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Workbee Calibration

Discussion in 'CNC Mills/Routers' started by Gary Crews, Feb 1, 2024.

  1. Gary Crews

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    Hi - I am struggling with calibrating my Workbee. I have X32, Control, Interface, Meanwell PS. When I run the wizard, I home the machine - then tell the wizard to move 457mm (I have an 18" steel rule). It will travel 461. I enter that in distance traveled and do the process again to check. Enter 457 and get 415mm. Put that in the traveled distance in the wizard - try again and get 461 again. Very consistent. I am not running the VFD and unplugged the limit switches. Any thoughts? Thanks.
     
  2. Gary Caruso

    Gary Caruso OpenBuilds Volunteer
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    Do you hear any stuttering or skipping? are you using the stock workbee profile?
    Cheers
    Gary
     
    David the swarfer likes this.
  3. Gary Crews

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    Gary, I have an older Workbee 750x750 w/ lead screw (I got it from SPAM a couple of years ago). It is smaller than the profiles in Control. I used the Workbee1010 profile. I assumed changing Max Travel would take care of the smaller platform. There is no stuttering or skipping, it seems to track very smoothly. It is very consistent on the alternating measurements. The Y axis does it as well but with different numbers. Not sure about Z.

    Also - I apologize for putting my issue in the wrong thread. I am not having any luck starting my own thread, since it asks for me to invite a person to create the thread. I don't know who to invite. Thanks.
     
  4. Misterg

    Misterg Veteran
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    Have you checked for backlash and things like slipping motor couplings?
     
  5. Gary Crews

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    I have checked those things. I haven't checked backlash - not cutting anything yet. However, I am sure either of those things would have inconsistent measurements. I am getting the exact same measurements every time I run the wizard. X&Y have the exact same "features" so I would not expect anything loose anyway. Thanks.
     
  6. Misterg

    Misterg Veteran
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    Worth checking for backlash by hand (IMHO) - push and pull each axis by hand with the machine powered up and see if anything moves that shouldn't.

    If your numbers are exactly consistent, it implies that your measurement is out by about 20mm somehow (don't know how though!)
     
  7. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Loose setscrews on a shaft coupler would do that - as it slips a PRECISE amount - because of the D-shape motor shaft - slipping from on side to the other - about 3-4mm

    As its not a workbee from us, but 3rd party, it could also just be that their cheaper high inductance motors can't keep up with our machine profile. Dial down Acceleration and Max Rates for all axes down to half current value. If its the vendor i think it is, seeing as our spam filter kicked it out already - even half might still be too fast - they have terrible high inductance motors that stall under speed. Calibrating over a long distance like 400mm will get it up to speed nicely - then the motor stalls and you stop short of where it would have when the motors were correct. Dialing down the profile to match the hardware should make it more reliable. Our profiles are built around our machines, including our nice Low Inductance (1-2mh) motors
     
  8. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    sounds like backlash to me.
    to remove backlash from the calibration....
    lets just to X for now....
    jog to the left, say 2" short of the end.
    setzeroX here
    jog further left, to -1"
    now jog back to 0, slowly so that there is no chance the the carrraige gets up speed and can take out backlash with kinetic energy when it stops
    do the calibration, which will also move left to right.
     
  9. Gary Crews

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    Everyone - thanks for your help on this. I think I figured it out. After running the wizard I disconnected Control, reset the controller and the subsequent passes ran as expected. Thanks again.
     

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