Ways to move the machine

 In addition to the automatic moves by software, you can move the machine in several ways.

Bookmarks

Please see this page.

Goto buttons

On the bottom section of the user interface, there are buttons to move the machine by a set amount:

You put the desired move to the boxes. If you click any of the X, Y , Z or A buttons, the move is only for that axis. If you click “GO:” button, the move is for all axes.  “Absolute” selection moves the machine to coordinates set in boxes. “Relative” selection moves the machine relative to the current position.

“Load current position” moves the current machine position to the boxes. “Set current position” sets the machine coordinates to the position indicated in the boxes.

“Goto park” moves the machine to the park location (a convenient out of the way location set on the basic setup page. Please see here.)

Click on camera image

If you click on the camera image, the machine moves the camera (and therefore, the current location) to that spot. If you do ctrl+click on the camera image, the software uses the camera image box as a “map” of your work area and moves the machine there. For example, if you ctrl+click close to upper right corner of the image, the machine moves to back right corner of your workspace.

Number pad jogging

You can move the machine by pressing number pad arrows. This way of moving is not accurate, but useful.  Pressing a key starts the move, lifting the key stops it.

There are three speeds: Normal speed is without any additional keys; slow is with ctrl+num pad key; fast is with alt+num pad key. You can set the speeds on the “basic setup” tab (see this page).

Because some widgets “steal” number pad key presses, jogging by number pad doesn’t always work. Sorry about that.

Function keys jogging

You can move the machine with function keys.

F5 moves left (-X), F6 moves right (+X), F7 moves away (+Y), F8 moves towards you (-Y), F9 turns counter-clockwise (+A), F10 turns clockwise (-A), F11 moves up (-Z) and F12 moves down (+Z).

Default movement is 0.1mm or 0.1 degrees.

Shift is small multiplier: Shift+Fn key moves 1mm/deg.

Control is for precise control: Ctrl+Fn key moves 0.01mm/deg. This is too small movement to cause movement on one press, but cumulatively, a few of these will have an effect.

Alt is a big multiplier: Alt+F key moves 10mm/deg.

You can combine these: Alt+Shift+F key moves 100mm/90degrees, Alt+Ctrl+F key moves 4mm/deg.

You might want to add notes to your keyboard. Here are mine:


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