Soft alarm on Y-axis

[thiessens (Gijs Thiessens)]

Hi all,

I like to flatten my spoilboard. In order to do so I made a file with Fusion 360 with the exact measurements of my board.
When I try a dry run it gives soft alarms x and y axis. It doesn’t say a a whole lot, so I’m not sure were to look for the mistake I made. Any help would be appreciated!
I added the file I’m using, I run Masso on a Foreman Elite with the QWC.

Flatten spoilboard.nc.txt (2.4 KB)
Flatten spoilboard.nc.txt (2.4 KB)

[Aiph5u (Aiph5u (not affiliated with Onefinity))]

Hey Gijs,

there are already many postings about this topic. Please use the search function of this forum (search for wasteboard limits)

You got to know that…

@Aiph5u

…if you use a g-code toolpath created by a CAD/CAM software, and you have entered the correct limits of your machine, and the correct bit diameter, it will always subtract the radius of the bit (=half the diameter) at every end of the workarea, to force the bit to stay within the limits.

Of course, you could also go further out with the bit until it protrudes at the edge of the wasteboard, because there is still enough space there. But then you have to trick the CAD/CAM software. Either you make the workarea limits larger, or the bit smaller in the software settings.

The other method is not to use a g-code toolpath program at all, but to jog around with the gamepad.

@Aiph5u

There is a lot of info about flattening your spoilboard in this forum.

Before flattening the wasteboard, did you make the checks that the machine is rectangular (“squared”) and that it is coplanar (not twisted)

@Aiph5u

After that, you should position your wasteboard along lines you engraved with the machine itself (either by jogging around with the arrow keys or the gamepad while engraving a line of minimal depth with a V-bit, or by creating a 3D model of the wasteboard with a groove at the outer limits of the workarea and export this toolpath as a g-code program and run it one Onefinity CNC machine. With any of these options you achieve that the boundary of the wasteboard is parallel to the axes. While you’re at it you can also make a grid this way that helps you to align your workpieces parallel to the axes).

@Aiph5u

I know that the Masso has a function to surface the wasteboard, are you using it? It is →described here.

If you don’t use this function, but use a toolpath that you created with a CAM software, so if you want to machine the entire wasteboard, this means you go to the limits of the machine, so setting the zero point (either by probing, or by setting manually) on the workpiece is of crucial importance. If you set it only a millimeter away from the correct position you might have your toolpath shifted beyond the limits of the machine’s workarea, which would lead to a limits error.

The other thing is with Z. You say you are milling air. In order to use the paper method or to probe on top of the wasteboard, you must have your workpiece zero in your virtual 3D model on the top of the workpiece too. Remember, the coordinate you probe or set manually on the real workpiece has to be exactly where it is on your virtual 3D model’s zero coordinate.