[gopackgo]

When I Convert a dxf file to gcode using Kcam all the Z axis movements are positve (+) and the cutter misses the piece . I zero Z at the top of the piece. What am I doing wrong?
I have a stepperworld FET 3 and so far I'm happy with it. I just started test cutting styrofoam with my 1st homebuilt router.
The computer I'm using is a 233 mhz running Windows 98, so that means Mach2 is out of the question for now. But I do have a Dell-Intel Centrino laptop I'm thinking about hooklng up to my machine if Kcam is unsatisfactory.

[buscht]

You might be able to switch some wiring on your stepper motor to reverse its direction.

Or use Wordpad and do a FIND and REPLACE in your G code for "Z" and replace it with "Z-". That will reverse all the motions.

I haven't used Kcam so that's all the ideas I have.

Good luck.

[gopackgo]

Thanks for the suggestion buscht I appreciate them. When I jog the Z axis they go in the right direction so don't want to switch the wires. What I did for now is I jogged the cutter to the depth I wanted it to cut and told Kcam that was the depth that the program called for. When the program started it G00'ed to 1.0 went to its X and Y starting position then fed Z down to the spot I fooled it to go.

[ger21]

Go to Setup>table setup. On the axis setup tab, there is a depths section. Travel is your rapid height (default is 1). Change the Normal Cut to a negative number (the depth you want). If you want to use different depths, set the Deep Cut as well. You'll have to use a layer name for deep cuts and specify the layer in the .dxf options. These settings control your cutting depths.

I don't use KCAM, I just have a copy of the Demo. But, I found what you're looking for in the help file, just had to dig around a little.

[gopackgo]

Thanks Ger, that helped.

Jer