Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Project?

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Mark
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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by Mark »

Hello Chris,

I am afraid the we (Vectric) do not write the Shark Control Panel software.
This is written by the machine tool manufacturer.

I hope that this helps.

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by RyanS »

Why not just swap your x and y on your controller? Are you using Mach 3?

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by martin54 »

RyanS wrote:Why not just swap your x and y on your controller? Are you using Mach 3?
No they don't use mach3 Ryan, the shark machines have their own control software.
They already know they can swap the axis about but that isn't the point of the thread if you read through it.

If I were doing this using mach3 I wouldn't simply swap the axis over though, I would probably set up another profile & use that profile as well as swapping the axis but thats just my way of working :lol: :lol:

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by tonydude919 »

chris@manabeads.com

Here is a solution.

1) Swap the X and Y cables at the back of the controller box. This makes the X axis parallel to the slots in the base extrusion.
2a) Open the Shark Control Panel, then press Ctrl-G. This opens a password field. Enter 787 as the password.
2b) A window with tuning parameters will appear. Look for the one named "Y step size in MM".
2c) The default value is a negative number. REMOVE the minus sign, leaving the numbers the same.
2d) Click SAVE. The tuning parameter window will disappear.

That is all you need! The next time you start the Shark Control panel, Machine X0Y0 will be at the front left corner of the table.

Tony
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by Davekat »

Thanks. Good come backs. I like your ideas. #2 below I could go for also.

chris@manabeads.com wrote:Whoa, it sounds like a hit a sensitive spot...

Yes, there is an easy workaround, ie, turn your model to create the toolpaths and others as noted above. But I am hoping I bought into a company (Vectric) that listens to their users and constantly improves their software to makes live easier for us all... I am a bt of aprogrammer, so it is clear to me that it would be simple to make the following changes to the Software that would make my life easier and probably many others:

1. Modify Control Panel with a button that says "Swap X & Y Axis"
2. Modify Control Panel with a button that says Park - After all toolpaths the router parks are 0,0 which is ALWAYS in the way to check the results. I have to manually move the router to a park position so i can check the result before releasing the work...

Hopefully someone at VEctric is listening...

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by BrianM »

Davekat wrote:Thanks. Good come backs. I like your ideas. #2 below I could go for also.

chris@manabeads.com wrote:Whoa, it sounds like a hit a sensitive spot...

Yes, there is an easy workaround, ie, turn your model to create the toolpaths and others as noted above. But I am hoping I bought into a company (Vectric) that listens to their users and constantly improves their software to makes live easier for us all... I am a bt of aprogrammer, so it is clear to me that it would be simple to make the following changes to the Software that would make my life easier and probably many others:

1. Modify Control Panel with a button that says "Swap X & Y Axis"
2. Modify Control Panel with a button that says Park - After all toolpaths the router parks are 0,0 which is ALWAYS in the way to check the results. I have to manually move the router to a park position so i can check the result before releasing the work...

Hopefully someone at VEctric is listening...
As Mark mentioned previously Vectric DO NOT write the Control Panel software - this is written by your machine tool manufacturer.

Brian

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by RacerChris »

Mark wrote:Hello Chris,

I am afraid the we (Vectric) do not write the Shark Control Panel software.
This is written by the machine tool manufacturer.

I hope that this helps.
Thanks for the reply Mark, but clearly this does not "help". Anyhow, it makes sense, so I reached out to Next Wave Automation who writes the Control Panel. See their response pasted in below...

Hmm, they think this is something for you, not them which i do not understand, but clearly is also no "help". Perhaps Vectric can reach out to Next Wave and hopefully together they can make their users lives easier..

Thanks, Chris

--------------------------------------
Support (Next Wave Automation)
Sep 13, 10:29 ADT
Good morning,
Thank you for the link, however, it appears this is something that Vectric, the manufacturer of the design software needs to look into. I believe the updates referred are to their software and not our shark control panel as most of those users are not using our CNC machines.
Thank you
NWA Technical Support
Chris
Shark HD3 / vCarveDesktop 10.512 / CNC Shark Control Panel v2.1 Build 22

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by Davekat »

chris@manabeads.com wrote:
Mark wrote:Hello Chris,

I am afraid the we (Vectric) do not write the Shark Control Panel software.
This is written by the machine tool manufacturer.

I hope that this helps.
Thanks for the reply Mark, but clearly this does not "help". Anyhow, it makes sense, so I reached out to Next Wave Automation who writes the Control Panel. See their response pasted in below...

Hmm, they think this is something for you, not them which i do not understand, but clearly is also no "help". Perhaps Vectric can reach out to Next Wave and hopefully together they can make their users lives easier..

