Tool path is off-set

[ricklach]

I did my first carving using aspire today. When I calculated the toolpath I set the coordinates to the bottom left of the work and using a 1/8in ball nose started the job. I expected the tool head to go to the centre of the work piece and start carving. However, it went to the centre in the y-axis but right of centre on the x-axis by about 25mm (I have not measured the exact distance). As a result the work piece is all but ruined having left out the left side of the tool path because of the off set. Are there any suggestions as to what might have gone wrong?

[TReischl]

Where the 0,0 is set in the software and where it is set on the machine MUST be the same.

If you are going to use the lower left corner of the workpiece as the zero point, then you need to select that when you are using the software. It is in "job setup".

My advice to you, since you are new: go slow, pay attention to the dialog boxes and start watching tutorials and following along with them.

[SteveNelson46]

I assume it was a 3D toolpath that you tried to calculate. Did you select "Offset" or "Raster" strategy in the toolpath setup before calculating?

[ricklach]

I selected the offset strategy

[martin54]

Can you upload the CRV3D file to the forum? If you can't do that then a couple of screenshots would be the next best thing, first thing to do is to ensure everything is correct in the software, if it isn't then someone will help correct that for you & if it is then it means that something else is at fault like the control software the machine or possibly an error setting up

[ricklach]

I had a look at the gcode and the starting position was in the centre of the work piece which was 350x350mm and the centre was 175 mm for both the x and y axis. The machine was properly set-up, homed and probed to establish the start point. I rechecked the code for the toolpath. I have left the partially finished piece in place and what I will do tomorrow is to reset everything, reload the gcode and do a dry run just to see if the machine starts at the centre point. with a bit of experimentation I should be able to figure this thing out but I am always open to suggestions that I may not have considered. It just occurred to me - should I be using model boundary or selected vector boundary (which is a bounding box set to the same dimensions as the work-piece.

[martin54]

Which method you use as your machining limits shouldn't make any difference to your start point, if the machine was off 25mm on one axis then that won't be the cause of the problem.

Which one of the 4 machining limit boundaries you use will depend mainly on the project & how you like to work

[SteveNelson46]

Did you let the project run for a while or stop it early? The offset strategy will start in the middle and work its way out. Switch to "Raster" strategy and it will use the start points. Also, the "Use New Raster" setting under "Toolpath Settings" in Options may have some effect.