Virtual Zero SCP2 1406-04 Tips

[AZRoger]

I just installed the latest (July 5, 2014) version of SCP2. And the problem I will describe is still there.
I am one of those odd folks who reads the manual. The manual I'm reading is Version 2.0.2 from October of 2013.
At the moment, the manual and the control program don't match for Virtual Zero functions.

On page 104 it says there are three ways to trigger the process to determine Virtual Zero.
Door Number 1: click "Enable Virtual" prior to loading a tap file (Doesn't work)
Door Number 2: click "Setup Virtual" in the left panel of the UI
Door Number 3: click "Start" in the Virtual Functions Panel

On page 106 it says "regardless of which of the 3 different methods you can use to trigger ...
you will receive a dialog box that asks "Would you like to setup virtual for this file?"
This is not the case. You only get this (or some words to that effect) when you click "Setup Virtual" or "Start".

Next It will ask if you want to use Saved Virtual Values (OK).
If you say "Yes" it will do a 1-point Z0 process. If you say "No" it will do the 5-point Z0 process.
Now when you "Run" the file, it will go to 0,0,0 and then move to where it will start cutting.
If you picked Door Number 1 at the beginning it will completely ignore all the Virtual Zero stuff you set up or confirmed.
You'll either air carve (no harm done - you can try again) or dig too deeply into your work piece (oops!).
I've done both - too many times - so I did lots of experiments to see what would always work.

After loading a new tap file, you really do have to click "Setup Virtual" or "Start" to have things come out well.
Only Door Number 2 and Door Number 3 produce good results (with version 1406-04 and some earlier ones).
And be absolutely sure you get the dialog box that asks "Would you like to setup virtual for this file?"
If you don't remember whether you saw that box, click ""Setup Virtual" or "Start" again. It can't hurt.

I'm sure this will be fixed down the road. But for now, click those buttons.

Roger

[calprinter]

Where do I get the latest version I am using 1405-01?

[regrant3]

Where do I get the latest version I am using 1405-01?

Have you tried selecting “Help” in the CNC Shark Control Panel and running “Check for Software Updates”?
If that will not work try this release 1406-04

[4DThinker]

While I have had V0 work as intended on a few occasions, I've had more times where the results were way off (surface mapped wrong and cutting uneven side-to-side after the 5-point routine) or the routine itself did something unexpected.

Just tried using it yesterday and after checking the bottom left corner successfully it decided to run south (-y direction) until it crashed into the machine limits. Broke the non-spinning bit against a clamp handle. Only a machine red-button reset could get me going again as from there I knew trying to complete the 5-point check was useless.

I haven't checked for the latest version, and will. The scary nature of V0 unpredictability has me choosing to not use it for the meanwhile.

4D

[KevinO]

4D,
I agree completely. I suggested to NWA that they incorporate a preference setting to allow the user to decide if they want the gantry to take off by itself for the 5 position check (i.e. or asking instead for confirmation before each movement of the gantry) but so far no response.

Kevin

[KevinO]

Thanks AZ.
I wish I had read your post more carefully the first time. You had already answered a question I was about to ask. I have noticed that the virtual settings don't work after I have changed a tool even though I get a dialogue asking me if I want to use the saved settings. I click "Yes" I want to use them but they don't take effect. It still walks me through the V0 process for the new tool and I assumed that it would then apply the saved settings but that's not the case.
I am going to try your "Door Number 3" and see if that gets the saved virtual settings to kick in.
That's really confusing and I agree with you that it should be fixed in the next revision.

[baby15]

mine does only 3/4 of the project