Hello all. I’m a technology teacher here in Nebraska and just got an xCarve up and going this week. After searching the forums I did not see anything about what I am about to ask.
Alittle background first. Awhile back our district bought me a Techno-Isel CNC. It was an awesome machine-when it was running. But during the time it was running I did learn alot, which makes using the Xcarve now much easier.
One ‘thing’ I noticed when the Xcarve was running this week was that after every cut, the Z axis moved up, then down and did the cut, then all the way up, then moved to a x,y position, then down, then cut, then up again, etc.
When I was working with the Techno I could force that Z to STAY DOWN until that geometry was cut. Then it moved up and over the project to the next geometry, and cut that. In other words, it made a z depth cut–did THAT level cut-then it went immediately–from that z-to the next z level. It never went all the way up to the zero Z position. (This is what I am seeing the Xcarve do now.
Is there a way to FORCE that Z to 'stay down" at that level, then go to the next level down instead of coming all the way up, then all the way back down?
I know this will wear down the Z motor. It happened on my Techno and it was one of those ‘lessons’ I learned about CNC’s.
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this. And if there is a setting to keep that bit down.
Thanks
Mr J
Presently we are using Easel.
But as mentioned, I had a Techno Davinci and we used Mastercam. I loved Mastercam. We still have a license for that and if I knew it would interface with xCarve I would try it.
Yes
Mastercam has a ‘CAD’ element and a gcode element.
One thing Im noticing is that with Easel, I do not have alot of cutting options. For example, I just cut a project it was 2.25 diameter. Afterwards when I measured it, it seemed small. I realized that the Easel cutting default FOLLOWS the geometry by centering the bit ON the geometry. a 1/8 bit-1/16 on each side- make my project 1/8 too small.
Mastercam lets me choose 3 cutting options- centered, left or right. I miss that. Plus it has a huge library of bits. Plus other options as well.
Thanks for your input. Im going to have to call and ask about a post processor thats compatable with Xcarve–if there is one. Not sure who to ask however.