X & Y zero keep changing its location?!?!

[Mr.Mediocre]

Good afternoon all,

For some strange reason my 0 location of x & y keep changing itself. I get all my tool paths worked out in vcarve then I go to run it when my piece is in the jig and the job runs to far away from my piece.

This is so weird and frustrating...

Any help would be great!!

[Chazz]

If you cut above your material (Air Cut), does it seem that the pattern is correct but just in the wrong place or does it seem that the size changed as well?

I am thinking that, perhaps, you have an issue with mm vs inches. If that is the case, the size of the cut would change as well -- I think... I rarely change my unit of measure but I always send it to the machine in inches.

Thoughts?

[Kyle Stapleton]

You may have the offset box checked in the setup of your job.

[shilala]

I get my x and y confused in my material set up orientation sometimes.
I used to center all my Aspire work because it was easier, then change the orientation in job setup, but it caused me more mistakes than it was worth.
Check your setup orientation, and do air cuts before you drive a bit into any project.
I also use the job preview religiously. That way I know there's no mistakes when I go to the machine.

I know this is rudimentary stuff, but once the orientation gets changed, it stays that way for every new job.

[knight_toolworks]

once in awhile position just gets reset too though this does not happen often.

[tlempicke]

Here is a method that I use.
I have a holder that accepts a small sharpie marker. I mount it and open an aspire image with just the outline of the project on it.

Do a C3 move to get the carraige to the hard stop "0" position.

move the carraige to a good spot on the table for the start point. For instance MX15 and MY15, then zero to that position (Z2)

Draw the outline on the table using the sharpie at that position

Mount your material in the outline. If there is a straight edge I will screw a piece of stock down so that I can return to this exact position any time.

Now you can return to the zero point of your design any time by doing a C3, MX15, MY15, Z2 I think the shopbot software has a facility where you can do this automatically, but I have done this so much that I am to lazy to figure it out.

This works really great for lots of stuff. I just built a table, and it has struts that all have rounded edges on them with holes. I made a very simple jig, mounted it and used this system to position the cutter. I made the pieces and was able to return to the zero position within .002 anytime I needed to.

[scottp55]

Probably what Kyle said Stephan.
Saw in a previous post you were using an offset in VCP8 for a jig?
VCP8 remembers your last used settings.
Just double check your material set up and make sure you're drawing with left hand bottom corner with no offset if that's what you're trying to do.
scott

[Mr.Mediocre]

My offset is on a template I use in VC(import then center, then align corner of job with that location within VC). Offset is never checked in VC.

The last time I fired up the machine it was on point. We shall see today.

My goal is to eventually have 5-6 of the same jig on the table to do multiples. Im still learning. A long way to go.. In the hopes of making enough money to quit the part time job. Im a dreamer!!

Thanks for the responses guys!! If it keeps happening I will dig deeper into the issue.