Up And Running With a Few Questions

[Jerome]

We have the PRS Alpha up and running, the ATC is calibrated and the Bits have been zeroed. Now I have few dumb questions.

This one is aimed at Gary or anybody with a tool changer.
When I begin a toolpath should I have a bit in the spindle or should I start with and empty spindle and let the program load it for me?

This one is really dumb but I will ask anyway.
When using the Z Zero Plate. Do I zero to the top of the table or the top of the material I am Routing?

How do I make an Air cut?

Does Partworks and the control software share the tool database or should I add my router bits to each one.

If I can get answers to these questions I am ready to make my first cut.

Thank You
Jerome

[Jerome]

What post processor do I use for the PRS Alpha with ATC?

Thanks again
Jerome

[curtiss]

This one is really dumb but I will ask anyway.

When using the Z Zero Plate. Do I zero to the top of the table or the top of the material I am Routing?

...It depends, most zero the top of the material most of the time.
The depth of cut (z) into the material will then read "negative" on the shopbot xyz screen.

If you are completely cutting through the material all the time, some zero to the bed and set the bit to cut say, .02 into the table on the final pass..


How do I make an Air cut?

..That just means, xyz movement without a bit, or with the bit zeroed so high that it will never reach the bed or the material.

Will leave the other questions for others...

[dana_swift]

Air cuts mean different things, with me it depends on how much confidence I have in the cut file I am testing.

As a beginner that should be no confidence at all.

Some air cuts I do have the bit installed but no material so I can look to see how the bot moves during part of the cut I am worried about. The router is not running of course.

Then there are air cuts where I am not sure of the behaviour- then no bit, no material, no nothing. I just want to see how it moves. With me these tests get made when I computed a cut file and am not sure some garbage hasn't crept in somewhere. Well worth a quick check before breaking things.

Good luck with that new machine! Sounds like you are in for a lot of fun-

D

[Gary Campbell]

Jerome...
in order:::

As long as you have used the software to load/unload tools, it doesnt matter. You can start a file with any valid tool in the spindle, or none, as long as you changed to a zero tool.

I am not the best one to ask about zero location, as I do it different than most. I zero to the bed. but design from the top. How I do this is explained in my latest column: http://www.shopbotblog.com/index.php/2010/10/2201/

Simplest way for you to aircut is to raise the bit to 1" above the bed, [ZZ] (zero z axis) and run the file. I enter a variable into the system that raises the bit as I dont zero any bits on the table.

I am not sure on the postP. I dont use any OEM postP's, so I dont know their names. SB Techs can give you that one.

You will need to add a tool into PWks for each tool you have mounted in the rack. Make absolutely sure that you have each tools tool number the same as its position in the rack (tool bar)

You are doing better than me, as my first cut came while putting a 1/4 O flute into the holder. It bled a lot!