How to use the Shopbot
A Shopbot is a large CNC milling machine.
Terms
- VFD - Variable Frequency Drive;
- Control computer -
- Design computer - the computer you make your design
- Spindel - f
- Bit -
- Hz eða Hertz - frequency; 1/s
- Pedant -yellow pedant with emergency, reset and start buttons.
Images
-
Control computer -
Pedant with emergency, reset and start buttons -
Spindle -
Spindle -
Bits -
VFD -
Fixing wrench for shopbot tool holder
Shopbot steps
Prepare your design
- Import file to Partworks or make your design there.
Partworks og Partworks 3D PartWorks can import these types of files * DXF Drawing Exchange Files for CAD systems * EPS Encapsulated Postscript for example. Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw. * AI Adobe Illustrator * PDF Portable Document Format for industry standard print data can be done in Inkscape
Remember to change text to path Filetypes which Partworks3D supports
* PartWorks3D can open these types of files: * V3D PartWorks3D and Vectric Cut3D files * STL STL Mesh files - binary & ascii * V3M Vector Art 3D files * 3DS 3D Studio - binary & ascii * X DirectX * DXF AutoCAD 3D DXF * LWO LightWave * TXT MaxNC Digital Probe * SBP ShopBot Digital Probe files * WRL VRML * OBJ Wavefront
Turning it on - checklist
Starting out
- Flip the big switch on the front (cooling fan on spindle will turn on)
- Press reset button on pendant (VFD will turn on)
- Set VFD to 150.0
- 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)
- Open yellow hand-control window
- Check that tool is at safe height above material
- Toggle output 1
- Press start
- Slowly increase the VFD speed up to 270
Zeroing the table
- Use hand control window to move bit to it's zero point
- In the main window, select zero->zero three axis
- Move z axis to safe height
Starting a job
- Select File->Part file execute
- ( Check scaling, you normally want scaling to be 1 on all axis )
- Click ok
- Press start on pendant
- Turn on dust sucker
- Click ok on screen
Emergencies
- There are two emergency stop buttons that you can hit
- You can press space on the keyboard
- You can click with the mouse
Troubleshooting
- 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.
Settings
Depending on type of bits and materials,
| Frequency on VFD | Rounds per minute | Material | |||
| x | 3000 | Aluminium | 200 | 10000 | Plastics |
| 270 | 13500 | Most plywood, MDF, and so on. | |||
| 300 | 15000 | Hardwood |
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.