Z axis, with puck wrong depth of cut, what am I doing wrong?

[generallyok]

I have an Iconic 4 24x24, I'm using Vcarve 11.5.  I setup a rather simple carve job to carve .3 of an inch using one of the armana bits in vcarve.  I set the job size and thickness in vcarve.  I then  grab a dummy board to test the carve, set the xy=0, use toolset + puck to set Z, run the program and it carves as expected.  I grab the real board, this board is .5 inch and not .75 thick like the dummy board, so I reset the Z using toolset and the puck.  I run the program and it is carving too shallow.  So I figure i set the Z wrong, did it several times yet it would always cut too shallow on .5 material, would cut to correct depth on .75, 1 and 1.25" material.  Am I hitting some kind of safety thing? how do I work around this?

[Neil]

Put the work piece on a .5 inch waste board then do it again. Now your work piece will be at 1" so the machine should woark as you say it works on 1" material.

[grossmsj]

Did you try setting Z-zero with the paper method? Actually bring the tip of the bit down the the workpiece and set zero?

[generallyok]

Dec 21, 2023 14:40:42 GMT -5 Neil said:

Put the work piece on a .5 inch waste board then do it again. Now your work piece will be at 1" so the machine should woark as you say it works on 1" material.

never even thought about that, will give it a try.

[generallyok]

Dec 21, 2023 18:26:59 GMT -5 grossmsj said:

Did you try setting Z-zero with the paper method? Actually bring the tip of the bit down the the workpiece and set zero?

have not tried but honestly not sure how to do it without the puck, I'm so new at it.

[grossmsj]

Just lower the Z-axis down until the bit is just barely above the workpiece over a scrap of paper. Then lower it incrementally until you can't pull the paper out from between the bit and the work surface. You are now within 0.1mm.
Zero out Z0 and try the cut. You know exactly where the surface is because the bit essentially touched it.
People may not know the actual thickness of the puck. Depending on how the piece is mounted, you may have exceeded the range of the spindle travel with a short V-bit. If that's the case you won't be able to touch the surface with the bit. Happened to me today when I had a thin piece of stock stuck to the deck with double-sided tape.

[Neil]

Consider these thoughts:

1. Is the job set up for Z-Zero at the Material Surface or Machine Bed, then you use the other to physically zero the Z?
2. Is the bit slipping when you Tool Set, possibly putting a Metric bit in an Inch Collet?
3. Is the Collet insert seated properly, if not the bit could slip whenn setting the tool.
4. Have you changed the waste surface, for example removed the MDF and replaced it with thinner MDF or removed it to get more height.
5. When you have set the tool, lower the Z to zero height, it should just touch the work surface, do it slowly so as not to damage the work or the bit.

All just thoughts.
Neil

[Bob]

Just a quick thought: Is your router/spindle mounted higher than needed in the clamp? This would also prevent the bit from going deep enough.
Bob

[bsoaper]

I had this problem when I purchased my machine.  The default height stored for the puck was incorrect.  I was able to change the value stored for the puck height to get my "Tool Set" to provide the correct Z=0 height.  That being said, the paper method is much better for bits with a sharp point.  

[bsoaper]

Dec 21, 2023 11:28:56 GMT -5 generallyok said:

I have an Iconic 4 24x24, I'm using Vcarve 11.5.  I setup a rather simple carve job to carve .3 of an inch using one of the armana bits in vcarve.  I set the job size and thickness in vcarve.  I then  grab a dummy board to test the carve, set the xy=0, use toolset + puck to set Z, run the program and it carves as expected.  I grab the real board, this board is .5 inch and not .75 thick like the dummy board, so I reset the Z using toolset and the puck.  I run the program and it is carving too shallow.  So I figure i set the Z wrong, did it several times yet it would always cut too shallow on .5 material, would cut to correct depth on .75, 1 and 1.25" material.  Am I hitting some kind of safety thing? how do I work around this?


Look at you job setup.  I suspect that you have the z=o point defined at the machine surface and not the workpiece height

[jgarciaa]

Dec 21, 2023 11:28:56 GMT -5 generallyok said:

I have an Iconic 4 24x24, I'm using Vcarve 11.5.  I setup a rather simple carve job to carve .3 of an inch using one of the armana bits in vcarve.  I set the job size and thickness in vcarve.  I then  grab a dummy board to test the carve, set the xy=0, use toolset + puck to set Z, run the program and it carves as expected.  I grab the real board, this board is .5 inch and not .75 thick like the dummy board, so I reset the Z using toolset and the puck.  I run the program and it is carving too shallow.  So I figure i set the Z wrong, did it several times yet it would always cut too shallow on .5 material, would cut to correct depth on .75, 1 and 1.25" material.  Am I hitting some kind of safety thing? how do I work around this?

It seems like you're encountering discrepancies in carving depth when using different material thicknesses with your Iconic 4 CNC machine and Vcarve 11.5 software. Despite adjusting the Z-axis for the .5-inch material thickness, the carving consistently appears too shallow. To troubleshoot, ensure that toolpath settings and tool calibration in Vcarve are accurate for the desired depth and material thickness. Additionally, review any machine limitations related to material thickness and consider experimenting with different settings on scrap material to fine-tune the carving depth. If the issue persists, reaching out to Monport's customer support for further assistance may provide insights and solutions tailored to your setup. monportlaser.com/collections/co2-laser-engravers/products/monport-40w-lightburn-ready-12-x-8-co2-laser-engraver-cutter-with-fda-approval?sca_ref=5031521.ka374VZjm3