Nice job. I have used this method since I got my 4x8 CNC a couple of years ago. After I check my X, Y and Z, I also check the diagonal using the 3,4,5 method. I found my gantry was out. I think this is very important if you want to get square cuts.
Your calibration hinges on how acurate the tape measure is , try this with 3 or 4 different tape measures you may be suprised ! Dial gauge over 1 inch VS tape measure over 90 inch
I wouldn't recommend starting at zero on the tape but even a cheap tape will be more accurate then a dial indicator if you use my method. Its just one more way to do it if you don't already have a $500 indicator.
Hello TLAR, Thanks for responding to my question this quick. I really appreciate you. I guess I was getting confused with the pulse Equivalent and how to get it if you happened to get a CNC from China and nothing worked when received. I spent about 2 yrs. troubleshooting this machine. I have also flown a tech to help me to fix this machine. To be honest, I have learned more and I believe I have done more than what the tech did. I have a 1300mm X 2500mm X 200mm working area 4axis ATC with a rotary Along the Y-axis (not to mention that I a new to CNC). I used your method and advance my machine in the -Y direction 2463.8mm and my actual measurement was 2489.2mm. The current pulse set on my DSP is 64. So the math would be 2463.8/2489.2=.9897 (64) = 63.3469 that would now be my corrected Pulse. I can also repeat this to get more accurate/verify. Also, this method can be used for my Z and A axis. What about the rotary part. Thanks in advance.
Yes, that's right. I always do it a few times to try to get as close as I can. I have never used a rotary. I believe it's pulses per degree of rotation. But it's the same math.
@@TLARinc Thanks man...! You are a Star. I actually tried it for my X, Y, & Z and it worked. It was easy like you said. Doing the Z was a little hard for me because of the lack of space needed to measure the actual travel. I am now hurnting for videos that shows how to install a XYZ touch plate. I have a Rich Auto controller with a Rich Auto DSP58E. Any input as to where i can actually make the physical connection on the controller. I know how to write the G-Code if needed. Hope I am not asking for too much. I really appreciate you. Thanks and many more thanks...!
No sorry, I'm not familiar with the board. Lip for anything on the board that says inputs. Make sure you connect your touch plate to ground, the signal wire gets connected to your bit.
Thank you. I'll be sure to keep looking at your videos. Man, you have no idea how much headache you've saved me from having. got the machine working now.
To set the steps per unit on our stacker cranes (a 18m tall crane that runs between 2 racks and stores/picks boxes into/from these racks automatically), we do exactly the same. We don't move it forward 1 meter and measure to calibrate it, we take the full 78 meter long aisle to calibrate the encoder pulses. We start from the zero-point on the rail and take a note about the current encoder pulses. Then we move it 78m further and check how far off we are from the 78m mark on the rail. We also note those encoder pulses, then move it by hand until it's exactly on the 78m line. Then recalculate the encoder pulses. I still gotta do this calibration of my cnc as I have a deviation of 2-3mm over the course of the total 80cm my machine can move. But for some simple signs, it wasn't really required to have those accurate to the millimeter.
Almost, divide what you want by what you got, so in my example 90/89. Take that number and multiply it with your current step/unit number. The reason is if you came up short on your test, you need to add steps to every inch, if you came up long you need to remove steps from every inch. I hope that helps.
I have this same issue. When I use a 1" dial indicator I can dial in the Steps Per Inch perfectly in using the calibrator in Mach 3 but by the time its at the other end of 8' bed its way off like an inch or so. If I use the tape I get good results but the dial indicator is usually off around .005" I have tried multiple indicators even bought brand new one and they are all off the same so I know its not the indicator. So the tape works better for me too but I have had tapes that are off as well. So you have to make sure you have a good tape.
great vid was wondering if I could get some info I am at my wit's end trying to work out what is the best micro step for my NEMA 34 I have built a machine that I would like to do plasma/router as I have made the complete thing myself It is controlled by a 5 axis stand-alone controller. I have control of all the axis but the setting up of the steppers has me stumped
Use the largest micro step setting you can and still achieve the resolution you need. I like 1/4 or 1/8 micro stepping. Too big and your machine will be noisy and won't run very smooth, too small and you'll loose allot of holding torque. Once you've got that set up follow my steps/unit video again.
Hello Tlar, I have the same machine running on Tollpath. I saw a different software you are using so the video doesn't respond to my question: I got error code 803 that I cannot find in manual. Trying to fix the issue I change home position and didn't kept the original settings. Now I'm stuck with and trying to find information about how to fix this code. May be you can help? Thank you in advance!
Sorry for being nosy, but I have to ask: What do you do for a living? Does it involve that great big CNC router in your video? I think that I am a bit envious :-). My CNC has a 6" x 6" x 6" volume. I use it for engraving PCB and machining small aluminum parts. Sorry if my questions are too personal, please ignore me if that is the case. B.T.W.: Excellent video. I'm a subscriber now!
