Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Ok probably an easy solution but I am not sure how to do this.
I am trying to manually feed the barstock by hand to the Z zero position for a new part.
So basically I am making a bunch of the same part but need to feed to the zero position manually by hand to start the next part.
Is their a way to set a position in the controller so I can hit a button on the screen and it will go to that position?
I DON"T want to have to use the MDI and put a tool in and then G0 to it as this is WAY too cumbersome.
Anyway to do this?

Wow is this really that complicated?

Write s macro and assign it to a button. Or you add an optional stop to your program after the first tool is loaded and moved to position.

Thanks for the help but how does one write a macro to do this. I would think this would be a standard button on the lathe screen along with a button to set the G28 position.

Another option is to add a G0 to the end of the program that puts the tool to the proper location at the end of the previous part. I'll do this when I have to probe a part on the mill. Makes sense to do it at the beginning of the program for the lathe I'd think unless you do a cutoff beforehand (which with bar feeder would make sense)

Most Centroid posts have an "M30" call at the end. M30 is a customizable user macro.

Use one of the G30 returns (P2, P3, P4) in the file. Set the return to your desired stop position. And it can be changed as needed

I am using Fusion 360 and the Centroid post does not spit out an M30 at the end. It just ends everything with the G28 position. Maybe I will just change the G28's to G30's and put in the location I want in G30.
It seems the lathe side of things isn't really thought out very well from a workflow perspective. All these returns that you need to set by diving in like 3 or 4 pages into the user interface should be a single button set on the VCP. It just wastes so much time setting up and potential added crashes when you forget to set it.

hello. return points, macros and vcp buttons are customizable for this reason it allows you to customize cnc12/vcp to your particular applications work flow. (same with the post processor on your cad/cam system.

Information for this kind of customization is contained in these docs.

Lathe Operator manual link. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... -v4.14.pdf

Macro Programming Guide.
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... amming.pdf

VCP button editing and creation.
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

I have read through them. Still doesn't help me at all. I even posted the question if you could set the G28 position with one button on the VCP and the answer was NO. Something about no memory etc etc.... Unless you know of a way??

You cannot set the G28 (or G30) reference position from a VCP button. You can set the reference position in the machine coordinates setup, and then move to it using a G28 (or G30) call from a VCP button.

G28 is "Return to reference point" - the reference point has to have been previously set and the only way to set it is through F1 Setup/F1 Part Setup/F9 WCS Table.

Axis reference points are read-only variables so they can't be set programmatically. However, if you know the machine coordinates of where you want the machine tool to move for your "reference" point, you can programmatically generate a G53 move by subtracting the current machine position from your desired machine position.

Still, the answer to your original question is to use F1 Setup/F1 Part Setup/F9 WCS to set reference position #1, 2, 3, or 4 to the zero position for your new part, then create a VCP button that calls the appropriate G28, G30 P1, G30 P2, G30 P3, or G30 P4.