Quick question…what’s the max Z speeds I can get away with? I’m staring at probably 25 more hours of run time on about 150 more pieces (about 80 done thus far) and if I could speed the plunge up I could shave quite a bit of time off this run.
This is ice - so I can plunge like a mad man.
Theoretically it can be as fast as the other axis (120mm/s?) but I have it firmware limited to 30mm/s because I think 30 is pretty nuts as I rapid at 12mm/s I think.
Since you have so many pieces I would keep upping the speed on each piece until you see an issue and then back down to keep it sane, and lots of lube.
Thanks for the quick reply. Do I need to change the rapid Z in the ESTLCAM settings too? I know the tool settings will speed up the plunge but will the retract also speed up?
I changed the rapid Z to 1250 and the tool plunge to 15 and I’m happy here. I went from 2:41 on this piece (there’s six different pieces) to 1:30 flat. As in minutes/seconds. Hardly time to post this!
What a machine! 
Making me smile!
Don’t know if you can make it out or not but see all those little bricks of ice? Each one has a perfectly reproduced carved AND snowfilled logo in them. 100 of the company logo, 100 of the event logo (pictured…37 down, 63 to go) and then 4 sets of 25 large panels to come.
Setup is Thursday afternoon. Expect more photos.
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I guess I need an ice category in the gallery now, this is too awesome not to be in there.
Day 2 of 100+ degree weather here…that ice looks mighty heavenly. I am keeping the shop under 90 with my swamp cooler but I bet a few of those blocks would really help it out.
Wow. THAT was a long day on the MPCNC! Eleven hours literally non stop. 200, 8" x 4" blocks of ice - 100 each of two logos. Not a burp, stutter, hiccup, complaint, issue or fire from the MPCNC. Maaaaybe an issue or two with hold downs but hey, nobody’s perfect, right?
Well - maybe Ryan and Heffe…
Tomorrow? 100, 8" x 12" icon carvings. And then assembling it all…
This is where the Mostly Printed Robot Arm really shines. You wouldn’t do all that assembly by hand would you? Ew!
There’s a company in Ontario that has a machine essentially like a tree chipper that takes the big blocks and grinds them into snow and then blows it where ever you point the massive hose. There was some Chevy Chase movie filmed in Edmonton years (and years) ago. It was summertime but a whole section of a neighbourhood here was turned to winter. That’ll cool your shop down!
