Newbie- help needed with deskCNC

[cluelessness]

Hi, I'm new to this site, i hope someone can help,
my school got a brand new machine and we are using it with deskCNC. We are having trouble trying to zero the z plane. we set the z coord to the top of the object we're cutting and click "zero z plane", then we home it, send it back to zero and it goes back to the original zero (before we set it). please help me, the tech teachers are all relying on me to come up with an answer but i never used it before.

[ger21]

I think that's how it's supposed to work. Typically, you home the machine first, then set the Z height before running your program.

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by cluelessness Hi, I'm new to this site, i hope someone can help, my school got a brand new machine and we are using it with deskCNC. We are having trouble trying to zero the z plane. we set the z coord to the top of the object we're cutting and click "zero z plane", then we home it, send it back to zero and it goes back to the original zero (before we set it). please help me, the tech teachers are all relying on me to come up with an answer but i never used it before.

Try homing the machine. The jogging down to the top of the part and setting 0 for the z
If you need to go back to machine 0 thy a G28 which will put the machine at home without reseting anything.

This all asumes that the machine has home switches.
If the machine doesn't have home switches it becomes more complicated.
Let me know how you make out.

Mike

If you are still having problems, let me know what version of Deskcnc you are running and if it is a first gen or second gen card.

[Adobe Machine]

Go to the top of the Desk CNC Display ( machine mode), click "controller"...then go to " set coordinate", set your Z height as the differance between the material and what the Z is now after it moved to home 0...I.E. you set the Z at 0 ( material top), then you moved the machine to home which raised the Z to "home Z 0," the Z display should indicate how much the Z ( and I presume lifted +) moved,so change the Z to that number .

Another way to look at the problem: Machine Z 0 less the material 0 is say .900, just change the Z coordinate as .900, click change and you are ready to machine..( DO NOT PUT A - IN FRONT OF YOUR CORRECTION)

My other suggestion is to run your program with out material 1st... I like to use machinable wax when there is a difficult Z movements, to make sure your not going to machine the X axis ball screw .

Adobe Machine (old as dirt)

[cheetahcnc]

I had a similar situation with my router running DeskCNC. Jog all axis to 'Home' position, (Z home is the top of your material) then click the button in the upper right 'ALL' next to the X Y Z buttons. A window pops up asking OK to zero all Coordinates? Click 'yes'. Then click 'SETUP' at upper left. Then click 'MACHINE SETUP'. Click on the arrow in the upper right of the window to scroll over to 'HOME SCRIPT'. Click the 'Home X' button, it is probably blank. Type G01 X0.000 F40 . For 'Home Y' G01 Y0.000 F40. For 'Home Z' G01 Z0.000 F30 . The F command is the speed you wish axis to move 'home'. I set my 'Home All' G01 Y0.000 X0.000 Z0.500 F40. This way there is always 0.500 Z clearance while homing to avoid hold down screws, etc. Now when you press the 'HOME' button all axis should home properly, with Z at 0.500. If you want Z axis to be at zero when home, put G01 Y0.000 X0.000 Z0.000 F40 in the 'home all' script box. Once you have properly zeroed 'Z' to the top of your material it is OK to have the position indicator read 0.500 for Z when home, it will be traveling into negative numbers when into your material.

There might be another issue with the ini file to clear up, but try this first.

[cluelessness]

thanks everyone for your help, i wont be able to use your help till next year because our machine has broken down before we have been able to use it properly and then I have school holidays but thanks any.