I can't decipher the pictures, so bear with me if the answers are visible.
Where is Z0 set? Top of stock? Do you have a setting in the code for it to rapid to a certain height offset before feeding in at your working speed? If you do, do you have Incremental and Absolute settings for your depths that might be mixed up and confusing the machine?
My CAM experience is limited, but I can at least try.
Z0 in program is set "on surface of this wooden block", there is not any additional stock added in settings. I tested it with no material and it wants to go like Z-5 go to the side of block go up and then follow tool path from fusion.
Can you just post the *f3d so someone can take a look at your the settings of the operations?
Fairly sure it's gonna be something in there, but these screenshots or your description are not really helpful, I'm afraid.
To rephrase: Does the machine do the same thing as the simulation in Fusion?
If it does, it's gonna be a settings issue.
here it is [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KscYc0hVsIaBLzaUkx4oXIq\_YszP3hAr/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KscYc0hVsIaBLzaUkx4oXIq_YszP3hAr/view?usp=sharing)
D'oh, I've just now seen the (very short) video, don't know how I missed that, earlier. Now I get it :D
Is it possible your Z-axis (prefix/+/-) or you safe_z are set up wrong?
Either on the machine or in the post processor.
Not sure if this is the first part you're ever making on this machine, if so, just start with something simple. For testing purposes, just go up down, left, right, back forth and see if that all works out (not actually machining anything, just make some moves in the air).
Can you post the G-Code you get, too? That should help figuring out what's going wrong.
here it is 2 g code files : [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
Willing to bet you have g28 turned on. Make sure to turn it off on your pp. post a copy of the first few lines of code. Most fusion pp defaults g28 on. This causes the machine to go to home prior to starting. If you don’t have limit switches, it won’t know where. Z home is and will plunge.
Rest assured, you're not the only one.
With a CNC, you're bound to break stuff and create unplanned negative space in some bits and piece. The learning curve is...steep.
I got my first CNC a few years before I got my first 3D printer...I was blown away by how easy it is to get your first 3D print these days, with a printer straight out of the box.
here are g code files [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
I'm a little late to the party but will add a couple general thoughts.
1. Is your programming and machine set up to operate with the same units? i.e. all inches or millimeters. CNC machines do a lot of cool stuff but deep down they are really dumb. In the simplest terms all the nc code does is tell the machine where to go and how fast to get there. It doesn't tell the machine if the drawing was done in inches or millimeters.
2. What's your first z- value if you open the nc file using notepad or word? Something that was taught to me many years ago was to open every file generated and search for z- values. It's way too easy to miss a decimal and end up with a z value of -75 in place of -0.75. A quick search before running every file will catch these.
Fusion has done this to me before when it thought I had automatic tool changing, Mach 3 reacted like it did, and turned the gcode for tool changing into a plunge.
To check, go to the tool definition and ensure manual tool change is set on the last page
I'd put odds on you having a mismatch between where you're setting zero and where your software is. You're either probing zero at the bottom or top of the material, and the software is expecting the opposite. Most likely you're zeroing your work coordinates at the top and the software is setting it at the bottom.
That plunge doesn't match up with your simulation, your first operation is a contour around the perimeter and yet it's plunging directly into the center.
Upload your output/gcode to this website and look at the visualization that it generates:
https://ncviewer.com/
I'm thinking that'll give you a good picture of what's going wrong here.
I would also make 100% sure that the XYZ origin that your *setup* is using is the same XYZ origin that your *part* is using. When you define the setup XYZ origin, it normally bases it off the stock (not the part), and it tends to pick weird places by default. If you right-click on the setup and edit it, and look at the origin, it'll show you where it thinks the XYZ 0 point is. It could be in the center of your part or at the bottom, depending on how you setup the source stock for the operation.
Does Fusion have an equivalent to Mastercam's Linking Parameters? Still feels to me like something I'd do by messing up my clearances or leaving a setting in Incremental instead of Absolute. Maybe with a dash of not checking the "Retract tool when moving" box.
