This article defines work zero, homing, and how to use them.
The Home position is a static position that is set by using the homing switches installed on your machine. Work Zero refers to the position you want to start carving.
Home Position
When you initiate the Home Machine sequence, the machine will move first on the Z-axis until the switch is actuated, then X and Y until those switches are actuated. The machine will then stop. This position will be the same every time and is used as a reference point to recall other points on the machine. Use this guide to test your homing switches: Homing cycle fails
To home the machine, open the machine control menu by selecting the button next to the "Carve" button. It should look like a diamond shape made of arrows:
Once the control menu is open, there are two buttons that will function as the "Home Machine" button. One looks like a house, and the other says "Home" under Preset Locations:
Setting Work Zero
By default, this is the front left corner of your material. Your material can be clamped anywhere on the wasteboard, so sometimes the Home position and Work Zero are the same. However, they do not have to be the same if you clamp your material somewhere other than the front left corner of the machine.
When you click "Carve," Easel walks you through setting up the Work Zero position.
You can use the Z-probe to accurately set the Z-axis work zero to the top of the material. This is because the software knows the thickness of the brass puck and can calculate from there. However, you always have to set the XY work zero position manually by jogging the machine to the front-left corner of the material. You'll want to make sure you center the bit on the corner of the material. The process of setting the work zero is done through the carve menu, as shown in the step below:
Note: The "Work Zero*" button in the jogging control menu is only used to recall the previously saved Work Zero Position. It will also home the machine first to ensure an accurate position. However, this button is not used to set the work zero.
Using Homing
If you Home the machine before clicking "Carve" (click Machine > Home Machine), you will have set the Home position, which can be used to recall other points on the machine. Once you set a Home Position, you can proceed through the Carve menu. After you finish the carve, you can reuse the Work Zero position by clicking the "Use last position" button.
For this to work correctly, follow this order of operations:
- Connect USB
- Set up the project in Easel
- Home Machine (Machine > Home)
- Click Carve
- Probe material to set the Z-axis work zero position
- Move to XY work zero position
- Click Carve
- When the carve stops, change the bit (assume the machine has moved) or the material (clamp in the same position)
- Re-Home Machine (Machine > Home)
- Click Carve
- Probe Material to set the Z-axis work zero position
- Use last position to have the same starting point as the initial carve
The "Use last position" button in the Carve menu will work best when you Home the machine in between carves. This is particularly helpful when running a two-stage carve or making multiple runs of the same project (as long as you clamp in the same spot or set up a jig).
Digital Readout
The Digital Coordinate Readout in the jogging control menu will show the machine's position relative to the Work Zero position once it is set. You must home the machine in order for the digital readout to be accurate.
The Work Zero will be represented as 0,0,0:
X: 0.000
Y: 0.000
Z: 0.000
Note: This can also lead to negative coordinates being displayed if the machine's axes position is to the left of or in front of the work zero's position.
Related articles:
Walkthrough Tutorial: Two-Stage Carves (Roughing and Detail Carves)