Virtual zero not working

Discussion/questions about software used with your CNC Shark and programming issues

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gpeck
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:35 pm

Virtual zero not working

Post by gpeck »

I am making game boards 16x16, when useing virtual zero I load the toolpaths and it asks me if I want too load the file useing virtual zero I click yes and the router goes to each corner and the center taking readings. The board might have a raise in the middle of less than a 1/8 or so and the readings on the z indecate that it does, but when I run the file the cut is what it should be in the middle but on each end it will miss the board or barely cut . what have I done wrong? Thanks for any info. Gene

Danwood
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:46 am

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by Danwood »

Hi Gene, I just reviewed the CNC Shark Video of how Virtual zero works.
From what I saw you did nothing wrong. Virtual zero did not perform as advertised.
You should contact the the maker and tell them what happened.
They should be able to help you
Dan

WayneK
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:28 am
Location: 80123

Virtual zero not working bit cut into table top

Post by WayneK »

I just setup my Shark Black Diamond Limited Edition. I followed the direction for virtual zero as shown in the video. I had lots of trouble figuring out how to set the xo and yo. Until I set the xo, yo by jogging the machine to the (xo,yo) on my work material nothing seemed to work correctly.

What happened next was a disaster. I began to cut my first toolpath with a 1/2" end mill which would cut through the 3/4" work material and just 0.005" into the sacrifice board under the work piece. Everything was going fine through the first pass on the ellipse but suddenly the bit plunged through my work piece (3/4" and through my sacrifice board (3/4") and cut into the alumininum table top before I could hit E-stop. The machine shut itself down. Now I cannot get the control panel hardware to turn on nor communicate with my computer. Did I fry the control panel hardware?

Can you give me some help what went wrong and how to get the controller box to work again?

Wayne K

milo30
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:21 pm

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by milo30 »

You probably just blew a fuse in the control panel. Do a search on fuses and you'll find more info on similar experiences. There might even be a spare fuse in there.

Ausworkshop
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 4:13 am
Location: Australia

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by Ausworkshop »

Sounds horrible. I was looking at getting the virtual zero thingy coz it seemed like a good idea for my constantly out of flat table/bed but after reading this I think I will give that a miss as well along with the paid version of software which I've heard has problems with metric toolpath view. If I spend my money on something I'd expect improvements to my workflow not a whole lot of new headaches. My business has enough headaches without paying for more.

Did you ever resolve this gpeck?
“It’s not that I’m so smart,
it’s just that I stay with problems longer.“
Albert Einstein

gpeck
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:35 pm

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by gpeck »

As of May 23 I have been shut down due to the clamp that holdes the router . After I noiced that the router was not cutting like it should I excemened the clamp only to find that the node or what ever it is that the bolt goes through had brook. had to wait until 5-27 to call next wave and get a new one. Since the black diamond is only 6 months old they said they would send me a new one. Nice of them..... As for the vitual Zero, sometimes it seems to be working alright, and then it will do something that seems to be out of place and not do what I think it should do,maybe I expect to much of it....

milo30
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:21 pm

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by milo30 »

Try to explain what your problem is and someone here can probably help you. It can get frustrating in the beginning if you have no experience but there is usually a reason why it does something even if you think it is wrong and we can help you most of the time to get over the hump. If you stick it out, you will be happy with what you will be able to do with it.

It to get it down ok me over a year to really get it down so that I am pretty confident that when I hit run, I will get what I am expecting and not another piece for my junk pile.

wwoodworks
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:06 pm
Location: Spokane, Washington USA
Contact:

Re: Virtual zero not working

Post by wwoodworks »

I have been trying to set up the virtual zero on my machine in both 1.5 and 2.1.
I keep getting a "can't detect touchplate" window after I click Z0 and then the detect touchplate button.

NWA sent me a new cable and it still does the same thing.
Anybody got any ideas???

Wayne @ Wayne's Woodworks
Spokane, WA

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