Z axis not accurate

X-Carve Troubleshooting
1

I have a xcarve 1000mm with acme rod on the z axis I’m trying to do a project in easle and the z movement is not accurate I am trying to just cut .006 in off the top of anodized aluminum and it is cutting almost 1/16 inch per pass. I have the macine set up for acme rod any ideas.

2

Make 100% sure that you have acme rod and try redoing the setup machine tutorial in easel. If all else fails try adjusting the current potentiometer for the z axis. It almost looks like you misplaced the decimal 0.006 instead of 0.06

3

It could be the Z pot, but have you tried calibrating the Z axis? As in the number of steps per mm?

4

Not sure how to do that

5

No .006 is correct

6

Here’s a forum post that links to a video about calibrating the axes. I found it very useful, and modified it to calibrate my machine.

1 Like
7

The video makes sense but in easle where would I make those adjustments.

8

It took me a while to figure it out, this information will be in the calibration video I’m making.

  • In Easel, go to Machine->Advanced->Machine Inspector. Settings $100,
    $101, and $102 are the x, y, and z steps/mm, respectively. Write
    down their values.

  • Calculate the new steps/mm using the equation in this picture (X axis
    for my machine):

6732ad1e6a4ce7cbdebe9b565ea640b76b9c113ce3f0.png531×617

  • In Machine Inspector, there’s an entry screen called “Console”. Enter the new setting like I did in this picture (again, X axis for my machine):

6733a46414a728bb870c766101e3d9b5d5f6b4efc4ce.png677×613

  • Hit Enter, and then hit the refresh button over on the right of the settings section (double arrow).
  • Verify the setting you changed is actually the new value.
  • Close Machine Inspector and refresh Easel.
  • Open Machine Inspector, and verify the setting is still what you want it to be.

You should try to make the calibration measurement again, and may have to tweak it a couple times for each axis until you’re happy. It took me 2-3 rounds of measuring and adjusting until I got my X and Y axis within .1mm over 500 mm, using a large scale. It took 4 rounds to get my Z axis within .0005" over 1" using a dial indicator.

I haven’t seen any documentation to explain any of this, so it’s all new to me too. I just figured it out 3 days ago. Hopefully my calibration video specific to Easel will help others out in the future.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I can’t promise any answers, but I’ll let you know if there’s anything I can do. :smile:

Rob

2 Likes
9

Thanks I will. Aaron

10

I think if you check on stepper theory. You will find that it is not possible for a stepper to move an odd number of steps stepper like whole numbers.

11

Take the inverse of this number and divde my microsteps and you get mm per microstep.

(1/38.88306)/8 = mm per microstep.