Starting the Machine

Here we will walk through the process of starting the machine, and fastening your material to the bed.

Steps:

1) Turn on the computer. Sometimes the computer will have trouble booting if the Roland MDX 40-A is connected, simply unplug the USB at the base of the machine for startup, and plug it in again once you see the Windows Desktop.
2) Turn on the Roland MDX 40-A. First ensure that there is no material in the bed because the startup routine of the machine can cause a collision. Press the green Power Button on the Front of the machine.
3) Install the tool for the first toolpath. Each tool change will need to be done mannually. Install the tool that your first toolpath uses, ensuring that the length of the tool protruding from the collet is in line with the assumptions you made in Mastercam when programming the toolpaths. For detailed instructions, see 4.2.

VPanel - Prepare for cutting

VPanel is the software that allows you to interact with the mill. You’ll need to use it as you fasten your material, install your endmill and “home” (define the origin) the axes.

Steps:

1. Moving the gantry. The red arrows will move in X (left-right), the green arrows will move in Y (back-forth). The movement in Y is inverted because the X axis is stationary, so move the Y axis as if you wanted to move the bit around your material. The blue arrows control movement in Z (up-down), these controls are duplicated in solid orange on the front of the machine itself. As you move you can control the speed using the step sizes. Use caution when moving at high speed, because if you collide with anything you might damage the bit, your material or the machine and you will need to re-zero the X, Y and Z axes.
2. Overrides allow you to adjust the spindle speed and feed rate after you’ve begun milling. The machine’s maximum spindle speed is 8000 rpm, and the maximum feedrate is 120 inches per minute, or 3000 mm/min. Overrides are also limited to 100% of the maximum specified in the job, so you can easily reduce speed, but you cannot increase speed at this stage.
3. Origin Controls are for communicating where the machine should place the origin, or the point (0,0,0). Use the top of your stock as zero for Z, and the center of your stock for zero in X-Y.
4. Readout will tell you where the tool tip is, according to the location your provide as the origin. It will also tell you how fast the bit is spinning (rotations per minute) and how fast it is moving (inches or mm per minute).
5. Send to Cut is where you access preferences, and tell the machine to start or stop cutting.
6. MDX-40A controls allow you to pause the job mid-way. Press “View” to do this, the spindle will stop and the gantry will retract. If you press and hold “View”, it will resume cutting. Green is the power button, and the orange buttons allow you to move the spindle up and down
7. Emergency Stop will stop the machine immediately and cause you to lose all work you’ve done so far. It is not possible to resume a job after an emergency stop.

Fastening Material

Anchoring refers to the process of holding your material in place so the mill can begin cutting.

Steps:

1) Mark the material prior to mounting. make a mark on top of your material at the center that you can use to zero the X-Y Axes.
2) Tape the material. Double-stick tape your material to the bed of the machine (pictured in orange, above center). Be sure to cover all four edges of your material securely enough that it will not loosen during cutting.
3) Mount material to the bed. Be sure to mount your material onto the center of the bed, parallel to the edge in the same orientation in which you modeled it. The Y Axis goes from front to back, and the X Axis goes from right to left, refer to your Rhino Model if necessary.

Install/Change Cutting Tool

Steps:

1. Choose Cutting Tool. Install the tool you intend to cut with first. In most cases this will be either a 1/4” Flat or a 1/4” Round, because these are most often used for roughing.
2. Place the bit in the appropriate collet. There are two collet sizes, 1/8” and 1/4”
3. Measure how far you need the cutting tool to protrude from the collet, according to your desired geometry and maximum cutting depth.
4. Finger tighten the collet into the spindle. Ensure that the cutting flutes are not inside the collet, because tightening the collet on an area of the tool meant for cutting will damage the tool and the collet.
5. Fully tigthen the collet firmly into the gantry with two wrenches (pictured above, right). One prevents the spindle from rotating (top) and the bottom tightens the collet.
6. Repeat this for each tool change when prompted.

Setting Origin in Z Axis  +  X-Y Axes

Setting the origin is how we communicate to the machine where (0,0,0) is located. Without this step, the machine will not know where to begin cutting. We will set the origin in Z seperately from in X & Y.

Steps for Setting the Origin in the Z-Axis:

1) Connect Z-Sensor. We store the sensor in the black toolbox that sits beside the machine. The sensor sends a signal to the machine when the cutting tool has touched its surface. Place the sensor in the bed and feed the cable through the black flap-port in the rear left of the machine. Pull the cable up gently and plug it into the port called ‘Z0 Sensor’ (pictured above left)
2) Place the sensor on top of your material (pictured above center).
3) Position Mill. Ensuring that the cutting tool is above the tallest part of your material before moving it, use the red and green X-Y controls in VPanel to position the bit directly above the center of the detector, or place the detector beneath the center of the bit.
4) Detect. Move the tool down until it is about .25” or 7 mm above the sensor, and then, in VPanel, select the blue bullet for “Set Z origin using sensor” and then press the button for “Detect”. VPanel will ask you to confirm that the sensor is in place. Once you press “OK” , the machine will being to slowly move down in the Z direction until the tool tip touches the sensor. Your Z-zero point will be set at the bottom of the sensor, which should be at the top of your material. If you do not place the sensor beneath the tool, the MDX 40-A will lower the tool until it hits something and meets resistance, possibly damaging the tool or the material. After touching it will retract.
5) Unplug the sensor from the rear of the machine, remove it from the bed and place it back in the case.

Steps for Setting the Origin in the X-Y Axes:

1) Measure to the center of the material with a ruler, make a mark and place your material so that it s parallel to the edges of the bed (pictured above right).
2) Navigate using the red and green x-y arrows in VPanel to the center of your material, lower the bit so that it is within 1/4” of the top of your stock and you can easily see that it is centered, the tool center should be above the point you have drawn.
3) Confirm. Under ‘Set’ in Set origin Point click XY origin, and press “Set” when you have the tool centered on your material / point (picture above right).

 SRP  Player - Perform Cutting

We are now ready to begin the milling process. Ensure that the MDX lid is closed and that the workspace inside is clear of any tools or debris.

Steps:

1. Press Start Cutting in SRP Player.
2. Confirm Tool the first tool you use will almost always be a 1/4” Flat or 1/4” Round for roughing. If you do not see the tool you intend to use first here, press cancel and return to step 3.6 where we selected the bit. Confirm each of your toolpaths use the tool you intend and that the desired tool is actually installed in the machine.
3. Set Surface here you should select the top surface of the material, because we placed the z-sensor on the top of our material when we zeroed the Z-axis. It is also ok to set the z-sensor on the orange bed of the MDX, however you must then also check the bottom surface here to be consistent (otherwise the cutting tool will plunge into the table and cause damage to the tool, material and the machine).
4. Proceed with mill. Place your hand over the stop button and watch for problems.
5. Await instructions for changing tools. Refer to step 4.2 if necessary, but be certain that you are leaving enough of the bit out of the collet for your job.

Note: If the computer shuts off, you will lose the progress on your job.