Touch probe and setting Z

1

Greetings,

When running a job I use the touch probe to set x.y and z. I had to shut off the cnc and the laptop until the next morning. I used the bit that was still in the machine the next morning. Question: Do I have to reset Z or is that stored just like x and y?

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks,

2

Which Z-carriage do you have?

After initializing, your previous coordinates are theoretically stored until reset. A good way to check is to rapid to X,Y 0 in the Jog > Rapid screen there’s also a Z0+6mm button, just keep an eye on the actual coordinate read out and you may want to press that button in a safe area if zero is suspect.

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3

How close is ‘close enough’? The homing switches have their own precision / repeatability - there is no guarantee that they trip at exactly the same point each time, and that variability will exist until you re-zero.

4

Thanks will try that.

5

Thanks very much will keep that in mind.

6

Going to hijack this thread - hope that’s OK.

  1. It’s not explained anywhere, but when you use BitZero V2 on a corner, the Z-axis zero is referenced off a different height of the unit than when you’re only doing the Z-axis zeroing. That’s because the unit’s X/Y indexing edges are sitting completely on top of your workpiece, not nestled below to register on the sides of your workpiece. I assume this is all factored into the automated setting thing.

  2. Why is the order of operations to first move the bit in the negative axis direction? That would seem to want to move the BitZero off of its position. Now, I guess that the idea is that as soon as the bit touches it’s got its reading and so it doesn’t actually move the BitZero, but in practice is that actually true? I’ve taken to holding the BitZero in place with a finger. Am I being too paranoid?

  3. I know the circular design of the XY part of the sensor should mean that you don’t have to start in the middle to get an accurate reading, but in practice how much does that matter?

  4. I’ve had inconsistent results with the Z-axis zeroing when doing a corner zero. Once too low and one too high. So I’m now in the mode after zeroing of checking the height manually afterwards.

  5. A question: What’s the best way for me to check repeatability? Carbide Motion shows the X,Y & Z axis readouts, but those are from your zero point. What’s the best/easiest way to show the machine X,Y & Z axis values so that I can, for instance, run two BitZero calibrations and see that they’re coming up identically?

7

Nope, this is good practice. If you are being careful, obviously.

Watch for any tilt during the probing.

Click the Position label, CM will toggle into absolute coords display mode

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