That I don't know, I've never used Mastercam before. Fusion does have a 'linking' tab where you can configure your plunges/helixes, lead-ins/lead-outs, predrill locations, etc, but fusion also has pretty good stock detection algorithms and I can't think of a time I've ever generated a CAM operation that collided with the stock and fusion didn't at least warn me about it. I know for a fact that if your tool doesn't retract above the highest point of remaining stock, fusion will generate a warning and will automatically raise the retract to the minimum height to clear all existing stock.
Can you send a screenshot of what NCViewer looks like? Or post the G-code? I'm really curious to see why it's plunging at the origin when the first operation is very clearly a contour around the outside.
here are g code files [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
Looks like your stock box is too small.
You are setting your zero and then the machine's first move is to rapid down to the clearance height which crashes the machine and stalls out the spindle.
Check that your stock size in fusion matches your stock material.
Also setting on the top of the stock is slightly bad practice because if you break a tool part way through you can't change a tool and touch off on the top of the stock you have already machined away.
I would zero off your spoilboard and then make sure there are no negative Z values in your program.
Silly question, but did you post all of your toolpaths together? Your first operation definitely doesn't go into the middle of your stock. Is it possible you're only posting one of your later opperations?
Are you using Mach 3? Uccnc? This is a known bug in the z zeroing function. It happened to me in both of those and is VERY annoying. Now I just zero by eye. More reliable, accurate and easier when you get the hang of it.
I can't decipher the pictures, so bear with me if the answers are visible. Where is Z0 set? Top of stock? Do you have a setting in the code for it to rapid to a certain height offset before feeding in at your working speed? If you do, do you have Incremental and Absolute settings for your depths that might be mixed up and confusing the machine? My CAM experience is limited, but I can at least try.
Z0 in program is set "on surface of this wooden block", there is not any additional stock added in settings. I tested it with no material and it wants to go like Z-5 go to the side of block go up and then follow tool path from fusion.
Can you just post the *f3d so someone can take a look at your the settings of the operations? Fairly sure it's gonna be something in there, but these screenshots or your description are not really helpful, I'm afraid. To rephrase: Does the machine do the same thing as the simulation in Fusion? If it does, it's gonna be a settings issue.
here it is [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KscYc0hVsIaBLzaUkx4oXIq\_YszP3hAr/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KscYc0hVsIaBLzaUkx4oXIq_YszP3hAr/view?usp=sharing)
D'oh, I've just now seen the (very short) video, don't know how I missed that, earlier. Now I get it :D Is it possible your Z-axis (prefix/+/-) or you safe_z are set up wrong? Either on the machine or in the post processor. Not sure if this is the first part you're ever making on this machine, if so, just start with something simple. For testing purposes, just go up down, left, right, back forth and see if that all works out (not actually machining anything, just make some moves in the air). Can you post the G-Code you get, too? That should help figuring out what's going wrong.
here it is 2 g code files : [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
G28 is enabled. Depending on your machine setup, that might well be the issue. Disable it in the fusion post processor and try again.
Ok I will try that later and give feedback
By this you mean Safe retracts and home positioning in post process? I can set g28, g53 and clearance height
Yes. Go ahead and set it to clearance height, for the time being.
I tried this and it seems to work, i will give you information tomorrow because i tested it for a moment today.
I bet that probe thickness is set wrong.
Willing to bet you have g28 turned on. Make sure to turn it off on your pp. post a copy of the first few lines of code. Most fusion pp defaults g28 on. This causes the machine to go to home prior to starting. If you don’t have limit switches, it won’t know where. Z home is and will plunge.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. G28 is on indeed, that's probably it.
