Zero Question with bitzero

[vecink (Sea)]

Sorry if this been asked a million times, but I am not sure what I am missing, but I am having a hard time zeroing the machine. If I am reading the zeroing steps correctly, you move the tool to the corner set on the job and Click on “ZERO” on X and Y, then touch the surface of the media and then click on “ZERO” on the Z axis. What about when you the BitZero? When using the BitZero, do I still have to click Zero? I did a couple of test cuts today, and the cut was way off to where it was supposed to start.

[mhotchin (Michael Hotchin)]

Once you ‘Probe’ using the BitZero, the zero is already set. DON’T zero out after that.

Now, depending on the Probe you use, 1,2 or all three axis may be zeroed. For example, a ‘Corner’ probe will zero all three axis, but a Z probe will only do 1 - the Z axis.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

For a bit more on this see:

Using/verifying the BitZero

Here is how I check out the functionality of the machine/BitZero: first check that you have sent the correct Z-axis configuration This can be easily done by jogging down to the wasteboard surface, setting zero, then using the Rapid Position command to lift 6mm above the current zero — measure how much the machine moved — if it’s wrong: go to the MDI and send $$ and check that the Z-axis steps/mm match your machine setup: Belt-drive: 40 Z-Plus: 200 HDZ: 320 ​ ​c.f., Then, clamp a sui…

[vecink (Sea)]

Thank you! I will go through these steps.

[gdon_2003 (Guy Donham)]

When your machine initializes the internal coordinates of your machine are set. From those internal coordinates the last time you zeroed X Y and Z are remembered over power cycles and the distance from the internal coordinates to the point where you zeroed X Y and Z either manually or with a BitZero sets and keeps those offset coordinates .

So when you initialize with a BitSetter the machine homes and is setting the internal zero coordinates. Then the gantry comes to the front and prompts for a bit. After inserting a bit or just leaving the last bit used in the router the machine travels over to the BitSetter and plunges twice and sets the offset from the internal coordinates to the last time the zeros were set for Z (X and Y are remembered). This is done because some people remove the bit before shutting down a machine or on the initialization change the bit they will use on the next job when prompted for a bit during initialization. Just remember that last time you physically set the Z zero is what is remembered no matter what bit is installed during initialization.

So let the machine initialize and finish. Then you can load your material for the next job. At that point you can set the X Y and Z zeros either manually or using the BitZero. Now your new X Y and Z origins are set to match what you set as the origins in Carbide Create. Now load a job and you will be prompted for the first tool. If the tool is not already loaded insert the first tool and the BitSetter is used to set the first bit up at the X Y and Z zeros you set either manually or with a BitZero. Before you start a new job you can verify by going to the jog menu and rapid positions and pick X and Y location and the router will move to the X and Y coordinates. Then you can select Z +6MM and the bit should be 6MM above the Z zero height. If that was set for the top of material the bit should now be 6MM above the surface of t he material. If you use bottom of material be sure to move off the material before pressing the Z+6mm button or your router will crash into the material. Now that you have verified your X Y and Z zeros you can load and start your job.