Reverse x and Y - Piranha XL

[zeighty]

Maybe someone is a hacker out there... any help at all will be very much appreciated.

I am tired of designing with x and y in native layout and having to reverse my material x and y values and then rotate my vectors 90 degrees before tool path calculating.

My machine is 12" X and 24" Y. So either I design like a normal person would by reversing x and y or design sideways...

So my process is:

Pencil sketch of design
Set material details - The X and Y are actually reversed during design
Complete my design, including previews and check all things out
Reverse my material x and y values
Select all vectors
Rotate vectors 90 degrees
Re-calculate tool paths

Of course I am saving the project as necessary.

I would like to reverse my X and Y on my machine. I can swap the cables, but I have been told that the motors with be reversed causing a mirror image of my work.

Anyone ever done this on a Piranha?
Thanks!

[Bob Jr]

Check this discussion: https://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic. ... &hilit=787
It may answer your question.
Bob

[SteveNelson46]

I'm not positive but I think you need to swap the X and Y cables on your machine.

[zeighty]

Check this discussion: https://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic. ... &hilit=787
It may answer your question.
Bob

I appreciate your suggestion. I read it and it confirmed that the x and y switch at the controller would be the first step, but the X axis will be reversed.
I will be trying this tomorrow to confirm that the Piranha controller and the Shark controller are work the same.
It appears that I would have to cut two of the x-axis motor wires and reverse the connections.
My goal is to accomplish this with the switch of the x and y cables at the controller and change the software on the controller to fix the reversed direction issue.

Thanks again.

[4DThinker]

A few years back the Nextwave forum discovered or was told by a support person a key combination to open up a setup window from their control panel that let you enter or change step values for each stepper. You could swap the X/Y cables then simply change minus to plus or plus to minus in front of the value for Y (now X) to take care of switching direction of the new X stepper. With the Control Panel running, enter CTRL+E then 787. If nothing happens try CTRL+G then 787. If nothing happens then your control panel may be a newer version where they've changed the access code again.

4D

[Rcnewcomb]

You could clone the post processor and swap the X and Y there.

[zeighty]

Thanks for the suggestions. Christmas and family interrupted my pursuit of this issue, but I am back on it. I am determined to figure out a way to easily do this.
It would be really appreciated if Vectric would allow you to specify machine orientation with a preference file...

[TReischl]

Thanks for the suggestions. Christmas and family interrupted my pursuit of this issue, but I am back on it. I am determined to figure out a way to easily do this.
It would be really appreciated if Vectric would allow you to specify machine orientation with a preference file...

In your case it would certainly help. The problem is doing things like that would more than likely cause more support problems than it fixes. Putting stuff into software that corrects errors on a limited number of machines is not the way to fix that. It would seem to me that NextWave should solve their problem, not rely on software companies to correct their mistake. That is just my opinion.

[zeighty]

TReischl -
I tend to agree to a point - when you go messing with standards, your standards may get messed up.
VCarve Pro is deeply complex. I have done some dev (no where near this level) and I can appreciate the complexity to a great degree having written code. However, I am not convinced that they couldn't handle creating a machine setup file that would accommodate such things as X Y orientation.
Perhaps it would be easier to accomplish if it were part of the post design process where you specify your machine or output file specs.

As far as NWA is concerned, I agree 100% with you in regards that this could be accomplished at the controller firmware level; however, I believe this would be more challenging way to do it.

[ezurick]

I would honestly suggest to stay with your current process. I just can't imagine the issues you will run into if you switch the X Y on the controller. I have a Chinese 6040 with a true 14" width cut and about a 22" length. In many projects I download, I have to swap the X Y before cutting because many folks have machines that can cut/carve extra wide. It don't bother me too much. Easily I reverse the X Y sizes and select all vectors (highlight any 3D if they exist) and turn them 90 degrees. Presto.

[sharkcutup]

I am a firm believer in not messing around with the inner workings of the CNC machine (especially if it is still under warranty) and/or its control software because you just do not know what other problems you can create! I have been CNCing for close to four years now and not had any issues with my machine. All issues created have been due to operator error! Sure it takes a bit of time to do everything in the design software but I believe it is better and a whole lot safer then having to mess around with CNC machine and/or the control software.

Oh and by the way after rotating all in design software if there are toolpaths assigned be sure to RE_CALCULATE!!!

Just my thoughts/opinions on the subject of this thread!

Sharkcutup

[mschoonmaker]

I'd be in favor of sharkcutup's suggestion re:rotated design view as well!!!

In the meantime, I'll also take a look at cloning the post processor too.

[lsvien]

I did exactly as you want to happen. I have the original Shark, same dimensions as yours, 12 x 24. And like you I wanted the X to be the long and the Y to be the short. The process is here for the original Shark:

https://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic. ... 414#p22414

Essentially you reverse the X and Y connections from the controller box, reverse the gantry by unbolting and flipping 180 degrees and re-bolting, and change the Y value in the controller software settings from a positive value to a negative value. Nothing here permanent, any changes can be reversed and cost nothing but your time. You have to reverse the gantry and change the Y value for the stepper motors because if you don't everything will be mirror imaged when you cut.

My controller is run on software on my PC. It does not have a controller pendant. Not sure about how to program the Piranha XL pendant so your mileage may vary.