Hello,
I recently rebuilt my MPCNC and went with the dual endstops. The way I understand it I can use this feature to really help out during tool changes etc.
I’ve modeled a crib board and setup 3 cuts (will be 4 once I flip the board) in Fusion360. I’d like to place my stock somewhere in the middle of my MPCNC build area but still use the endstops somehow. I used to do this manually by running 2 programs and moving the gantry by hand to the right spot but that was never very accurate.
My 1st cut is a trace using a v-bit (you can see the 2 rectangles outlining the holes in my picture). My 2nd and 3rd cut can be done together and use an endmill (drills out the holes, then does a contour cut).
Is there a way I can do this and have the machine “wait for input” between the 2 cuts? If so, how do I make sure once the bits have been swapped that Z is at the correct height. Alternatively, is there a way to get the bit to the exact same spot between changing tools by running 2 programs, manually setting Z after the tool change then using an X/Y home in between?
For the rest, once you have your X/Y homed, jog to the workpiece home, take note of the X and Y values, and zero X/Y. Use your touchplate to zero your Z. After your first job, change your bit, rehome X/Y, jog out to the same workpiece home and zero X/Y. If you already carved away some of the stock at that point, jog to some untouched stock, and use the touchplate again to zero your Z, and start your second job.
That’s great info thank you. So I’ll still be running 2 programs but use the controller to move to my desired origin rather than moving it by hand. That makes sense, thank you.
You can also jog over take note of the zero and change it in your CAD, then generate all your CAM using the exact same numbers. Take the human error out as much as possible.
When you use this method you must build a jig so the work pieces go to the same spot everytime?
I tried out the method KC mentioned. It’s sweet that the firmware actually keeps your start point as 0 and takes x and y negative to the endstops. I bet I could add a g-code command to go back to virtual 0 and it would automate that as well.
If you are repeating the same exact job, but typically no, then you would just use the machine Zero if possible. Or if it is getting cut out leave a little extra room for some inexact placement. There is a bunch of ways to make this happen really.