Stock and work zero
Job settings > Stock describes the material on the machine, and Job settings > Machine says where the G-code’s zero is.
Stock
| Setting | |
|---|---|
| Size X × Y | the board’s size, mm |
| Thickness | mm. Depths count down from the stock top, so set this to the real board. |
| Max depth below stock | how far a cut may go below the stock bottom, into the spoilboard. Within it a cut gets a warning; deeper is refused. New projects: 0.5 mm. |
| Stock position | where the stock lies around the drawing’s origin: its bottom-left corner or its centre there |
| Z zero | where Z0 is: the stock top (depths are negative Z) or its bottom, the spoilboard (the top is at Z = thickness) |
A new project from a DXF gets stock that just covers the drawing. If the drawing reaches past the stock (after an update, or a move), the report says so.
Work zero
Work zero X Y (under Machine) is the point of the drawing that becomes X0 Y0 in the G-code:
- the drawing’s origin, the default;
- a stock corner or the stock centre;
- any point, in drawing coordinates.
Only the G-code moves; the drawing and the canvas stay where they are. The canvas draws the X and Y axes at the work zero.
Every program says where its zero is in a comment at the top, e.g. (Work zero: stock center = drawing X150.000 Y110.000, Z0 = stock top), and so does the setup sheet. Set the
machine’s zero exactly there.
Safe Z and travel
Under Machine:
- Safe Z: the height for every rapid move sideways, above the stock top. Make it clear of your clamps. Before a plunge the tool rapids down to 1 mm above the stock top, then feeds; it never rapids below the stock top.
- Travel X Y Z: the machine’s travel. When set, the checker refuses a program that moves farther than the machine can.
- Max feed: the fastest feed the machine takes. Feeds above it are refused, and the cycle time uses it for rapid moves.
- G-code units: mm (
G21) or inch (G20), as your controller expects. Only the program changes; see Units and coordinates. Command line:chipload set part.chipload machine.gcode_units=inch, or--gcode-units inchonmachine addandmachine set.