Hi I have done this exactly on my 4008 and always have, but still get circles that arnt 100% perfect, if u cut 2csircles and revolve them onto of each other there slightly out by maybe .25 of a mm, How can u get them 100% perfect Thsnks
If you cut two circles with the exact same settings and conditions you may just be at the accuracy limit of your machine. Many things can have effect on this limit, feeds and speeds, rigidity, the material and bit combination and so on. Every machine is different.
Hmmm yeah I would think so too. .25mm is kind of allot. It's not your steps/unit though because the circles are different. Look for backlash. What is your drive system? If it's rack and pinion make sure your gears are all clean and free from debris. Also insure the the springs that hold the pinion into the rack aren't worn out.
Thanx! This was my thought to, and finding your video bacs my asumption, being a litle weirded out by the Mach4 vids my self. I think their logic is that they wil start small for safety as newbies might be totally of at first... don't you think? I'm allso curious what your thoughts and practis is when it comes to baclash?
I'm not using any backlash mitigation, I haven't needed it. It's more of a consideration for metal mills and lathes where everything is driven by acme screws and brass nuts. The ball screws and rack and pinion of our CNC routers don't suffer from backlash nearly as much.
Nice. But What do you do now? 🤔 Hehe, you see, I have just spent 4 hours to calibrat my machine. 😅😁 But i didn't figure it out! If you have an answear i would appriciate it! 👍
AXYZ makes a really nice machine. we had this same machine in a 5x9ish' foot at my old shop with 2 spindles. was my first encounter with a cnc router. that machine led me to trouble shooting it when it had issues and eventually building my own machine
![ATEEZ(에이티즈) - [GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2] Preview](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/X4PfgRPBUVo/mqdefault.jpg)
I tried everything to get my pulse pers working then I found this video. Omg do the LONG numbers first! Thank you!!!
This video is absolutely fantastic. No bd, no complications just straight to the point. Subb'd!
Nice job. I have used this method since I got my 4x8 CNC a couple of years ago. After I check my X, Y and Z, I also check the diagonal using the 3,4,5 method. I found my gantry was out. I think this is very important if you want to get square cuts.
Yes, that is the I do it as well. I usually like to run it first for one inch to get you in range then run the full length of your table.
I agree with your method, I would add that using a good quality tape measure is essential, not all tapes give a accurate reading s
Thank you for uploading and sharing. Trying this out tomorrow! Except on Mach3
Your calibration hinges on how acurate the tape measure is , try this with 3 or 4 different tape measures you may be suprised ! Dial gauge over 1 inch VS tape measure over 90 inch
I wouldn't recommend starting at zero on the tape but even a cheap tape will be more accurate then a dial indicator if you use my method. Its just one more way to do it if you don't already have a $500 indicator.
Hello TLAR, Thanks for responding to my question this quick. I really appreciate you. I guess I was getting confused with the pulse Equivalent and how to get it if you happened to get a CNC from China and nothing worked when received. I spent about 2 yrs. troubleshooting this machine. I have also flown a tech to help me to fix this machine. To be honest, I have learned more and I believe I have done more than what the tech did.
I have a 1300mm X 2500mm X 200mm working area 4axis ATC with a rotary Along the Y-axis (not to mention that I a new to CNC). I used your method and advance my machine in the -Y direction 2463.8mm and my actual measurement was 2489.2mm. The current pulse set on my DSP is 64.
So the math would be 2463.8/2489.2=.9897 (64) = 63.3469 that would now be my corrected Pulse. I can also repeat this to get more accurate/verify. Also, this method can be used for my Z and A axis. What about the rotary part.
Thanks in advance.
Yes, that's right. I always do it a few times to try to get as close as I can. I have never used a rotary. I believe it's pulses per degree of rotation. But it's the same math.
@@TLARinc Thanks man...! You are a Star. I actually tried it for my X, Y, & Z and it worked. It was easy like you said. Doing the Z was a little hard for me because of the lack of space needed to measure the actual travel. I am now hurnting for videos that shows how to install a XYZ touch plate. I have a Rich Auto controller with a Rich Auto DSP58E. Any input as to where i can actually make the physical connection on the controller. I know how to write the G-Code if needed. Hope I am not asking for too much.
I really appreciate you. Thanks and many more thanks...!
No sorry, I'm not familiar with the board. Lip for anything on the board that says inputs. Make sure you connect your touch plate to ground, the signal wire gets connected to your bit.
Thank you. I'll be sure to keep looking at your videos. Man, you have no idea how much headache you've saved me from having. got the machine working now.
