It has to do with the machine zero / work zero. When you look at the gcode you will see the part where it starts giving X Y Z instructions and each line shows different values. It’s typically 5-10 lines from the top. At the top you’ll see where the set up is happening. That’s where you’ll see the two Z adjustments.
If you share the Easel file you should be able to see it in the visualizer too.
I make the project, as in some text or something and hit carve, as I go through the steps I do what it says and raise the bit. I am not importing G-code from somewhere like jscut or anything. I would think that would be how I would be getting two headers like you said. I wouldn’t think that Easel would insert two in the code.
I will check the code though tonight when I get home.
If it is in fact doing that can I simply fix it before I cut or is there some other work around?
It asks you to raise the bit because if your bit is touching the material and it turns on you’ll put a little machine mark into the material in a spot where you might not want a mark. So it adds the “raise the bit” code so you can turn it on in the air safely away from the material.
I’m guessing what is happening is that the post processor you used in the other program either already has that code or work zero is set above the place you are zeroing the bit.
Something like that. It’s hard to know for sure without seeing the gcode.
@RobertCanning is there a way you can share the file so I can share it with the engineering team?
I see what you mean and I understand it is hard to diagnose a problem without seeing what is going on, I do appreciate you taking your time to try and help me though. I wish the raise the bit command was an option not something you have to click to get to the next step in the program. I wanted to try to skip past it so it would actually cut something but the program wont let me…grrr I will hopefully be able to come back on here tonight and share the code.
Ah. What browser?
@CristopherColeman that’s what it does however if the Z zero is set above the top of the material in the imported file then it’s going up to that and then going up to clear the material.
Which program are you using?
John, is there any way I can increase the memory for the chrome browser so I can cut larger files. The file I was trying to cut was just my daughter’s name “Isabelle” I made it about 6 inches long and it still would not cut it. I put it in jscut first and it started and died. Not sure what to do, I would like to continue to use Chilipeppr for the massive amount of features it has but I cannot if it wont accept my files. The part I do not understand is the default program with the logo was more complicated than what I was trying to cut.
Right now I am just using Easel.I did not import a file. It does it even if I create the project right in Easel. It does it with the default robot with my name cut that it generates on its own.
yes it is and I even have let it cut into the work surface or zero it out off the edge of the work surface just below the surface to try and compensate for it to no avail. what I have been doing is just making it cut deeper than I really want it to and letting it cut air for the first few passes until it makes contact and starts cutting. It is very frustrating. Don’t get me wrong I am grateful to have such a thing as free open source software and am not complaining, I just want help to figure out what I am doing wrong.
I have calibrated the machine as well it is right on X, Y, and Z
Oh do not be sorry, I am very grateful… Yes it measures out correctly on all axis. I measured short distances and long distances all came out perfect. I am using 3/8 8 single start amce rod. I did have to adjust it initially though.
I have done that several times also over the last month and a half of trying to figure this out.
I didn’t realize this was happening to you on native Easel projects.
Let’s fix it in Easel natively first then you can move on to the more complex scenario of g-code import.
If you set the increment to .5" and click the up arrow does it go exactly .5"?
When it prompts you to “Use last home position” or “Set new home” which choice do you make?
Do you have the M-8 or the ACME on the Z? Can you confirm you have that same one selected from the setup?
Do you have the X-Controller or the Arduino?
It sounds like there is either an issue where your steps per revolution are set in a way that doesn’t match your hardware or the home position is set above your work piece.
Rather than going back and forth on the forum the fastest solution would be to give our Customer Success team a call on Monday 312-775-7009. They should be able to do a call or video chat with you and solve the problem with you on the phone. It sounds like a configuration issue.
Yes everything is calibrated correctly I went into machine inspector and adjusted everything so it was traveling the correct distances right from the start. I knew I would have to do this because I built my machine from scratch.
I always choose set new home when starting a new carve. I also found that if I hit the reset on my arduino uno it will automatically zero everything out for me. I found that out the hard way. I jog the machine over to the corner where it is supposed to be and touch the work surface and set new home position.
I have 3/8 - 8 single start acme on the z axis and it is setup as such.
I have an arduino uno runnging GRBL.
I agree I think it is in the configuration. I just do not know where to go to correct it.
Thank you for that number that was going to be a question I had also… There is no way to manually set the zero for each axis. That is why I found that hitting the reset on the arduino does this for me. I do not like doing it that way and not sure if that will cause a problem but that is the only way I could figure out how to set it back to zero. When I stop a job and the machine automatically goes back to zero it even stops way above(at least 6mm) the work when it goes idle. I know there is a safety height but I thought it would go to machine and work zero if it encountered a problem. I even thought about installing a hand wheel on my z axis, then I could pause the job right before it starts and lower the cutter to the work surface so it would cut like it is supposed to. Although, that is a lot of extra work that I don’t want to go through.
The reason I had to find out how to manually set to zero is because when I chose set new home position and I went into machine inspector to check it, it would not be at zero. Not machine zero or work zero. Therefore I went on a mission to find out how to manually set everything to zero to see if it would help things and found the reset button on arduino did it. But it did not help the situation at hand. Still would raise to high after clicking raise the bit and cut air for the first few passes right from the start.
here is a link to a YouTube video I found from researching this problem. He is having pretty much the same issue I am having. I am sure there are some differences in our setup but all in all it is doing the same thing my machine is doing… not coming back down far enough to make a cut. https://youtu.be/dx8pOBPwk2M
