Download ShopBot User Guide

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Table of Contents
Welcome to ShopBot! ......................................................................................................................................4
You Need to Know This: Warnings ..................................................................................................................5
Getting Started with Your ShopBot Control Software ......................................................................................7
The ShopBot Control Software ..........................................................................................................7
Installing the Software .......................................................................................................................7
Starting Up.......................................................................................................................................11
The Basic ShopBot Command Principle..........................................................................................12
Entering Values (Parameters) .........................................................................................................12
So Let's Run a Part File...................................................................................................................14
Getting Help.....................................................................................................................................16
The Layout of Your ShopBot Table: Directions, Distances, and Base Coordinates.......................................17
The Logic of XYZ.............................................................................................................................18
Giving Directions; ABSOLUTE vs RELATIVE distance ...................................................................18
You Can Reorganize Your "Graph Paper".......................................................................................19
Temporary Zero Points When Cutting Files.....................................................................................19
Table Base Coordinates vs Current Working Coordinates ..............................................................20
Software Limit Checking..................................................................................................................21
Maintaining Accurate XYZ Locations...............................................................................................21
Changing the Direction of Movement of an Axis..............................................................................21
Software Axis Designation...............................................................................................................22
Optional 4th or 5th Axis or Channel...................................................................................................22
Inches or Millimeters........................................................................................................................22
What Your Tool Can Do.................................................................................................................................23
Giving Action Commands ................................................................................................................24
Changing Settings and Values (Commands)...................................................................................24
Utility Commands ............................................................................................................................25
ShopBot Part Files ( .sbp)..............................................................................................................................25
What's in a Part File.........................................................................................................................25
Using the Editor ...............................................................................................................................26
Automatic Recording of Things You Do at the Keyboard ................................................................27
Don't Let this Scare You... ...............................................................................................................27
Creating Part Files from other Software ..........................................................................................30
From Your Ideas to a ShopBot Part File ........................................................................................................32
Representation to Realization..........................................................................................................32
A First Project: Surfacing Your Table.............................................................................................................36
Working with Your Computer .........................................................................................................................38
Working with Your Tool..................................................................................................................................39
Speeds, Feed-Rates and Rapid-Positioning....................................................................................39
Acceleration and Deceleration 'Ramping' ........................................................................................42
Direction of Cut and Tool Path.........................................................................................................44
Tooling.............................................................................................................................................44
Clamping Your Material ...................................................................................................................45
Dust Collection ................................................................................................................................46
Working with Accessories ..............................................................................................................................47
Input Switches, Limit Switches and STOP Inputs ............................................................................47
ShopBot’s Remote ‘Stop’ Button .....................................................................................................48
Output Switches ..............................................................................................................................48
Additional Axes, Rotary Indexers, Lathes........................................................................................49
3-D Digitizing (Probing Surfaces) ....................................................................................................49
Working with G-code......................................................................................................................................50
Working with the ShopBot Converters for .dxf, .hpg/.plt, .bmp, and .jpg ........................................................58
Starting a Conversion ......................................................................................................................59
Specific Info for Each Type of Conversion.......................................................................................59
Conversion from HPGL Plotter File Format: ....................................................................................61
Maintenance ..................................................................................................................................................64
Mechanical Adjustment - X & Y Axes ..............................................................................................64
Electrical/Electronic .........................................................................................................................65
Control Software..............................................................................................................................66
Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................................................66
First get your thinking right …..........................................................................................................67
SBG00142080923UserGuide.doc
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