Ok, so I am getting pretty frustrated here. I am making some taphandles for a local bar and I have run into some strange issues. At first I thought the could be mechanical and took a tune-up of my machine, found that one belt was a little loose. NOTE: this machine has been running flawlessly for about 8months now, after a driver-upgrade to DM542A from the onboard drivers on the xPro. All the screws, belts, pulleys etc is as it should be, and the machine is sqaure and I turned down the current a little just to rule that out as well. I did a new test, rotated the position, restarted the computer. Still same issue. The long pocket (as you can see in the pictures) is offset to the sides, my about 1mm. The sircle is as it should be. Third test, did a new cad-drawing and completely new toolpaths. The issue appears again. This happens in the exact same place, direction has nothing to do with it. The drawing is straight. The circle-pocket is in center and the sides are 6mm as they should be. The long pocket has the right internal dimensions. Why this long pocket is shifting again and again is getting frustrating. Using Vectric Aspire, GRBL g-code processor, and GRBL Panel to run it. Never had any software issues, the computer has never been updated or changed since I got the OX. The OX has never lost any steps, stopped or nothing until this happend. Things have usually been quite good out of the router, for what this machine is. Take a look at the picture - hope you can help me here!
How do other programs run? Old ones you've done before? Do they run as expected? Can you supply a picture of the artwork and or, the path diagram? Is this using just the one bit?
I bought the computer just for this purpose, and nothing has changed since everything got installed. The last job I ran was a two sided cuttingboard with 3 manual toolchanges in between, with no issues at all and they lined up perfectly. I have MANY hours done on this machine with no issues after my upgrade. Inlays and fine engravings etc has been perfect. The toolpath for the circle and the long pocket is excactly the same, and the whole job is done with the same bit. Right now I dont have the cad-file at hand, but it is as simple as you could see it in the picture, everything is centered and the 3D view shows no sign of the same error.
So, if you run another program now, and it all cuts okay, it's not mechanical, then I guess, it must be the cad-file your using. Are the shoulders equal at the top? If they are then the fault lays in the internal pocket. Just thinking aloud.
So, I can´t understand why it could be mechanical since the error is identical to what direction I put it on the workpiece. And it is on the same side of the handle, for both sides. And I also don´t understand why the same error appears when I draw a completely new drawing, in Aspire. If you cut the drawing in half, both sides are equal and would overlap if you put them on top of eachother. I am going to do some testing tomorrow, draw up similar shapes and waste some mdf in stead of the beech I have there. This still makes no sense to me, heh..
Maybe someone else could chip in here? How about bit size? I think it's probably something simple like that.
Yeah, more input would be nice The bit is the same one I have used for several other jobs, with no issues and it is pretty new.
OK, so, I did some more testing. Made a drawing with different objects and different versions of the taphandle. Seems like there is some backlash somewhere, BUT that doesn't explain why the pocket moves 1mm to the right on ALL the objects. The settings I use for the toolpaths is as I always have made them. Nothing new. Take a look at the pictures.
It is odd that the lower arc of the circle to the right of your problem isn't plagued by the same 1mm problem? What about if you make the bit run round the whole thing, but don't pocket it at all? Maybe a pocketing error, sort of over biting on the clearance? Just shots in the dark at the moment.
Actually just did that, heh, using profile toolpath for everything, same error.. And I moved the pocket that was off by 1mm 0.5mm to the left, and then that pocket was ok to the sides. That means in the drawing, the pocket is not centered. Getting more and more afraid this is faulty drivers or steppers.. But not sure there either, tried to push the feed up 40% testing now (running at 35mm/sec in the toolpath) with the same result.. And I adjusted the belts again, no difference. Last thing for today is loosening the pulleys a little. 10-12 hours with adjusting, trial and error now.
It also would not happen in the same manner when turned 90 degrees. Try creating the file with something other than Vectric.
The original was made in Sketchup (needed to visualize this to the customer) but since sircles gets segmented, I made this in Aspire. But I´ll try to run the original from Sketchup as well, just to test this.
Final testing done - I can conclude with that this was a mechanical problem, weird enough. Wheels on the X-axis was a little bit too tight. The machine is still running a little bit off, but not visible to the eye and I can finally get on with this delayed project. Heh. Thanks for your input guys!
