to engrave a “name stripe” on a new flag, it did it again.
Does anyone have any ideas what it can be? I have unplugged it and am hoping that resets it (?).
Couple questions:
The SO3 has several failure points. The first are the pulley set screws. Recommend you put a black mark across the pulleys and the stepper motor shaft. that gives you a fast indication if the set screws have become loose. Second are obstructions. that can be vacuum hoses, drag chains slipping off their perch or even mangled belt teeth. The SO3 has 9MM belts and they can become stretched or malformed So inspect them and tighten as necessary.
Turn your SO3 off and slowly move your gantry front to back and back to front several times It should move slowly and easily with no tight spots. Push the gantry front to back and back to front several times. Do not move too fast or the stepper motors create EMF and it will sound like the belts are slipping. If you have tight spots address that. On the gantry lift up on both ends and it should not move and same for Z axis. If you get movement you need to adjust v-wheel eccentrics
To test for movement accurach pick a point on the spoilboard and install a vee bit. Center on that dot and jog to get a slight impression Raise the Z up and move like 6" and do the same making a small dimple. Measure to make sure you get 6". You can also create circles and squares bigger than 6" and use a vcarve tool path with no offset contour and measure the squares and circles to ensure accuracy
The SO3 is a very good machine but if you over do F&S it can lose steps If your tool paths are agressive you can easily lose steps and make your project not so good .
I’ve run this program nearly 200 times between flags (144) and signs(50) and have never had these issues.
The machine checks out fine after all the great suggestions on this post. I am still having issues and have sent a email to Vectric.
Thanks for our valued input!
Thanks for your assistance. All of what you mentioned I have done and the machine is fine. Today I tried to engrave a line on a flag stripe and yet again, the words are not centered either in the middle of the wood left to right(X), not up and down(Y).
I have sent an email to Vectric to see if it is a software issue.
Mike.
Did you move the anything on the file and perhaps forgot to recalculate the toolpath? Maybe you can post your file to see if we catch something you may be overlooking.
No, I made sure everything was saved properly having not changed toolpaths.
Today I downloaded the newest versions of CC and V Carve Pro and updated the CM as well. I actually designed a union with 50 stars in CC and sent it directly to the machine, and it did the SAME thing ruing yet another piece. All belts are tight, everything travels as should.
The only thing I can think of is when it 1st happened, I had a very large sign on and it was at the very front of the machine. The 1st time I tried to xyz, the piece was too far forward and the spindle bumped it going backward. But, nothing is prohibiting the machine from moving properly.
I’m lost and about to tell my customers that their products won’t be ready for Christmas.
Can you post your Gcode file? Also, out of curiosity, move the gantry around after you set your working zero and then send it back to your working zero. Does it come back to the same spot?
Hi Jorge,
Sorry for the delay. I’ve been out of the shop with an illness. If you tell me how to post the gcode I will do that. Also, the last few attempts at engraving things after setting my zero and then returning the cutter to zero, it moves to the area then is about 3" off. each time.
Today I did a practice stripe and it started in the correct place, yet engraved off to the right (up the y axis) again even though it was a new file with the word centered exactly in the center of the piece. I am running out of patience.
Hi Mike, I’m glad you’re feeling better. To upload a file, you can use the 7th icon, starting from the left in the window where you post your replies. It looks like an arrow pointing up.
Based on what you are saying, I think the problem is with CM or the controller changing your zero. Have you tried using another sender, such as Gsender or UGS? If you say your machine checks mechanically and the Gcode checks, and you set your zero and verify the DRO on CM does Zero, then the only other problem would be the sender or the controller.