Axis/WCS orientation

[RecceDG]

So I have finally gotten my mill conversion done to the point where I can actually start cutting metal! Huzzah!

Up to this point, all my machine work has been on a lathe (which is its own deal) or on a gantry router. On the gantry router, X0 Y0 is left front of machine, and Z0 is set to either top of stock (my usual setup) or rarely, surface of table.

I have a workstop installed that is a right-angled step on the table at a known XY. The work is pulled up tight against the stop then clamped down, so I only ever have to probe the stock top height.

On the mill, that won't work, because the moving jaw of the vise is outboard where the inboard jaw is fixed.

That suggests an axis orientation as per the attached diagram - and because I am master of my own domain as far as machine configuration goes, I can easily set that up.

I presume I can tell Mastercam that part zero is upper left and Y increases coming out.

Aside from this meaning two different axis orientations depending on if the part is router or mill - and that the numbers on the jog handle are backwards in Y - I can think of no downside to this.

Thoughts?

[JParis]

Flip your Y+ direction 180°

In doing so you'll stay with the Cartesian coordinates system...

[RecceDG]

12 minutes ago, JParis said:

Flip your Y+ direction 180°

In doing so you'll stay with the Cartesian coordinates system...

To what effect?

That corrects the jog handle numbers, but assuming the part zero remains "back left", now X coordinates "in the part" are positive, but Y coordinates are negative.

With the orientation as per diagram, all XY "in the part" are positive.  

[Kyle F]

24 minutes ago, RecceDG said:

To what effect?

That corrects the jog handle numbers, but assuming the part zero remains "back left", now X coordinates "in the part" are positive, but Y coordinates are negative.

With the orientation as per diagram, all XY "in the part" are positive.  

It's just kind of standard. even mcam defaults the plane that way.

who cares if your parts coordinates are in +/- ? you're using cam software haha it'll do all the hard work

[#Rekd™]

3 hours ago, RecceDG said:

To what effect?

Standard Cartesian planes and G-Code are as per this photo. Not sure if your machine is backwards or not.

 

[MattW]

3 hours ago, RecceDG said:

To what effect?

That corrects the jog handle numbers, but assuming the part zero remains "back left", now X coordinates "in the part" are positive, but Y coordinates are negative.

With the orientation as per diagram, all XY "in the part" are positive.  

And your Z axis points down into the table.

[RecceDG]

Well it turns out that getting Mastercam to violate the right-hand rule is trickier than I thought, so I flipped my Y axis direction on the machine and got on with it.

[cncappsjames]

It's all a matter of persepctive also... Spindle moves X, Y, and Z = Right Hand Rule. Table moves X and Y, spindle moves Z, X and Y could be flipped. So there's that.

[Jobnt]

^^^ #RelativeToolMotion FTW.  ^^^

[Leon82]

in the graphics world up and down is Y and z is depth in the monitor view