Z-Axis warnings not appropriate?

Software Carbide Motion
1

The different bits I run in my Shapeoko Pro (4) have different lengths and cutting lengths. I’m hitting a situation as follows:

  1. I have multiple jobs with the same XYZ origin, which has Z-axis just 0.3mm above the spoilboard.
  2. I run a facing operation via an .nc file, using the McFly cutter, about 10mm above the spoilboard. I use the BitSetter.
  3. I then load a new .nc file that will use a ¼" end mill, but when I Start it, I get a warning about going beyond the Z-limit of the machine.
  4. If I Cancel, then load the ¼" end mill (which uses Bit-Setter), then re-run the same .nc file, all is well.

I’m assuming that I could ignore the warning, but I’ve already milled into my aluminum hybrid table tracks too many times and so have PTSD. Seems like this might be a Carbide Motion bug - it should wait until the proper tool is loaded before warning about hitting Z-axis limits, right?

2

This behaviour was updated a while back — if you’re using a current version, it shouldn’t happen:

If this is happening in a current version, please let us know step-by-step what you are doing, upload the .nc file, and send us screen grabs showing the machine position when at the origin (or a specified offset from there) and measurements of how much stickout each tool in question has.

3

You can use the Load New Tool option before loading your new file. It will measure the bit but then once you start the file it will measure again.

If you don’t mind the extra trip to the bitsetter it’s a safe way to go.

But yea, when you load that new file it doesn’t know you are going to change the bit and remeasure so the warning is based on the current bit length.

1 Like
4

I was running 636. I’ll update today and try again.

5

I guess I wouldn’t know since 635 is the latest PI build :sob:

6

OK, with the latest Carbide Motion I no longer got the spurious Z-axis warning.

And, by resetting the travelX and travelY limits in the shapeoko.json file, I get proper warnings everywhere now.

My travelX was 445 and travelY was 444. Turns out I was able to expand travelX to 451.55, but had to shrink travelY to 436.75. I think because my travelY was too large CM wasn’t giving me warnings that the job was going to crash (which it did). It’s a tiny bummer that my travelY is limited more than travelX, and weird that the defaults in CM for my Shapeoko Pro (4) Standard were so wrong.

Anyway, all is good now, thanks.

1 Like
7

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.