Our company just got in a 5'x12' cnc router with an 8 tool ATC. It came with a Weihong nk260 controller and NC studio.
What I cant seem to figure out is how to set the z axis, as in setting it to the surface of my material.
There is an auto tool setting instrument at the back of the router but it is fixed to the table.
1. When I try and do mobile calibration of the z axis it simply descends as though it were looking for a touch plate but since mine is fixed to the back of the table and its not going tell the machine where the surface of the material is how does that work?
Now I can see where the auto tool sensing instrument would tell the machine where the tip of each tool is, but how do I tell the machine where the material surface is in relation to the tool tip without a mobile touch plate?
I'm assuming I either need to calibrate each tool to the fixed auto tool setting instrument and then set each tool to the surface of my working material perhaps manually or i need a mobile touch plate to set the working material surface.
The only other thing I could think of is that the settings for the auto tool setting instrument might be able to be adjusted somehow to accommodate adding a spoil board to the vacuum table and then further adjust that setting each time I need to cut a new material.
Am I just missing something simple here?
fixed auto tool setting instrument
2. How do I get the machine to change/swap tools so I can set the next tool up or is this something I manually have to do? ie: insert first tool, do auto tool sensing then place in ATC holder then put second tool in tell nc studio its tool #2 and then do auto tool sensing on second tool etc..
3. Is there anyone here that is familiar with nc studio on a weihong nk260 that might be able to provide a little more insight as to the operation of this controller and software?
I'm used to working with a multi-cam router and controller for the past 8+ years.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.