CNC12 Router Quick Start Guide¶

This guide provides supplementary information to our First Cut video, linked below, to help you complete setup and start a job on your routing machine. It also assumes that Software Setup and Configuration are complete. Additionally, it is recommended you read through the CNC12 Router Users Guide and the CNC12 Routing Operation Guide.

We have a video that explains all of this that you can watch right here:

Avid CNC First Cut - EX Control: https://youtu.be/g3MMSJ8NxzQ

Tool Changes and Tool Offsets¶

The EX Control system uses an automated routine to measure tool length using the Tool Height Setter. The software stores each tool offset as the distance from the top of the Z axis travel to the tip of the tool. For an overview of the Tool Height Setter Installation and Usage, check out the video below:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G4Ljdou3qo

Calibrating the Tool Height Setter and Work Surface¶

When setting up the machine for the first time, or if the Tool Height Setter or Spoilboard are moved or adjusted, it is important to calibrate the Tool Height Setter location and height offset. This lets the software know where the tool height setter is within the MCS, and how far the top of the work surface is from the top of the Tool Height Setter.

• Click the Utils button on the Machine Control Panel to open the Utility Macros.

• Type the number that corresponds with the Utility you want to run and then press Cycle Start. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the selected Utility.

  • 1: Calibrate Worksurface Location
    This routine measures the distance between the tool height setter and the work surface. If you have not yet calibrated the Tool Height Setter location, an onscreen message will prompt you to do so. The machine automatically jogs over the Tool Height Setter and measures the tool length, then prompts the user to jog the bit so it is touching the work surface so the height can be calibrated. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the routine.
  • 2: Calibrate Tool Height Setter Location
    This routine measures where the Tool Height Setter is within the working area of the machine. If you attempt a manual tool change and this routine has not been run, an onscreen message will prompt you to do so. Jog the bit so it is above the height setter before running the routine, or when prompted by the onscreen instructions.
  • 3: Manual Tool Measure
    See the Tool Changes section below for more information.
  • 4: Travel Limit Setter
    Seeks out the maximum travel limits by jogging each axis toward the limits slowly. Can be used as an alternative to setting the Soft Limit settings manually using the Configuration Wizard. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the routine.
  • (99) Reset Parms
    Seldom used, only select this option if directed by the support team or for another specific purpose where you are confident it is required to do so.

Tool Changes and Tool Data Management¶

Tool changes can be initiated by the user outside a G-code program, or they can be initiated by an M6 command within the G-code cycle. When tool changes are initiated by an M6 code during a G-code cycle, the behavior will be the same as the MTC macro described below.

MTC Button: Click this button to initiate a tool change outside of a G-code program.The axes will move to the location recorded when the Tool Height Setter was calibrated. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the tool change.

Using Large Diameter Tools: Large tools may need extra attention to achieve an accurate tool height measurement, or to avoid contact with the work surface during tool measurement. When the bit diameter is entered during the MTC routine, the user will be prompted with the below options if:

• The tool is larger than .4in and the Tool Height Setter is below the work surface
• The tool is larger than .75in and the Tool Height Setter is above the work surface

• Option 1 will allow you to jog the tool to a position that better aligns with the surface of the tool setter. For example, a surfacing tool with segmented indexable inserts (teeth) where the inserts are far removed from each other, or do not extend close to the center of the cutting tool.

• Option 2 will prompt you to jog the machine so it is just touching the work surface so the tool height can be measured manually. To ensure accurate tool measurement using this option, it is important to jog the bit so it is touching the work surface that was used to calibrate the work surface location.

  Note

  The work surface is not the top of the workpiece. Measure the tool off of the Work Surface and then zero the WCS on the workpiece.

• Option 3 proceeds as normal, probing down until the tool touches the Tool Height Setter. If the tool diameter is large enough to cause these three options to be displayed when running the MTC routine, take caution using this method. If the Tool Height Setter is not tripped during the probing routine, the Z axis could crash.

Manual Tool Measure Utility: To measure a tool off of the work surface manually, as described in option 2 in the above section, click on the Utils button and then select the Manual Tool Measure option. This option is handy for tools that are too large to measure using the Tool Height Setter, such as larger surfacing bits. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the tool measurement routine.

