Reversing Axis Direction?
I created a simple test program of a 2" x 2" square, with 0,0 at the center, and a single hole 1/2" to the right on my screen (x.5,y0 on screen).
In my Mcam tool path, the cutter starts at top left (x-1, y1) to top right (x1 y1), to bottom right (x1 y-1), to bottom left (x-1 y-1) back to top left. And then drills a hole 1/2" to the right of 0,0 (x.5 y0)
When I run the program as I stand in front of the machine, it starts bottom right, to bottom left, to top left, to top right, and back to bottom left. It then drills a hole 1/2" to the left of 0,0.
Is everybody saying that it is normal to do all your machining "upside down"?
Thanks again for everyone's help
Rick
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Thanks for all the help guys. I am not trying to be argumentative, but maybe I didn't go a good job of wording my question. If I have the jog arrows matching the direction of the table, ie: the left arrow jogs the table left, right arrow jogs right, when I bring in a file from Mastercam, it will machine upside down.
Well it is not really upside down, only your X axis is backwards to what is normal if your table moves left with the left arrow key. So when you export a file or create one the preview shows you what you expect but the X axis moves in the opposite direction as commanded. This is assuming you made your X axis move backwards in the config.
And no it is not normal for the left arrow key to move the tool to the right and your table to the left.
X+ and the right arrow key should move the Z axis to the right by what ever means. In the case of a gantry the Z axis might move to the right, in the case of a normal mill the table moves to the left to get the tool (Z axis) to move to the right.
John
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Thanks for all the help guys. I am not trying to be argumentative, but maybe I didn't go a good job of wording my question. If I have the jog arrows matching the direction of the table, ie: the left arrow jogs the table left, right arrow jogs right, when I bring in a file from Mastercam, it will machine upside down.
Yes, because right-arrow means X+. So, pressing the right arrow increases X, and moves the tool to the right.
In the case of a fixed-tool machine like your mill, that means that the table moves left when you press the right arrow. If you look at the tool while you jog, not at the work, then it all makes sense.
The suggestions have been for ways to retain the X+ == right and Y+ == to the back, so that all the CAM and G-code work as expected, but to reverse the direction of the jog keys, so that right-arrow makes X smaller and moves the table right (tool left)
Another thing you could do is install a joypad to jog with. You can configure that any way you like:
wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Simple_Remote_Pendant
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.