Shouldn't Carbide Motion "pause" and tell me to change bits when necessary?

Software Carbide Motion
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Shouldn’t Carbide Motion “pause” and tell me to change bits when necessary?

It stops after it finishes a “tool path”, but I do not get any notification. Also, when it does this, I want to just change the bit and re-zero the Z-axis ONLY and continue. However, Carbide Motion locks me out of being able to “jog” in order to raise the spindle enough to remove the dust thingy and change the bit. I can open the “Jog” window, but none of the buttons do anything. I end up having to “stop” that job, go to Carbide Create and “disable” the path that was completed, resave it and reload the new file in Carbide Motion. Is this how it is supposed to work?

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Please see:

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Check your post processor in cc.

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My interface doesn’t look anything like that. Maybe there is an update? Mine is Build 513.

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I’m very new here… I have no idea what you just asked me to check.

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Carbide Create has an option under Edit | Post Processor in newer versions which influences how the machine behaves, including tool changes.

For multiple tool jobs in Carbide Create there are 3 options:

  • Export separate files for each tool as per: https://docs.carbide3d.com/tutorials/tool-change/
  • Export a single file and use a BitRunner to manage the tool changes
  • Export a single file and ensure consistent endmill stickout using depth ring collars or a gauge block or some other technique
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The current version of Carbide Create is 4.64 and Carbide Motion is 5.13. In Carbide Create you can check by selecting “Help” and then “About”. For Carbide Motion open the application and in the lower left hand corner the version shows.

If you are not on certain versions some of the newer functionality does not work. So check you versions. If you are behind then go to carbide3d.com and at the bottom of the web page there are links for both the newest CC and CM.

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First for tool changes, you will need the BitSetter. Do you have the BitSetter? If you do not, then you need to run separate files and re-zero after each tool change.

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By “BitSetter” do you mean BitZero? I have the Bitzero.
However, my Shapeoko just stops and seems to be in a holding pattern when it is finished with the tool paths that use the “currently loaded” bit. It does not give me any message to install a different bit. I’m wondering if there is a setting in Carbide Motion that will notify me which bit should be loaded and then a button to “continue”…

Once it stops, I have to stop the entire project, go to Carbide Create and “disable” the tool paths that it already ran, save as a new Gcode and then load the new file to continue.

I don’t think this is how it is supposed to work.

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No, the BitSetter is the accessory which manages bit changes:

With it installed you can output one G-Code file with toolpaths for multiple tools and it will “just work”, otherwise, you have to output discrete files, one per tool and manage the tool length offset by hand as described at the link previously sent.

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Ahhh… sounds like that is what I need. Will the Carbide Motion program somehow know I have the bitsetter installed and will it then prompt me to change bits?

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Yes, there is a checkbox and you’ll have to set it up (basically tell Motion where it is).

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Without the BitSetter, you save a file for each set of toolpaths using the same endmill in a separate file and you run them individually in sequence. You have to re-zero for each tool change.

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I assume I only need to re-zero the Z-axis after changing end mills. Yes?

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You cannot have a multi-tool GCode file if you do not have a BitSetter… unless your endmills all have exactly the same stickout where you do not need to reset your Z zero. Normally if you do not have a BitSetter, you need to save a file for each tool and let it run to the end.

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Understood… thanks for the help!

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