Loading Programs and Using the MDI¶

From the main screen of CNC12, you can access the controls to load and run programs. Click the "Load Job (F2)" or "MDI (F3)" option to load or enter instructions into the software.

Load Job (F2): Opens the file browser to load a G-code file. Find the G-code file (.cnc, .tap, or .nc extension) you want to load and click "Open" to load the job. The G-code will be displayed on the System Display once it has been loaded into CNC12. Next steps for running programs are available in the Running Jobs section of the guide.

MDI (F3): Opens the Manual Data Input (MDI) mode. MDI mode allows you to send G-codes or M-codes to the machine one line at time. New commands are typed into the text box at the bottom of the system display. Previously run commands are listed above the text box, and are ordered with the most recent commands at the bottom of the list. After entering the M-code or G-code you wish to run, press Cycle Start to run the command. When the command is complete the text box will clear so a new line can be entered.

If you want to re-run a recent command, you can use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to select a previously used command from the list above the text box. The Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys can be used to move the cursor within the text box. Press ESC to exit the MDI.

Running Jobs¶

From the main screen of CNC12, click the Cycle Start button to run the currently loaded G-code file. The cycle can also be started by pressing AltS on the keyboard.

To pause a job, but stay within the Job Run display, use the Feed Hold button on the VCP. Feed hold is fast but controlled stop of the machine. Home position will be maintained and the spindle will still be spinning in this state. Cycle start will immediately resume machine motion.

Job Run Screen¶

By default, Run Time Graphics (RTG) is turned on. This view shows a top-down view of the toolpath, with the option to display a representation of the tool as it moves along the toolpath. The below options are available when the RTG screen is displayed:

• Clear (F7): The graphics can display a trail that follows the tool and shows where it has previously traveled. If the trail is turned on, clicking this button will clear the trail.
• G-Code (F8): Changes the screen to show the G-code view.
• Trail On/Off (F9): Toggles the toolpath trail feature on or off.

G-Code Display¶

This screen is displayed when Run TIme Graphics is turned off, or when the G-Code option is selected on the Run Time Graphics screen. The below options are available on this screen:

• Repeat On/Off (F3): If this option is set to On, CNC12 will loop the G-code cycle until the user ends the cycle with the Cycle Stop button.
• Skips On/Off (F4): Turns on or off Block Skipping. When skipping is turned on, G-code lines with a forward slash ‘/’ character at the start of the line are ignored. Make sure this option is selected as needed before the G-code is loaded. The control processes the skips in a G-code file when the file is initially loaded, so turning on block skips during a program will not have an effect.
• Auto (F5): This key only activates when CNC12 is in Single Block mode, and it returns the software back to the normal run mode.
• Graph (F8): Returns to the RTG view.
• Rapid On/Off (F9): When this setting is turned on, the feed rate override percentage will change the speed of rapid moves. The button displays what clicking it will do. If the override is off, the Feedrate title in the Status Display will turn red.

Stopping a Job in Progress¶

When a job that is in progress is stopped using one of the methods below, the control will record the current state of the job so it can be resumed later.

Cycle Stop: Stops the job immediately and returns to the main screen. All currently active M-functions are cleared when this button is pressed. The ESC key on the keyboard will activate Cycle Stop.

Tool Check: Stops the job and raises the Z axis up to its home position. The spindle will also stop moving. The operator can now jog the machine to any position they would like in order to inspect the tool or the work in progress. After pressing Cycle Start the machine will jog itself back into position, start the spindle, and resume cutting. If Cycle Stop is pressed after entering Tool Check mode the job can be resumed later using the Search function.

Emergency Stop: Pressing the Emergency Stop switch connected to the EX CNC Controller, or pressing the Reset button on the VCP while a job is in progress, will stop the job immediately and CNC12 will return to the main screen. All Currently Active M-functions will be cleared and the power to all axes will be released. The machine will need to be rehomed before resuming a stopped job if the Estop or the Reset button is pressed during a cycle.