Thanks, Chris

--------------------------------------
Support (Next Wave Automation)
Sep 13, 10:29 ADT
Good morning,
Thank you for the link, however, it appears this is something that Vectric, the manufacturer of the design software needs to look into. I believe the updates referred are to their software and not our shark control panel as most of those users are not using our CNC machines.
Thank you
NWA Technical Support
************************************

The above is true. no Shark here. I built my own machine using a Gecko 540. I use one of the basic nc g-code file formats that I added code to for my machine.
My intent was to have a button or menu item added into the Vectric Software to change the output to take advantage of the width of most monitors for a Long Y bed, X gantry to convert to Long X bed, Y gantry. (Remember, I make Cornice Boxes for window coverings on a regular basis. I have to turn every single job for every "tweek" that I make. It turns into quite a bit of time and frustration for me.) I think it should be an option within the Preferences for all jobs, as this is probably the rule for the shop setup... but a button on the Menu Button Panel would work... or both? :idea:
Davekat :D

PS: Funds are shy for me that I would be pushing to buy into an upgrade, but this feature may get my attention. :shock:

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by martin54 »

Davekat what control software do you use for your machine ??

Mach3 doesn't have a park button in the default screen set but some of the other screen sets you can buy do. Can't remember for sure but think the 2010 screen set has one & the Big Tex Blue Screen that I use has one, I have my park position set well out of the way of any stock I place on the machine :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by PaulRowntree »

My apologies Chris if this has been answered, but I didn't see it ...

Why not tweak a post-processor to exchange the X and Y axes?
Paul Rowntree
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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by Davekat »

martin54 wrote:Davekat what control software do you use for your machine ??

Mach3 doesn't have a park button in the default screen set but some of the other screen sets you can buy do. Can't remember for sure but think the 2010 screen set has one & the Big Tex Blue Screen that I use has one, I have my park position set well out of the way of any stock I place on the machine :lol: :lol: :lol:
I have the 2010 screen. I love the Park button. I usually set it different for different size jobs. Easy to do. it's worth the small price.

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by martin54 »

I have the 2010 screen set but don't use it, can't honestly remember what it was I didn't like about it & couldn't remember if it had the park button or not. I run the Big Tex Blue Probing screen now which also has the park button but I just keep it to the same location rather than changing the position for different jobs :lol:

If your running mach3 would it not be easier for you to just swap over your x & y axis rather than having multiple job files for each project ?
If the machine is set up so each axis is connected to the control box by a plug & socket then it is easy enough to switch x & y plugs over & then if you had a separate profile set up for this configuration use that profile to launch mach3.

I know it's probably not ideal for you but would seem to be a better option than having to keep & change lots of different files for each project you do.

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by adze_cnc »

Davekat wrote:Everyone heard me, but alas... no-one listened. :cry:

...

What a simple feature to add. Rotate x and y to fit screen orientation. (I would then only need one file for each job change.)
Just because the suggestions given don't agree with what you want to hear doesn't mean we have not "listened".

Vectric has to balance how much it would cost to implement such a change versus how few people it would benefit.

My suggestion would be, if you are designing and making these items on a regular or professional basis, to invest a very small amount of money, relatively speaking, and get a pivoting monitor.

My local public library uses these as the staff can read documents in "portrait" mode and do other things in "landscape" mode. When next I need to purchase a monitor that's the type I'm going to buy gladly.

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by RacerChris »

adze_cnc wrote:
Davekat wrote:Everyone heard me, but alas... no-one listened. :cry:

...

What a simple feature to add. Rotate x and y to fit screen orientation. (I would then only need one file for each job change.)
Vectric has to balance how much it would cost to implement such a change versus how few people it would benefit.
Cost to implement? Aren't you a software company continuously working on the next version and thus we can expect ever increasing improvements to VCarve? If this is the case, then are you not always looking for suggestions from your users to improve their experience? And save us the cost of a monitor??
Chris
Shark HD3 / vCarveDesktop 10.512 / CNC Shark Control Panel v2.1 Build 22

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Re: Job Orientation - Is there a way to NOT rotate the Proje

Post by martin54 »

chris@manabeads.com wrote:
adze_cnc wrote:
Davekat wrote:Everyone heard me, but alas... no-one listened. :cry:

...

What a simple feature to add. Rotate x and y to fit screen orientation. (I would then only need one file for each job change.)
Vectric has to balance how much it would cost to implement such a change versus how few people it would benefit.
Cost to implement? Aren't you a software company continuously working on the next version and thus we can expect ever increasing improvements to VCarve? If this is the case, then are you not always looking for suggestions from your users to improve their experience? And save us the cost of a monitor??
There is obviously a cost involved, how much I have no idea as I am not a programmer & have little experience writing code. Vectric from what I have seen do listen to their users & do make changes based on some of these suggestions but obviously not all of them. If enough people asked for the sort of changes you would like to see then I am sure they would look into what could be done to help :lol: :lol:

The other thing is that people have already said this is a control software feature & Vectric don't write the control software :lol: :lol: :lol:

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