Move collection points in Control Panel v2.05

[meb]

Download and install updates. Then you should be able to go to preferences and pick Image Cutting Area to change the collection points to the cutting area and not the job size.

[NewAgent45]

I’m glad to see this discussion. I have been avoiding use of the Virtual Zero feature except when absolutely necessary. I do often use square or rectangular material that is the finish dimension. This means 4 of the data collection points are right on the corner of the material.

Why couldn’t we create a series of virtual zero calibration files toolpath files with various material various that represents an inward offset for the actual material size? Then when setting up virtual zero for a specific job you could use the appropriate “offset” file to use for data collection and set values in the V-zero preferences.

It would be nice if an offset value be added to the control panel software.

I’ll be interested in your comments. Have a great day!

… Rod

[meb]

I’m glad to see this discussion. I have been avoiding use of the Virtual Zero feature except when absolutely necessary. I do often use square or rectangular material that is the finish dimension. This means 4 of the data collection points are right on the corner of the material.

Why couldn’t we create a series of virtual zero calibration files toolpath files with various material various that represents an inward offset for the actual material size? Then when setting up virtual zero for a specific job you could use the appropriate “offset” file to use for data collection and set values in the V-zero preferences.

It would be nice if an offset value be added to the control panel software.

I’ll be interested in your comments. Have a great day!

… Rod

You could do that for each job so the files are together and you don't have to figure out which file you need for a certain job. Set up a rectangular vector the size you want and create a profile toolpath then save it as "Virtual Setup.tap". At the start of the job load "Virtual Setup.tap" file in the controller, do virtual zero setup, load your next toolpath and when prompted if you want to use virtual zero select yes, when it prompts to use the existing settings select yes. Zero center and run your file.

[NewAgent45]

I did some experiments with V-Zero today. At the same time I upgraded my controller from the 2.0 beta version I was using to 2.1, I noticed that in the preferences under collection points there is a variable value fro boarder size from material edge. This display is slightly different in the two versions. I discovered an anomaly when setting this value greater than zero when the center of material is specified in the toolpath/tap file. When this is the case the boarder offset is to the lower left corner of the material and the V-zero reference is down and left half of the offset value. After completing the data collection the machine moved to the center as it should.

Knowing this I set the v-zero size value to zero. Then I tested some of the virtual zero offset data collection files that I created. This seems to work well and it is quick and simple. When setting up for a new job I just select the appropriate offset file which is smaller than the actual material and run the V-zero setup and stores the values to preferences. Then load the toolpath files using the stored preferences. Creating the offset data collection files is a one time job and do not take long.

I have not tried it yet, but I think the border offset may work fine when the defined datum is the lower left-hand corner. It would be interesting to test this when tiling. Since you are moving the material you would have to rerun the the V-zero collection for each tile.

I learn something new everyday!

... Rod