Does the variances above relate to an accuracy tolerance that the machine is capable of?
Over the last weeks, I'd written movement commands checking limit of travel and the axes for any adverse movements in the motion of the motors and mechanics. Whilst cutting I had picked up 2 "hesitations" when the Y axis was travelling out to it's limit. Having then stripped, rebuilt and re-aligned the Y and Z, the movement commands were run again and so far nothing adverse detected. I can now get back to where I was and concentrate on what I was originally planing; getting my spoil-board setup and finish all the bits and pieces I need for completing my table and ready for "production".
While running the above commands, (I had also adjusted the "feed-rates"). I find that the maximum rate is around 1600 mm/minute. Should I be expect to get more (in free travel, no cutting), would I need more, or is this the limitation of the motors and drive system and or controller board. The table is rack and pinion driven with Nema 23 motors and using the dreaded Toshiba blue controller boards.
With the spoil-board, my aim is to have guides/stop-ends of aluminium angle (9 x 9 x 3 mm) running along the home side of the X and Y axes, the work zero set further in. The desired effect is to have a buffer zone between the work zero and home, having a rest for stock material to butt against, giving me a small area of "waste material".
I also wish to install an Auto Zero touch plate for the Z axis to reference it to the top of the material and set the limit of travel to the top of the spoil-board. It will be appreciated if I can get pointers to installing an auto zero Z and installing the necessary macros, where to source and also whether someone has had experience in installing it with the Toshiba controller board and obtaining a pin to run it.