Nomad and/or CM not remembering zero?

[mbellon (Mark Bellon)]

In general, one should never trust that a zero is preserved after a power cycle or one has walked away from a machine. This is taught in machining school - never trust a zero to still be there.

This dates from the time when mills had to be shared within and across shifts and there were multiple operator/machinists per mill.

It’s always a good idea to validate your zero hasn’t moved, even if one is the only operator. This is doubly important when working with different machines as a fair number of machines are quite adamant that they do not and will not preserve zeros across a power cycle… or someone played with the machine and moved a zero.

Because I learned things “the old way” I never depend on a zero to be preserved across a power cycle. If it seems like it was, I check it. Of the 5 CNC machines I’ve often used, 4 of them are adamant they do not preserve zeros across a power cycle.

One can write down their zeros and use them for another run. Just remember to clear/reset the machine and set the zeros again… don’t trust that something hasn’t been done to the machine (or was done but forgotten).

If one is depending on a zero to be preserved but is changing stock, one had better have a jig that ensures the stock change places the stock pieces in exactly the same position as that of the first piece of stock. The zero doesn’t change… but the stock might. The ole machinist’s mallet and light tapping ensures positioning, as does a well designed fixture.

Here is a wonderful video - NICE JOB @FlatBaller! - that clearly shows this in action:

Turners Cube Video

Here is my first Nomad time lapse. I cut another turners cube just to try it out. (Man editing CNC video to get to the ‘interesting’ stuff takes a while…) Sorry about the shaky bit at the beginning, it only lasts for about 8 seconds or so.

While powered on the Nomad most certainly maintains its zeros. One could leave it on for the length of the multiple day run?

All that said I seem to remember postings that said the Nomad does preserve zeros across power cycles - but I can’t seem to find them. I just tested my Nomad 883 Pro and it seems to have kept its zeros - and I see @FlatBaller says the same.

Was there a tool change and the tool length was not remeasured?

Now I can’t do what I was intending to do today and have had to get another cutter (ordered more than one this time) shipped overnight.

Sorry this happened. In:

Recommended End Mills

Choosing end mills requires choosing the appropriate characteristics (e.g. diameter, number of flutes, shape (flat, ball, bull nose ends), flute direction (up, down, compression cut) and so forth. Please jump to the putting it all together section if you want a simple summary. What follows are details of how and why to choose certain attributes of end mills. It takes some effort to learn the lingo but it is worth it so one can order end mills directly from a machining supplies vendor or distr…

I do remind people to order end mills - especially the small diameter ones - in duals or quads. This ensures that breakage or wearing out doesn’t stop production. When one starts with the last one, place another order.

mark