I’m not sure where to post this…but here’s what I’m trying to do:
I have more than 20 pieces that I’d like to run the same job against. The zero is all the same for every piece and the exact same toolpaths need to be run against each one.
In today’s world, I have to “Run” the job for each piece, which has the overhead of the start up process and the end of job process.
Is there a way (and maybe it’s with edited GRBL) to have a job pause, then restart from the beginning - so that it’s only starting and ending once? I would swap pieces at the pause and then press the resume button to start the next iteration, avoiding the unneeded gantry and Z travel.
When I have jobs like that, I just edit the gcode file and remove all of the operations I don’t want. I remove the commands:
Spindle on / Spindle Speed
End of Program
Coolant On
Most of my programs end with just the Z axis moving up about an inch. Then It won’t home, just move up and stop, but I don’t use the speed control or spindle on/off control.
Of course, I do want those things the first time. And spindle on spindle off is important to avoid getting my hands in the way of a spinning bit while changing out the boards.
I guess I’m wondering if there’s a pause and a “GoTo” equivalent in GRBL that I could inject into my code after it’s created.
You could duplicate your gcode file and edit one of them for follow-on operations. ASSUMING no bit changes.
[filename]-1st Run - does all of the startup stuff you want it to do, and does shut off the spindle at the end of cutting, then moves the spindle up 1 inch (25mm) and back / forward as far as you want it to in order to be able to change parts. But does not home at the end of program because you removed the “end of program” command.
[filename]-2nd Run - does not do the startup stuff other than turn on the spindle to proper speed. At the end of cutting, moves the spindle up 1 inch (25mm) and back as far as you want it to in order to be able to change parts, and does not home at the end of program because you removed the “end of program” command.
That’s it. Spindle is still off, program is done and CM returns to operator control, you just don’t have the home at the end of the program.
If you use a larger piece of stock, can you cut multiples in the same gcode file? For example, I need to cut 100 small 1 x 1 1/2 inch pieces. I use Fusion360. I created one of them and then duplicated it 20 times to fit horizontally on a piece of stock that’s 2 inches wide by 26 inches long. So it cuts one, moves to the right 35mm, cuts the second one, moves 35mm again, etc.
Yes…thanks. Today it’s 20, tomorrow, maybe 30. I was looking for something more robust…and it’s OK that it’s not something that GRBL can handle directly. Was just asking.