Why is zero Z not 0

Troubleshooting
21

Is hitting the z axis destructive to anything on it hitting the bottom, if not it would seem like another opportunity for a one-button solution to have it go down bottom out one time set itself, maybe a limit the setting to move it down a certain amount at a time you know of course granted if it’s not destructive,

I mean if it has the bottom set in non-volatile like a Boolean item then it should also have another one that detects if it goes over the top travel it should know to stop.

I also thought it kind of needed to bottom out both stepper motors just to get able to have your z-axis mostly parallel

And maybe defining home should also be another volatile setting so that if you turn then it should let you know the next time to set home before you run it.

And maybe it already is a volatile setting I feel but there is no indication before starting

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22

Bear Fulmer wrote:

Is hitting the z axis destructive to anything on it hitting the bottom, if not it would seem like another opportunity for a one-button solution to have it go down bottom out one time set itself, maybe a limit the setting to move it down a certain amount at a time you know of course granted if it’s not destructive,

bottoming out the Z is non-destructive, as long as there is no bit in the router

I mean if it has the bottom set in non-volatile like a Boolean item then it should also have another one that detects if it goes over the top travel it should know to stop.

when it goes off the top, the lead screws come out of the nuts, no way to
discover this. They will probably re-thread by themselves, but not neccessarily
in sync with each other.

I also thought it kind of needed to bottom out both stepper motors just to get able to have your z-axis mostly parallel

Yes, without bottoming out both Z screws, you may not be level

And maybe defining home should also be another volatile setting so that if you turn then it should let you know the next time to set home before you run it.

That is already the case internally in the fluidNC code

David Lang

23

The correct term is a ‘stop’ or a ‘limit’. Which is why there are such things as limit-switches

So the correct name here would be either Z-Stop (my preference, because it is more descriptive), or Z-Limit.

1 Like
24

Set Z-Stop

I wrote the software for testing the multiple limit switches on these things

image
image1920×1279 357 KB

At the very end is a ‘Stop’, where you can’t go any further, and yes that gets tested as well

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25

I like that

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26

Bar wrote:

I like that

me too

David Lang

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27

I spent some time reworking and rewording much of this after thinking about it.

Make sure the router is turned off before turning on the main switch if you have configured your machine that way.

Turn Power to Maslow On

Connect to Maslow “maslow.local” or your preferred method that works

Select the Maslow Tab at the top of the page

Press the “Alarm” button to release the Alarm condition

  • Have you set up your machine? (Frame size & Zero Z & Calibrate)
    • (Yes) Go to to ROUTE
    • (No) Go to FRAME SIZE

FRAME SIZE

  • Have you input your Frame Size dimensions?
    • (Yes) Go to to ZERO Z
    • (No) Continue
  • Press Setup button

If this is the first time then press “Config” when the Setup dialog opens.

You will need a tape measure for this, one with metric may be helpful or to go from inches to mm you can multiply the inches by 25.4 to get mm.

  • Input your frame dimensions from anchor point to anchor point and the orientation of the unit.

Make a note of your frame dimensions (I made a plaque on my frame, but any way to remember will do)

“Vertical” is standing up so the top two belts hold the sled, the sled is “some angle” less than 90 degrees or perpendicular to the ground, (there must be an angle where it matters) and greater than 30 degrees from the ground to start with. So between 80 and 30 degrees from the ground?

“Horizontal” is if your sled is parallel with the ground

  • Press “Save”

Note - You can press outside the window to go back to the main screen in case you do not need to configure your machine again or opened the setup window by mistake.

(Note) If router bit is inserted in the machine and you have not calibrated it I would suggest moving the Z up a bit and removing the bit before calibration because we will still have to define the “Zero Z” point, this is not home, this is the absolute bottom of the Z travel)

  • “Retract All” (This pulls all the belts in, so watch out if they can get caught on things)
  • Continue to ZERO Z

ZERO Z

  • Is the “Zero Z” set?
    • (Yes) Go to Calibrate.
    • (No) Let’s set it. Continue

(Note) The router does not need to be anchored to the frame at this point.

(Note) You may have already moved the router down the Z-Axis screws after putting the router on the slides, this is ok. You may have been using your Maslow for some time and have no idea where the router is on the Z Axis. You cannot remember if the “Zero Z” has been set, no worries. This is the right place to be before continuing.

  • Is there a bit in the router?

    • (No) Continue to next bullet point.
    • (Yes) Turn off and unplug the router.
      • Remove it now if there is sufficient space to do so.
      • If you still have the setup screen up just click outside of it to close it.

  • Press “Z” to bring the Z menu up.

  • Press on the number area to input a number (I like 10mm or .394” to start out, if it is too large you have to start over setting your Z point again because it can come off the lead screws.)

(Note) If the router comes off the stepper motor Z axis lead screws by accident, it’s ok, but we need the router bit removed before proceeding.

  • Press “Set”

  • Press “Up” and the machine should move the router up (10mm or .394” in this example)

  • Repeat this until you have enough room to remove your router bit, the router button helper in the “Not Shop” on the Maslow website can be a nice tool to help with this procedure.

  • Refer to your router’s instructions if you need help removing the router bit. Generally speaking a collet is a tapered fit and once the collet nut is loose, sometimes a gentle tap on the nut will let the bit come out with ease.

  • With nothing in the router collet, bring your Z down until it bottoms out on the Z axis stepper motors.

  • If you still have the setup screen up just click outside of it to close it.

  • Press “Z” to bring the Z menu up.

