Z axis does not set firs time

1

First post here. I’m very new to the CNC world. Recently bought an Elite Forman with the Redline 80mm spindle. I also have the XYZ touch probe and tool setter installed.

I’ve created a few signs with this CNC successfully but seem to keep having the same issue every new project I create. Here’s the steps I’ve followed.

  1. Secure the material to the spoil board
  2. Load USB with project file and power up the CNC.
  3. Home the machine.
  4. Load up a 1/4 straight bit into the spindle.
  5. Place XYZ touch probe on lower left corner of material and run through the probing process on the MASSO. Diameter set to .25 of course.
  6. XYZ zero’s all set correctly. Load project file and hit run.
  7. Dust collection and spindle turn on and machine starts the toolpath as laid out. However, the Z height is too high initially.
  8. Stop the spindle. Power down machine and turn it back on after 1 minute.
  9. Re-home and do the XYZ touch probe again, exactly as done before.
  10. Load and run project file. Vacuum and machine turn on with the correct Z height following the toolpath and carves as it should.

I’ve attempted just resetting the Z height with the probe after it fails to run at correct height instead of resetting the power of the CNC machine but it only works sometimes that way. Resetting the power and redoing XYZ seems correct the issue but I have to do this every single time.

Is there a mistake with my process or is there a glitch with the machine I’m missing?

Thanks.

2

What software are you using and can you send a screen shot of the gcode?

Secondly check the probe settings to see if they match the manual.

3

Carveco Maker. I’ll see if I can get a good screenshot of the gcode and I’ll check the manual again. Thanks.

4

My guess is there is no glitch or error, it boils down to something about your workflow. There’s a handful of reasons why the machine might behave this way.

Here’s the first thing that comes to mind…

When you turn the machine on, Masso indicates on the Masso screen what tool it thinks is loaded in the spindle. When you go ahead and set X0, Y0, and Z0, you are doing so with whatever tool Masso currently thinks is in the spindle. Then when you start your program… the program will “switch” to a different tool. Masso will appear to have messed up the Z-heights as the tools are different lengths.

When you shut the machine down, and try again, it works because the tool Masso thinks is in the spindle is now the correct tool.

You can check this by keeping an eye on the Masso screen and making sure you are setting Z0 with the same tool number that the program is using.

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5

I think you might have solved my problem. I will let you know tomorrow if it worked. thanks.

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