I keep experiencing an incredibly frustrating event with my machine. I'm hoping for some advice or tips on how to avoid this. I have a LEAD1515, High Z, BlackBox, OB Touch Interface, OB zero probe, OB control software, Vectric V-Carve Pro. I assembled the machine bundle according to the video. I've only been able to create a few projects with satisfactory results, however most of the time, the machine runs through a roughing pass and once the machine is stopped for a tooling change, the workpiece zero changes to random places on the bed, ruining the project. I have tried just zero-ing Z between tool changes as well as all three axes. It still happens, but it's random. Yesterday, I did a 5 hour roughing pass, changed tools, did an 11 hour finishing pass, both of which worked perfectly. Thinking I was in the home stretch, I changed tools for a V carve and the project was ruined with the lettering way off from where it was supposed to be. This was after an air cut that appeared to be correct, and then zeroing for true Z. The previewed toolpaths appear correct when viewed in Vectric. I have tried using the laptop and bypassing the touch interface, I have tried several different drives with the touch interface, and even reformatting and reloading files onto the drive. I have the power cord for the router heading straight up to the ceiling so it is as far away from other cables as possible. I have even tried air cuts by zeroing the Z well above the work piece, but once I re-zero the true Z, it's a gamble whether the machine will jog to the correct place. I have run the calibration wizards and I have homed the machine, however I keep seeing folks say that limit switches are meant to be back and right and top of Z. It looked like the assembly video has switches positioned front, left, and top of Z. Are my switches in the wrong place? Am I supposed to run a homing cycle between each tool change? Are there settings that need to be installed for bundles with High Z's added? If anyone can help me out here, I would be greatly appreciative. This is turning into the most expensive way I could find to turn overpriced lumber into firewood. A few projects have turned out well, this problem seems to random, but so frustrating after spending 16 hours or more machining only to have the tool ruin the entire project.
No, if homing works then all is well. no, but you must also not reset nor power cycle the BB during a job. Always home after power up/interface connect/PC connect. Are your toolchanges in the middle of a file or between files? What exactly do you do during a toolchange? Are there any error messages?
Yes, Z-max travel can be increased by 250mm - not related to your issue though, just good to set properly
I save individual toolpaths from Vectric on the thumb drive and load one at a time on the touch interface. First, I probe using the touch interface probe wizard and run one file until completed. Then I power down the Dewalt 611, change bits, re-zero Z with the openbuilds touch probe. I can jog around, and click "go to zero" and the tool will return to bottom right corner of workpiece, and coordinates all read at 0.000. I then load the next toolpath file from the thumb drive and press "run job". Sometimes it goes to the right place and begins cutting, sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, I abort the job and power down the Dewalt. At that point, I will click "go to zero" and it heads to some random place on the machine bed. I have not seen any error messages.
Home the machine and set Z-zero. If you have to change bits on a job, run first toolpath and WAIT until the router goes to home position. Change bits and set Z-zero.before running another toolpath. A touch probe is very helpful in setting Z-zero.
the router has never returned to “Home” after a job has completed. It always returns to work piece zero X,Y and .800 Z if I recall correctly.
i will take a look at the router brushes , but it’s a fairly new tool with not a lot of use yet. Still I’ll see what the brushes look like.
Clearly this is a tough one to figure out since it seems to be random, but let me go through some thoughts and see if we can narrow this down a bit. Which "go to zero" are you clicking? If its Machine coordinates, it would explain the "some random place" since machine zero is not where you homed the machine nor is it your work zero. EDIT: I just remembered that you have the interface which I believe goes to work zero. Is the random place off in X or Y or both? How do you know where its supposed to go? Are you comparing it to the first move in the gcode file? It might be helpful to load your file then lower your feed rate slider. Click run then monitor where the cutter is going. If its going off track, take a look at the dro's and compare those values to what's in your gcode file. The pause button is helpful here. If they match then its a software issue. If they dont, then its hardware. How far is "way off from where it was supposed to be"? Is it always the same distance? I've had this problem a few times with vcarve. Usually stems from not regenerating a toolpath after I make a positional adjustment. (either centering the model in the stock or moving the text). I work mostly in Fusion which will tell you when the toolpath has to be regenerated.
I have used my laptop a few times and experienced this same thing but I’m clicking the top choice in the “gotozero” drop down and I can’t remember which that is. I’m away from my gear at the moment. I really want to be able to use the touch interface as much as possible to keep my laptop away from the dust. When I say, “where it’s supposed to go…” I’m meaning that on my latest job, the vcarve was no where near the area on the model it was supposed to be. It has been as much as around 9 inches to the left of the original X-zero and as little as 2 inches left. Unfortunately I did not note Y values. I will certainly attempt this job again and be sure to recalculate all toolpaths before saving them. The tool path previews have always looked correct on Vectric before I’ve started any jobs. I really appreciate your replies. I’ll try to explain the best I can the exact scenario without any filler: Set workpiece zero with touch probe, confirm XYZ Zero by pressing go to zero on touch interface, cutter moves to perfect XYZ Zero on workpiece, load file, run job. Cutter begins cutting in the wrong place on on workpiece, stop job, abort job, press “gotoXYZzero” and cutter moves to random place, usually far left X and a little away Y from workpiece zero, but still not machine home. Thank you for all your time!
Okay, but you still need to compare where the machine thinks it is, to where the gcode file says it should be. Post your vcarve file if you can. Also, what post processor are you using?
I've attached the Vectric file for you to look at if you have time. It's a basic 3d model purchased from Design&Make that I added some text to and wanted to make as a gift for my Father-in-law. I'm unsure how to read the gcode as far as the commands in order to compare machine position. I'll look around for a tutorial on that. Again, thank you so much for helping.
Not sure why you have it, but your last 3D finish pass (3D Finish 2) is 3/4" offset from the rest of the model. Maybe when you posted the toolpaths you selected that gcode file instead of "3D Finish 1" as your second operation.
Also, its clear that you moved the model within the workspace, or more likely changed the stock size, and didnt regenerate the toolpaths. Before (the file you sent me without changes) After recalculating the roughing toolpath
Wow. Ok then. User error as I had hoped. I’ve got to be more careful when loading tool paths. I appreciate your help and I feel a little foolish. Thanks again.
Its all a guess. Without seeing what's actually going on I cant say for sure. Maybe start with a smaller version of a 3d carve using the same type of toolpaths. Put a name on an apple or something. The key is to fail as fast as you can. LOL
I’ve had a few things turn out really well in my opinion. I did this copy of my badge at work and I feel like it’s almost perfect and it had several tool changes and a good bit of time involved. I’ll keep working with the machine and the software and pay better attention in the future. Tuesday I will get another project going and see what happens.
