So I’m having issues with Z axis… Problem is that If I make a gcode in ESTLCAM ( I havent tried making a gcode with another software) and say I want to make a cut at 9mm depth, the actual cut will be allot deeper…not sure how deeper as I stopped it after went 3mm over in depth!
I had to set my depth in estlcam at 0.9mm to get anywhere near close to 9mm.
Obviously is something I’m missing but I cant figured it out!
The board is a Mini Rambo and been purchased here at Vicious 1
I have installed the T8 leadscrew firmware so I know is not that?
P.S I just remembered that I made a gcode for my laser the other day in Inkscape and I had the same issue. I wanted to make 3 passes at 1mm and I had to set it as 0.1mm to archive the 1mm step down on Z axis.
A factor of 10 is a very odd thing unless it is on all axis. I would say triple check your Estlcam setup/config, I honestly can’t think of how it could be 10x off. Steps would equal 2x or 4x, wrong mm/s vs mm/m would be all axis.
Are you using my leadscrew or did you buy your own? That is the only way I can see this being ten off somehow.
You can try M115, which should return some information. It won’t tell you specifics, but it will give you an idea of the broad version.
I think if you send an M92, it will report the steps/mm per axis, which will help.
Before going to gcode, I would make sure that when you ask to move 1mm, it moves 1mm. Moving 1mm is hard to measure, but if you ask it to move 1mm and it moves 100mm, then you’ll break something, so if it looks about right, you can try to move 20mm or 25.4mm and measure to see if it’s close. If you’re not fudging anything, then the fix should be some sort of round number, like 8x or 16x.
Are you sure you are starting at a Z=0? The gcode is all written as relative to the origin, so you need to be at the origin, at the Z=0 height, and set home offsets, so the machine reports it’s at 0,0,0. Then start the gcode. If the machine thought it was at Z=9 when it started, then the first thing it would do is dive down 9 to get to 0,0,0.
Thanks for your help. I’l try your suggestions when I get back from work tonight.
I had a look last night at my settings in Estlcam and is the same as Ryan’s basic settings in the build page.
Checked my downloaded firmware file in my computer and indeed is the firmware for the T8 lead screw so I know is the correct firmware installed to the board. The only thing I changed in the firmware is the settings to enable the pwm signal for my JTech laser, which been working great and only issue in Zsteps.
So to recap, I dont think the issue is in Estlcam as I get the same issues with an Inkscape gcode.
The lead screw is a T8 purchaced from Ryan so thats all good.
I’l check your suggestions tonight and I might reflash the firmware at last result.
That number is so odd it is best to re-flash and we can go from there. The laser pin seems to be the issue somehow, best to double check and fix it when confirmed. I’m having an odd week so I will check in as frequent as possible.
Update: I re installed the firmware with the same one I used the first time that was still in my desktop folder. This time I dint modify the firmware for the laser. Well all works fine. Ask for 1mm, I get 1mm.
I’l run it like that for a bit to make sure is all working fine, then I redo my laser codes in the firmware same as I did before and see what happens.
I will update as soon as I do the laser modification.
