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  1. #1
    So I built my first cnc about 2 or 3 years ago now and it has only just come to realise I think I have the y axis going the wrong way it's just never mattered as I have only been cutting symmetrical surfboards with it.

    I think I got it wrong because of the design of the machine being a cantilever style and it made sense to me to have it home in the corner as in the first pic and have the axis set up like the second pic but should the y axis in fact be the opposite way?
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  2. #2
    Charlie as i know your build (as i made some of the parts for you) It looks like your orientation is correct in my book ( as you stand in front of the machine). In the case of your machine the longest travel is left and right, this would be your X. The head traveling away from you and towards you is your Y. The Z Axis as always never changes and is is the head up and down directions. This is the standard configuration for any milling machine. In the technical sense the X and X doesn't really matter as long as you know what each one is. As i described above is the standard configuration that's been used for the last zillion years.
    Last edited by spluppit; 29-05-2017 at 02:12 PM.

  3. #3
    thanks for the reply and the parts :) im happy with the x y and z it more the + and - directions that I think I have wrong?

    Basically I have been learning to use fusion 360 and it came to me when trying to do the cam on my machine that I could not get the origin going in the right direction.

  4. #4
    I agree with you, Charlie - normally Y would go in the opposite direction. You could still home to the same position, but configure Mach3 (if that's what you are using) to set Y to its maximum value rather than zero.

    What you have would be called a left-handed coordinate system, but most software assumes a right-handed system. Very easy to change in Mach3, though, so well worth doing so it all agrees with Fusion 360 and saves a lot of confusion downstream!

    I get the impression that the US tend to have X on the gantry axis and Y along the bed, although my own machine is like yours. People seem to have strong opinions on this, but as long as you know which is which and setup work accordingly, it doesn't really matter. My own problem is that with my mk1 router I stood next to the long axis (X) but mk2 has raised rails along the bed so I tend to stand at one end as its easier to load/unload. I then forget that X goes away and Y across from where I'm standing. Thank heaven for e-stop switches...
    Last edited by Neale; 29-05-2017 at 04:39 PM.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by spluppit View Post
    Charlie as i know your build (as i made some of the parts for you) It looks like your orientation is correct in my book ( as you stand in front of the machine). In the case of your machine the longest travel is left and right, this would be your X. The head traveling away from you and towards you is your Y. The Z Axis as always never changes and is is the head up and down directions. This is the standard configuration for any milling machine. In the technical sense the X and X doesn't really matter as long as you know what each one is. As i described above is the standard configuration that's been used for the last zillion years.
    It's not about which is the longest axis, it's about orientation. The one parallel with your belly is the X, the one moving AWAY from your belly is Y and the one moving towards your head from your feet is the Z. Plus (increasing value) is moving from left to right, from nearest to farthest (away from you) and from lowest to highest, assuming the lowest is always zero. Just look in any maths book, it should be like that in every one of them. ...but you may have another book, the one with a printing error, because his orientation is indeed wrong regarding Y. But it really isn't a big deal, except that it is a bit confusing if he is learning the wrong way or talking to other people about axis orientation. I don't know where Y is increasing when moving towards you, and I really don't think it's been like that for any number of years, let alone zillion...

  6. #6
    thanks for all the help I think I have it all switched around now and working in the correct directions.


    I think I'm the most unlucky person with there cnc or it certainly feels that way, probably to a lack of knowledge on my part

    This has all come about as its the first time I have used my machine with a different program other than my surfboard program.


    I have been using fusion360 on a friends cnc that uses nc studio and i was getting everything working fine. Like i mentioned earlier this is the first time i have tried to use fusion on my own cnc that runs mach3.

    i drew a file*and went to cut it out and a few seconds in everything stops and my y axis driver shows a fault. I re set everything and tried again and it stoped exactly in the same place and cased the same fault on the driver, i repeated two more times out of desperation and the same thing each time!


    i then ran a file created by my surfboard program and it all ran fine.


    i then created a very simple drawing of a few boxes on fusion and tried to cut it and that also worked fine.


    i then tried the original file and it crashed again

    so i rew drew the original file in a slightly different way and then that too also crashed!!


    I'm absolutely lost as to why it is doing it and very frustrated too considering its such a simple thing!
    Last edited by charlieuk; 29-05-2017 at 11:05 PM.

  7. #7
    m_c's Avatar
    Lives in East Lothian, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 3 Days Ago Forum Superstar, has done so much to help others, they deserve a medal. Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 2,908. Received thanks 360 times, giving thanks to others 8 times.
    For direction, you have to think about the cutter moving in relation to the workpiece.

    On a moving gantry machine (i.e. typical router), Y+ the gantry moves away from you, and X+ the spindle moves to the right.
    On a moving table machine (i.e. typical mill), Y+ the table moves towards you, and X+ the table moves to the left.

    Z is easier to remember, as it's simply whatever way moves the cutter vertically away from the work, but that may mean lifting the spindle, or dropping the table.
    Avoiding the rubbish customer service from AluminiumWarehouse since July '13.

  8. #8
    cheers yea that's how I have it now and slowly getting used to it! although still having problems with my fusion files.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by m_c View Post
    On a moving table machine (i.e. typical mill), Y+ the table moves towards you, and X+ the table moves to the left.
    Yes, but when the table is moving towards your belly the Y axis value is actually increasing, so the arrow is moving away from you (imaginary movement). So mathematically it is the same as with a moving gantry type of machine and the same G code can be run. In a moving table machine the X, Y zero of the table is the left bottom corner of the table, same as a moving gantry type of machine.

  10. #10
    m_c's Avatar
    Lives in East Lothian, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 3 Days Ago Forum Superstar, has done so much to help others, they deserve a medal. Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 2,908. Received thanks 360 times, giving thanks to others 8 times.
    Quote Originally Posted by A_Camera View Post
    Yes, but when the table is moving towards your belly the Y axis value is actually increasing, so the arrow is moving away from you (imaginary movement). So mathematically it is the same as with a moving gantry type of machine and the same G code can be run. In a moving table machine the X, Y zero of the table is the left bottom corner of the table, same as a moving gantry type of machine.
    That was what I was highlighting in my post, or did you ignore the first sentence?
    Avoiding the rubbish customer service from AluminiumWarehouse since July '13.

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