Resuming a Job¶

When a job that is in progress is stopped early, it can be resumed in one of the two ways described below. However, in the following situations the Resume Job option will not be available.

• A new job is loaded
• Parse errors exist in the job
• The job is edited or reposted
• Power to the control is lost while the job is running

After stopping a job using the Cycle Stop or Emergency Stop button, click on Run Job Options to access the resume job controls. From the Run Job Options screen, both Resume Job and Search can be used to resume the job. When a job is resumed it will start on whatever G code line the operator enters into the Search field described in the Search and Resume section.

Once started, the entire G code file is scanned for tool changes, and other G code commands that need to be run before starting on the line the operator has specified. This means that you do not need to worry about making sure the spindle is on. Pro tip: You can "Edit" your G code from the main screen by pressing the edit button. If you have Notepad++ installed with the NCnectic G code previewer function you can visually look through your G code and pick the exact line you would like to start from.

Resume Job:

From the Resume Job screen clicking Cycle Start will resume the job from the point it was stopped.

• Offset Lib. (F2): Opens the Tool Offset library. For more information, see the Tool/ATC section earlier in this guide.
• Tool Lib. (F3): Opens the Tool Library. Not normally used for MTC Operations.
• Block (F5): Turns on or off Single Block mode. When Single Block mode is on, the user will need to press Cycle Start before each line in the G-code program.
• Stops (F6): Turns on or off Optional Stops. If this mode is on, an M1 code in the G-code program will cause the system to pause until Cycle Start is pressed. This is similar to M0, Mandatory Stop, which will pause the job regardless of how this setting is configured.
• Graph Job (F8): Opens a graph view of the toolpath, and indicates previously traveled toolpath lines as cyan lines instead of the normal yellow lines. Clicking Cycle Start in this Graph Job screen will resume the job where it was stopped.
• Rapid On/Off (F9): When this setting is turned on, the feed rate override percentage will change the speed of rapid moves. The button displays what clicking it will do. If the override is off, the Feedrate title in the Status Display will turn red.

Search and Resume:

After clicking the Search (F2) from the Run Job Options, the System Display will change to show a text box in place of the Part Count. Line numbers, Block numbers, or Tool Changes can be entered into this text box. If resuming a job that was stopped, and the Resume Job Option is available, the line number that was active when the job was stopped will already be present in the text box. Block numbers are indicated with an "N" before the block number, and tool changes are indicated by a "T" followed by the tool number.

• Tool Change (F1): When the Search function is active, this option will be displayed. When this option is set to On, the control will run the tool change that occurred before the line number entered in the text box on the System Display.
• Repeat On/Off (F3): If this option is set to On, CNC12 will loop the G-code cycle until the user ends the cycle with the Cycle Stop button.
• Skips On/Off (F4): Turns on or off Block Skipping. When skipping is turned on, G-code lines with a forward slash '/' character at the start of the line are ignored. Make sure this option is selected as needed before the G-code is loaded. The control processes the skips in a G-code file when the file is initially loaded, so turning on block skips during a program will not have an effect.
• Block (F5): Turns on or off Single Block mode. When Single Block mode is on, the user will need to press Cycle Start before each line in the G-code program. This setting is off by default. If it is turned on it can be turned off during a G-code cycle, but can not be turned on once a program has been started in the normal mode.
• Stops (F6): Turns on or off Optional Stops. If this mode is on, an M1 code in the G-code program will cause the system to pause until Cycle Start is pressed. This is similar to M0, Mandatory Stop, which will pause the job regardless of how this setting is configured.
• Graph Job (F8): Opens a graph view of the toolpath, and indicates toolpath lines before the selected line number, block number, or tool change, as cyan lines instead of the normal yellow lines. Pressing Cycle Start from this graph will start the job from point selected using the text box.
• Rapid Off (F9): When this setting is turned on, the feed rate override percentage will change the speed of rapid moves. The button displays what clicking it will do. If the override is off, the Feedrate title in the Status Display will turn red.
• Accept (F10): Acts like the Cycle Start button. Accepts the entered line number, block number, or tool change number and begins the cycle from that point.