  • Press on the number area to input a number (I like 10mm or .394” to start out, if it is too large you have to listen to your motors bottom out for a longer period of time when you are less than that distance from absolute bottom.)

  • When I can see that the router is getting close to contacting the stepper motors II may cut that distance in half or more to not bottom out as long. We do want them both to bottom out though for maximum accuracy going forward.

  • Press “Set”

  • Press “Down” and the machine should move the router down (10mm or .394” in this example)

  • Press the “Zero Z” button on the Setup interface to capture this position

(Note) “Zero Z” is to set the bottom where the stepper motors can go no more. It is not destructive to have them bottom out for a moment and to have both of them do it together assures your router will be as level as it can, and the router bit is perpendicular to the bottom of the sled.

(Note) I have noticed if I have mistakenly put the belts on in the wrong order while the machine is being vertically oriented then the sled does not pull tight to the frame. This may be an opportunity to check that stacking order. Also without the router bit, the router can go down rather far, more than if you had the extra height to allow for the bit, with that said the vacuum attachment may look like it will be in the way, but it should not contact the vacuum adapter if they are installed correctly.

(Note) This is not your zero starting point for your router, this is just for the axis absolute bottom travel of the lead screw followers, there is another spot we want to start routing called “Home”, it will also need to be set just before the job, but more on that later.

(Note) I have realized since writing this up that having a hole in the spoil board where I can check my “Zero Z” could be helpful at this stage of the game. You can add this if it is helpful to your frame later. This is not a substitute for proper calibration.

(Note) Zero Z will not need to be performed until the frame size changes or a significant software

update that requires it.

  • Continue to CALIBRATE

CALIBRATE

  • Have you set your frame dimensions, the sled is at “Zero Z” (bottomed out on stepper motors) and there is no bit in the router collet?

  • (No) My “Zero Z” is not set, go back to Zero Z.

  • (Yes) Make sure the sled Z axis is at the “Zero Z” position for the best calibration.

  • Open the Setup Menu (Prepare for Dances with Belts)

    • “Retract All” (This pulls all the belts tight so they can have a measured extension)
    • “Extend All” (This should put the sled in the middle of your 4 frame anchor points)

If this is way off, or the belts are not extended long enough to attach the top

two in the vertical orientation then the frame has possibly not been configured correctly so check that again that your dimensions are saved correctly

  • Anchor your sled.

  • “Calibrate” - go ahead, it will pull the belts tight and move around some and pause for calculations periodically, it will take a little while.

  • You have a couple options now

    • Continue to ROUTE
    • Take the sled off the frame
      • Open the Setup Menu
      • “Release Tension” The belts should go slack and let you remove the belts from the frame.
      • “Retract All” to bring the belts in for easy storage.

(Note) The calibration will not need to be performed until the frame size changes or a significant software

update that requires it.

ROUTE

  • Have you calibrated your machine?

    • (No) Go Back to CALIBRATE
    • (Yes) Material First
      • Install some material to cut and secure it well, knowing that our sled will need some support around beyond the edges depending on your workpiece, you may need to add a little if routing a small piece.

  • Open the Setup Menu

    • “Retract All”
    • “Extend All”
    • Anchor your Sled
    • “Apply Tension”

(Note) Your router should be off and unplugged at this point.

  • Install your bit and tighten up the collet while keeping the shaft locked and follow your router’s instructions. If you need a reminder on moving the Z axis refer to the portion of “ZERO Z” where we raise the router to remove the installed bit.
  • Unlock the shaft and I like to turn the collet a little to know it is ready and everything is out of the way, including the locking tool or collet wrench.
  • Bring your bit down using the “Z” menu, try using small amounts when it gets close so as to not lift the sled off the spoil board. (I get close and when I touch at 1mm movements, I back it off)
  • Load your .NC file with “Load File” and then wait for it to upload and then select it in the drop down box below the play/pause/stop buttons.
  • Put the sled where your home is (X and Y axis) in relation to your file at this time
  • Put the router bit where you want in relation to your workpiece and press “Define Home”
  • Turn on the router and the vacuum and press play and be mindful of the machine and be careful.

(Note)You should be confident your router is installed correctly and that the bit is secured and your workpiece is also secure to the spoil board. Get help now if you are unsure on any of these.

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28

I like the thoroughness of this workflow. I would like to incorporate it into Operation section of the wiki (with attribution, of course). Before I do, I call upon the community to look it over, follow it when you are operating your M4, and post your editorial suggestions.

29

Sounds good to me, I haven’t checked the latest release to see if some of the wording has changed or not so yeah I could use any updates somebody wants to throw out

30

I’m running into trouble here too. Can we confirm that setting the steppers all the way down when/before calibrating will indeed save them? I did not hit define home when setting them down before calibration. Is this correct. I seem to be having trouble with my config and setup as well and suspect the z.

31

there are two steps.

  1. you need to run the steppers all the way down
    1a. you need to make sure the two sides are at the same height
    1b. the machine doesn’t know where mechanical zero is to adjust the belts to
    account for the Z travel.

  2. after you put a bit in, you need to set z home (which will be z=0 for your
    cut). If you don’t do this, you have no idea how deep the bit is going to cut
    (or not cut)

David Lang

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32

Okay here is sometimes where the help leads to additional ambiguity like the last post,

Before calibration
You just need to bring them all the way down without a bit in the router and make them bottom out a little bit so you know that both sides bottomed out like in the (latest)directions that I wrote.

After you’re ready to cut and you followed all the other directions then you need to define home with a bit in the router and that will know where to start from your zero for the cut and then whatever your G-Code tells it to do from that height and throughout the cut.

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