pause for manual check or adjustment

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Al Allison
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pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Al Allison »

Is there a way I can insert a pause at any point in an Aspire program that will pause the program so I can make a measurement or adjustment and then continue?

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Adrian
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Adrian »

Pauses are normally something you would do at the control software end of things by pressing a button or by editing the code and inserting a pause.

Al Allison
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Al Allison »

Hi Adrian, thank you for the reply.

I am trying to place a grid of recessed pockets (1/16) deep into some MDF. The surface has almost that much variability. I would like to generate the g-code in Aspire, then edit it to place something like a 'pause' command (whatever sequence that might be) in the code just before the operation, then have tine to check and reset the z zero to match the board surface at that point, then resume the operation.

Any suggestions or directions?


Thank you.

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Adrian
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Adrian »

Do they have to be exactly 1/16" deep? The easiest way would be to set the job up so that the z-zero is on the machine bed rather than than the material surface. That way all the calculations for the toolpaths are done from the bottom up rather than top down.

Otherwise I would do it by creating one file, and keep running it over and over in each location resetting your z-zero each time. If your control software is like mine you should have the ability to run a single file from multiple offsets or, if not, reset the XY each time you reset the Z.

Al Allison
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Al Allison »

Well, these pockets are for a flange on a metal insert that should end up flush with the surface so I don't see how I can go from the bottom up.

I guess I will have to set the (0,0), set the z-0, do the run, then manually move the x,y and reset the z, wash, rinse, repeat. (50 times)
:( :( :(

Thanks again

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TReischl
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by TReischl »

Working with stock that is not flat and/or consistent thickness is the source of your problem from what I have read above.

Trying to do work arounds via software becomes tedious at best.
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Al Allison »

Agreed!

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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by mtylerfl »

Hi Al,

If your material thickness varies, you can run a large surfacing bit over the entire surface to make it perfectly flat prior to running your pockets. Just use the same large bit you use for surfacing your spoilboard. For best and most accurate results, perform that surfacing operation with your Z-zero set from the bottom of the material (aka set your Z-zero to the machine bed/spoilboard surface).

After that, you can run your pockets and they will be consistent depth. (Whether you set the Z-zero to the top or the bottom of the material, for the pocketing operation.)
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Adrian
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Adrian »

Problem with surfacing MDF is that you can break through the thin compressed layer on top which can cause a lot of issues or not depending on what the final goal is.

Got to say it must be really bad quality MDF to have that much surface variation. I've machined literally thousands of sheets of it over the years and it's the most uniform material I work with next to carbon fibre.

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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by mtylerfl »

Adrian, you are right - breaking through the tempered surface of MDF can certainly be a “fluffy” adventure! I am also puzzled about the thickness variation. I haven’t experienced any major issue like that either
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Al Allison
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Re: pause for manual check or adjustment

Post by Al Allison »

Michael and Adrian,
Thank you both for your information, and also for the wealth of experience and inspiration you have given the community.

Let me give you a more complete story on what i am trying to accomplish. I have a 2' x 4' MDF spoilboard, which I have used successfully for the past six years or so, which I built using advice similar to what you have just said above, probably from reading the advice of you and others on this forum. It has served me well although the SharkHD4 has some difficulty with tramming issues.

My spoilboard has worn enough that I am having difficulty using it to hold down projects using the CA glue method. The tape does not roll down tightly to the rough board, or the glue can creep through the tape, or the piece I am trying to hold pulls up some of the spoilboard when the scrap piece is cut free and so on. Clearly it is time for a new spoilboard. I got more MFD from the same blue big box store and supposed it was going to be fine. I had made the original with a hole pattern using the thin round pockets described above to receive 1/4-20 tee nut flanges inserted on the bottom of the spoilboard. This way I have lots of places to use a bolt to clamp down work pieces to the spoilboard. That has worked very well for me being a good clamp with a low profile.

This time I'm thinking I will use the old spoilboard to hold down the new spoilboard to let me make a more elaborate and even better hole pattern. These will hold the work pieces to the spoilboard and I will also drill the holes that receive the recessed bolts that will hold down the spoilboard to the aluminum platen of the machine bed. At least this was the plan.

So I place the new MDF, from the same source, on the old spoilboard, clamp on all edges (none in the middle at this point), I run a depth gauge in the collet over the surface and find something like +/- .030 variance with no clear pattern of slope or curvature!
Now from reading your comments on the quality of MDF and the changes from breaking the compressed surface, and I'm wondering if that is the source of the problem I am seeing. The old board is flexing the new one due to its surface.

Thoughts? and thank you for your time.

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