To set the steps per unit on our stacker cranes (a 18m tall crane that runs between 2 racks and stores/picks boxes into/from these racks automatically), we do exactly the same. We don't move it forward 1 meter and measure to calibrate it, we take the full 78 meter long aisle to calibrate the encoder pulses. We start from the zero-point on the rail and take a note about the current encoder pulses. Then we move it 78m further and check how far off we are from the 78m mark on the rail. We also note those encoder pulses, then move it by hand until it's exactly on the 78m line. Then recalculate the encoder pulses. I still gotta do this calibration of my cnc as I have a deviation of 2-3mm over the course of the total 80cm my machine can move. But for some simple signs, it wasn't really required to have those accurate to the millimeter.
Awesome video man ! Thanks
Hello TLAR based on your example. the formula would be 90/89=1.011*89? I don't understand the last part of your example. Great video by the way.
Almost, divide what you want by what you got, so in my example 90/89. Take that number and multiply it with your current step/unit number. The reason is if you came up short on your test, you need to add steps to every inch, if you came up long you need to remove steps from every inch. I hope that helps.
I have this same issue. When I use a 1" dial indicator I can dial in the Steps Per Inch perfectly in using the calibrator in Mach 3 but by the time its at the other end of 8' bed its way off like an inch or so. If I use the tape I get good results but the dial indicator is usually off around .005" I have tried multiple indicators even bought brand new one and they are all off the same so I know its not the indicator. So the tape works better for me too but I have had tapes that are off as well. So you have to make sure you have a good tape.
Sounds like you're losing steps, check for binding by hand with steppers off.
Allot of cheaper machines use the steppers to keep the gantry square, you might get more binding with them off.
great vid was wondering if I could get some info I am at my wit's end trying to work out what is the best micro step for my NEMA 34 I have built a machine that I would like to do plasma/router as I have made the complete thing myself It is controlled by a 5 axis stand-alone controller. I have control of all the axis but the setting up of the steppers has me stumped
Use the largest micro step setting you can and still achieve the resolution you need. I like 1/4 or 1/8 micro stepping. Too big and your machine will be noisy and won't run very smooth, too small and you'll loose allot of holding torque. Once you've got that set up follow my steps/unit video again.
You are so right. one or 2 inches does not do it my steps are so much better now.
Very helpful. Thank you. I subscribed.
Nice explanation. Thanks.
Hello Tlar, I have the same machine running on Tollpath. I saw a different software you are using so the video doesn't respond to my question: I got error code 803 that I cannot find in manual. Trying to fix the issue I change home position and didn't kept the original settings.
Now I'm stuck with and trying to find information about how to fix this code. May be you can help? Thank you in advance!
Sorry, I can't help. I first thing I did was rip out that old out dated stuff and replace with modern electronics.
Sorry for being nosy, but I have to ask: What do you do for a living? Does it involve that great big CNC router in your video? I think that I am a bit envious :-). My CNC has a 6" x 6" x 6" volume. I use it for engraving PCB and machining small aluminum parts. Sorry if my questions are too personal, please ignore me if that is the case. B.T.W.: Excellent video. I'm a subscriber now!
It's my side hustle. Big or small they all take about the same knowledge base. Thanks for the sub!
Hi I have done this exactly on my 4008 and always have, but still get circles that arnt 100% perfect, if u cut 2csircles and revolve them onto of each other there slightly out by maybe .25 of a mm,
How can u get them 100% perfect
Thsnks
If you cut two circles with the exact same settings and conditions you may just be at the accuracy limit of your machine. Many things can have effect on this limit, feeds and speeds, rigidity, the material and bit combination and so on. Every machine is different.
@@TLARinc OK thanks, being an axyz I thought they would be spot on
Hmmm yeah I would think so too. .25mm is kind of allot. It's not your steps/unit though because the circles are different. Look for backlash. What is your drive system? If it's rack and pinion make sure your gears are all clean and free from debris. Also insure the the springs that hold the pinion into the rack aren't worn out.
Thanx! This was my thought to, and finding your video bacs my asumption, being a litle weirded out by the Mach4 vids my self. I think their logic is that they wil start small for safety as newbies might be totally of at first... don't you think? I'm allso curious what your thoughts and practis is when it comes to baclash?
I'm not using any backlash mitigation, I haven't needed it. It's more of a consideration for metal mills and lathes where everything is driven by acme screws and brass nuts. The ball screws and rack and pinion of our CNC routers don't suffer from backlash nearly as much.
Nice. But What do you do now? 🤔
Hehe, you see, I have just spent 4 hours to calibrat my machine. 😅😁 But i didn't figure it out!
If you have an answear i would appriciate it! 👍
If your still unable to get close have a look at your backlash.
AXYZ makes a really nice machine. we had this same machine in a 5x9ish' foot at my old shop with 2 spindles. was my first encounter with a cnc router. that machine led me to trouble shooting it when it had issues and eventually building my own machine
i now trust yo uand my friend who told me to do so