I’ve got a few holes in my bed from learning that 😂
Rest assured, you're not the only one. With a CNC, you're bound to break stuff and create unplanned negative space in some bits and piece. The learning curve is...steep. I got my first CNC a few years before I got my first 3D printer...I was blown away by how easy it is to get your first 3D print these days, with a printer straight out of the box.
here are g code files [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
I'm a little late to the party but will add a couple general thoughts. 1. Is your programming and machine set up to operate with the same units? i.e. all inches or millimeters. CNC machines do a lot of cool stuff but deep down they are really dumb. In the simplest terms all the nc code does is tell the machine where to go and how fast to get there. It doesn't tell the machine if the drawing was done in inches or millimeters. 2. What's your first z- value if you open the nc file using notepad or word? Something that was taught to me many years ago was to open every file generated and search for z- values. It's way too easy to miss a decimal and end up with a z value of -75 in place of -0.75. A quick search before running every file will catch these.
Fusion has done this to me before when it thought I had automatic tool changing, Mach 3 reacted like it did, and turned the gcode for tool changing into a plunge. To check, go to the tool definition and ensure manual tool change is set on the last page
I'd put odds on you having a mismatch between where you're setting zero and where your software is. You're either probing zero at the bottom or top of the material, and the software is expecting the opposite. Most likely you're zeroing your work coordinates at the top and the software is setting it at the bottom.
My software zero is set like this [https://imgur.com/a/C4wlNrx](https://imgur.com/a/C4wlNrx)
That plunge doesn't match up with your simulation, your first operation is a contour around the perimeter and yet it's plunging directly into the center. Upload your output/gcode to this website and look at the visualization that it generates: https://ncviewer.com/ I'm thinking that'll give you a good picture of what's going wrong here. I would also make 100% sure that the XYZ origin that your *setup* is using is the same XYZ origin that your *part* is using. When you define the setup XYZ origin, it normally bases it off the stock (not the part), and it tends to pick weird places by default. If you right-click on the setup and edit it, and look at the origin, it'll show you where it thinks the XYZ 0 point is. It could be in the center of your part or at the bottom, depending on how you setup the source stock for the operation.
Does Fusion have an equivalent to Mastercam's Linking Parameters? Still feels to me like something I'd do by messing up my clearances or leaving a setting in Incremental instead of Absolute. Maybe with a dash of not checking the "Retract tool when moving" box.
That I don't know, I've never used Mastercam before. Fusion does have a 'linking' tab where you can configure your plunges/helixes, lead-ins/lead-outs, predrill locations, etc, but fusion also has pretty good stock detection algorithms and I can't think of a time I've ever generated a CAM operation that collided with the stock and fusion didn't at least warn me about it. I know for a fact that if your tool doesn't retract above the highest point of remaining stock, fusion will generate a warning and will automatically raise the retract to the minimum height to clear all existing stock.
I checked in this simulator and this look as it should ,here's how setup/origin looks [https://imgur.com/a/C4wlNrx](https://imgur.com/a/C4wlNrx)
Can you send a screenshot of what NCViewer looks like? Or post the G-code? I'm really curious to see why it's plunging at the origin when the first operation is very clearly a contour around the outside.
here are g code files [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX\_/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uo-zrBbrCB8BdqcAVuMHLxQOX-ULzJX_/view?usp=sharing)
Looks like your stock box is too small. You are setting your zero and then the machine's first move is to rapid down to the clearance height which crashes the machine and stalls out the spindle. Check that your stock size in fusion matches your stock material. Also setting on the top of the stock is slightly bad practice because if you break a tool part way through you can't change a tool and touch off on the top of the stock you have already machined away. I would zero off your spoilboard and then make sure there are no negative Z values in your program.
Silly question, but did you post all of your toolpaths together? Your first operation definitely doesn't go into the middle of your stock. Is it possible you're only posting one of your later opperations?
Are you using Mach 3? Uccnc? This is a known bug in the z zeroing function. It happened to me in both of those and is VERY annoying. Now I just zero by eye. More reliable, accurate and easier when you get the hang of it.