Hey CNC Users! In this video I will teach you all about work offsets on a CNC machine: why to use them, how to set them up, and how to use them in software. Having multiple work offsets allows you to setup multiple work stations on your CNC machine and easily do work at one or another without having to touch off or find the origin again and again. This can save you a ton of time when you do repeatable operations, which a CNC machine is really good at. I'm using a CNC router: an Avid Pro CNC Machine running Mach 4, but I also discuss Tormach's PathPilot controller, as I have a Tormach PCNC and use offsets on it. But the overall process is generic enough to work with any CNC control software: Masso, Centroid Acorn, Linux CNC, etc. It should also work with Pendant style CNC controllers, provided they support changing the work offset somehow. I also discuss how to use CAM (toolpath) software with offsets, specifically Autodesk Fusion 360 and Vectric VCarve (and Aspire), but a lot of the information is generic enough to apply to any CAM software. I'll discuss the GCODE commands for work offsets (G54, G55, G56, G57, G59 and beyond) and how I use them in the MDI window. Finally, at the end I'll give some specific tips for Mach 4 in general.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/corbincncwoodworking - Corbin's CNC Woodworking Group on Facebook!
*Useful References*
* CNC Woodworking Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqbMbcTzG1FccDPoZSpoD56eHoBhQPO4E
* Avid CNC Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqbMbcTzG1Fcr_NdXjF9GHLV7ZoYsQV7J
* Mach 4 Offsets Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aRifYB70Mc
* Mach 4 Manual: https://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Mach4%20Operation%20Manual.pdf (NOTE: Find your version in your Mach 4 directory)
* Tormach PathPilot Offsets: https://tormach.com/articles/how-to-set-work-offsets-with-pathpilot
* Linux CNC Offsets: https://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gcode/coordinates.html
* Fusion 360 CAD software - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview -- you can get a free "hobby license"
Thanks everyone!
Corbin Dunn
https://www.corbinstreehouse.com // Blog & Website
https://www.corbinsworkshop.com // CNC Files, Products, Woodworking Portfolio
#cncwoodworking #cnc
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:37 What are they?
2:23 Work Offsets: GCode
3:12 Activating Work Offsets
3:27 Saving X/Y/Z in the offset
6:46 Software: Fusion 360
8:20 Software: Vectric VCarve / Aspire
10:13 Software - Generic Use
10:58 Copying Offsets
13:11 Additional Work Offsets
14:43 Best Practices
16:05 Things to be aware of
17:02 Vectric VCarve's Offset
17:38 Mach 4 Specific Tips
19:09 Conclusion