Material Setup Using Machine Bed as z-zero

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mplsartist
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 2:09 pm
Model of CNC Machine: OOZnest 1500x1500

Material Setup Using Machine Bed as z-zero

Post by mplsartist »

After reading many posts about using "machine bed" for z-zero to cut a profile all the way through the wood, and not carving up my spoilboard, I still have some procedural questions.

I've set Material Setup (wood thickness 0.716) in Vectric Cut2D Pro with the z-zero dot at the bottom of the material (or top of machine bed) at the lower left corner (x=0, y=0).
Do I then move my router bit to the top of the spoil board and then designate that as z=0 in my CNC Control Software?
Do I then move my router bit to x=0, y=0 on the top of the material and then designate that as x=0, y=0 as usual in my CNC Control Software?
Do I then move my bit down to barely touch the top of the material before starting the program?
Will Cut2D Pro then automatically start cutting at the top of the material and gradually work its way down to the bottom of the material (top of spoil board)?

Unfortunately, when I completed all the above steps, I ended up cutting air. I noticed that Safe Z was set at 0.916 (normal: 0.201) and Home Z was set at 0.92 Should I be overriding one of the values and enter a negative value?

Steve

Thanks for the help.
Cutting Depths.png
Safe Z.png

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Adrian
Vectric Archimage
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Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Material Setup Using Machine Bed as z-zero

Post by Adrian »

Setting the XY zero isn't affected by where you set the Z zero. The only thing to set in VCarve is the Z Zero Position to be Machine Bed.

When setting up your machine for the file you then set the z-zero to be the top of the spoilboard. There is nothing else to do. The material doesn't come into other making sure the material thickness you've entered in VCarve is correct. The clearances etc automatically adjust for where the Z Zero Position is set to.

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gkas
Vectric Wizard
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Model of CNC Machine: Aspire, Axiom AR8 Pro+, Axiom 4.2W Laser
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Re: Material Setup Using Machine Bed as z-zero

Post by gkas »

mplsartist wrote: Do I then move my bit down to barely touch the top of the material before starting the program?
That is your mistake. You set your bit for Z when you zeroed to spoilboard. Now just set X,Y=0 and go.

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