Hi,
Goal: I want to cut a jagged path on the edge of a very small part.
To know where to attach that small part to the spoil board, I’m thinking of cutting a shallow straight line in my spoil board, (representing the X-axis) then allowing the machine to return to home position.
Before that, I would set the depth of the jagged path to 0, so it doesn’t cut. Only the straight line in the spoil board would be cut the first time the project is run.
Next, I would mount the little part to be cut, right up to the edge of the X-axis reference line that is cut into the spoil board. Then, set the cut depth of that X-axis line to 0 depth (so it won’t cut again), and set the depth of the jagged path to 1/8", and run the project again from the same home position, this time just cutting the jagged path.
Comments or suggestions welcome. Looking for the smartest, fastest workflow.
I could just set the spindle’s Z position one time, at the height/thickness of the small part plus a few thousandths, and let it cut through the air until it finally reaches the spoil board and cuts down a few thousandths. That’s a lot of time wasted, as the machine goes back and forth, cutting air, but if I do that, then I don’t have to mess with Z again on the real part once inserted.
A variant of that would be to mess with cutting depth and speed to make it hurry through the “cutting air” portion, then pause and change the speed to slow and shallow when it is time to cut.
Another option would be to set the initial Z at the surface of the spoil board, cut the X-reference line, and let it return to that home position, then, using the jog controls, jog the Z position up to the thickness of the part, and “confirm home position” there, theoretically keeping the same X and Y and setting a new Z.
Maybe there is a better, smarter way to do this? (I don’t have a Z probe)
Thanks for your assistance.
Dennis