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Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:07 pm
by Oliver399
Hello, I'm having issues with the bit coming up out of the project and either making a shallow pass or coming out completely. I'm using the touch plate. I initially was using the 1.5 control panel with the touch plate and had no issues since it was new. Then the other day it was carving text that was created in vcarve and it started to get really shallow in a couple of spots with no rhyme or reason to where it was happening. So I dressed up the carving the best I could with an exacto knife an thought(hoped) it was just a fluke. The next thing I carved was a little worse and it was a file that I have carved at least five times flawlessly. I upgraded to the 2.05 control panel, used the virtual zero software and it got even worse. I contacted Nextwave tech support and they had virtually nothing to offer so I went back to the machine, zeroed the Z axis manually and carved the file that I have done many times and It turned out perfect. Has anyone out there ever encountered a bad touch plate or have any other suggestions as to what is going on? Nextwave said I might have interference with cables crossing but that doesn't explain why it worked before without changing anything and working good without using the touch plate. Thanks.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:32 pm
by Kevink18
If the bit touches touch plate and than goes up to its safe zero. After removing touch plate press move to 0,0,0 and see if it moves to where you want zero. It might be the software version.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:41 pm
by Oliver399
I will try that but it had been working perfect with nothing changing. Thanks.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:36 pm
by Mimbler
Someone else may correct me, but I can't see how setting zero with a touch plate could give you problems with variable depth. If there were a problem it would be too high or too low, but it should be consistent,
Mike

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:41 pm
by 4DThinker
Check the setting for the plate thickness. If it doesn't match the actual thickness of the plate then that is one place to start.

Before 2.0 started begging to be registered I stopped trusting the virtual zero feature completely. When I used any value of offset in from the corners for touchdown point I'd get all sorts of uneven output. I've just upgraded to 2.05 and am almost gun shy to try it again.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:34 pm
by Danwood
There is another possibility. If you were using a dust collector at the same time you were cutting, Make sure the ducting is grounded. Dust passing thru the plastic can create small discharges of static electricity that can affect the signal in the USB cable that carries the data from your computer to the machine.
If you use a dust collector it is always a good idea to be sure it is grounded.
Another thing you can do is to buy a shielded USB cable. Look for one with wire braid around the out side of the cable.
If you have a Land line or WiFi hooked up to your computer it also a good idea turn off the WiFi and disconnect the land line.
Good luck and let us know if you solve your problem.
Dan

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 12:27 am
by Oliver399
Thanks everyone. I know it doesn't make sense that once it is zeroed off of the touch plate that it does a hit and miss, it should either be all hit or all miss but as soon as I removed the touch plate from the process it worked perfect. I'm not currently using the dust collector but in the future I will keep grounding it in mind. I did check the thickness of the touch plate against measurement in the control panel and it is correct. I started having this problem with the control panel v1.5, the one that came with the machine. Since I started having issues I have downloaded v2.05 to run the virtual z software. I bought the machine new the last week of December and just started having issues within the last couple of days. It truly is amazing how unhelpful Nextwave's tech support has been. Until I can find a solution I'm going to continue to manually set the Z axis. Thanks.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:24 am
by drueth
Oliver399

I agree with Mimbler This is not a touch plate issue. It could be a static issue as Danwood has suggested, but from what you are saying I tend to lean to something mechanical is causing you to lose your Z setting as the carve is progressing. It could be the hose from your dust collector is dragging to much. A lose coupling (an all time winner) Or one I have done many time. If you have a very short bit and it is unable to reach the lowest point in your work piece it will cause the Z setting to "move up" and cut to shallow. To rule these out. If you have a dust collector leave it off and remove the hose. To check the Z coupler, with the controller on can you turn the Z worm drive BY HAND. Does it have play in it? To check out your bit can reach the lowest point in you work. Move the bit off your work, and see if you can jog the bit down to the lowest point in your art work.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 9:55 pm
by Oliver399
I haven't solved the issue but I have more information. I thought removing the touch plate from the equation was the solution until last night when I tried to run two identical jobs without shutting the machine down. The first carve went perfect. I put the next piece of wood in and set the zeroes and started the file. It immediately started running shallow. I hit the e-stop and clicked the go to 0,0,0 button and it went to the x and y 0 but not the z 0. The control panel was showing .25" on the z but when I measured it was more like .35". I hit the 0,0,0 button again and it dropped to .08" above the wood. So I shut the machine clear down, restarted it, zeroed, and it worked perfectly. The rest of the evening when I switched between jobs I shut it down every time and it worked fine.

Re: Touch plate issues?

Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:33 am
by drueth
Oliver399

Can you tell use what kind of bit you are using and how big it is, also in the set up for the tool path what is your plunge rate. It sound more like the router is moving up in the clamp. This is another issue at times with the clamp on some models. I have a hose clamp on my router to prevent the router from dropping down. If the clamp is not right up to the plastic clamp I know it has moved.