Difference between revisions of "How to use the Shopbot"

Revision as of 11:13, 22 April 2009

A Shopbot is a large CNC milling machine.

Turning it on - checklist

Starting out

1. Flip the big switch on the front (cooling fan on spindle will turn on)
2. Press reset button on pendant (VFD will turn on)
3. Set VFD to 150.0
4. Turn on Shopbot 3 software

Warming up the spindle

(This doesn't need to be done if the machine has recently been used and chances are the bearings are still warm)

1. Open yellow hand-control window
2. Check that tool is at safe height above material
3. Toggle output 1
4. Press start
5. Slowly increase the VFD speed up to 270

Zeroing the table

1. Use hand control window to move bit to it's zero point
2. In the main window, select zero->zero three axis
3. Move z axis to safe height

Starting a job

1. Select File->Part file execute

Troubleshooting

1. If error 91 comes up, delete c:\Program Files\Shopbot\Shopbot 3\shopbot.ini
   • then, when you turn it on, select settings for PRS Alpha 120x60
   • Set software to mm in the "other settings" tab.

Assembly

Assembly of the Shopbot can diverge significantly from the instructions in the enclosed instructions manual, mostly due to it being written in a "one size fits all" manner that doesn't really fit in with the different versions of the Shopbot.

Proprietary protocol

The Shopbot is connected to a computer over USB (or serial link on older models). A proprietary program written in Visual Basic is used to communicate the Shopbot Parts Files to the machine. These files are written in Gerber language.

It is as of yet unclear whether the machine's control box itself interprets these Gerber files or whether the control is in the hands of the control software. Neither would be particularly surprising, but if the control box interprets the Gerber commands then it is far easier to hack the protocol and create a free interface to the Shopbot.