Nomad 883 Desktop: Session 2

In this session,  we'll go over using the CNC Milling Machine software called Carbide Motion.

The Nomad 883 is controlled by a program called Carbide Motion. This is a free program that you can download to your computer. https://carbide3d.com/downloads/ It is the post-processor for the Nomad 883.

Select/open Carbide Motion from the computer's start menu or desktop.

Click on the button CONNECT TO CUTTER.

To connect to the Nomad, you must turn it on. The power button is on the front of the machine. Push the button to turn on the machine. The button will turn blue, indicating that the Nomad is on.

Load your file

Once the machine is on and the software is connected, a menu will appear on the top of the Carbide Motion screen.

Choose INFO/LOAD to load the file you wish to cut.

insert picture of Job Info screen

The Nomad 883 and other milling machines use files called G-code. G-Code is a format that goes back decades. Original CNC machines from the 1960s used G-Code. Your project starts with an .stl file that is converted to G-Code. G-Code is a set of motion commands that tell the machine what cutters to use, provide a series of coordinates to move the drill bit, and how fast the drill moves. G-Code contains only this information. It does not include the original CAD (.stl) file.

run a demo file

Locate stock material on the table

Place the material to be cut on the cutting table. Manually jog the cutter to the location where the project will begin cutting.

From the Job Info screen.

Click JOG on the screen's top menu.

Before beginning the cutting process, the machine will HOME itself.

Homing is the process of moving to a known location on the table so that the sensors can ensure that the cutter is in the correct position.

The next screen is the Initialize Machine screen.

Click CONTINUE to begin the homing process.

After homing, the machine will attempt to measure the tool length, which is the length of the mill end (drill bit) within the collet or drill holder on the machine. The Nomad 883 includes a tool length sensor to enable it to figure out how far the tool extends from the collet.

Insert image of sample file to be cut.

Move the cutter to the lower left-hand (side closest to the front of the machine) corner of the material to be cut.

To move the cutter, click spindle on.

Move the cutter by using the arrows on the keyboard,

Directions:

Page up -  moves the cutter up (z+)

Page Down - moves the cutter down (z-)

Up Arrow - moves the cutter away from you (y+)

Down Arrow - moves the cutter towards you (y-)

Left Arrow - moves the cutter to the left (x-)

Right Arrow - moves the cutter to the right (x+)

Move the cutter until it's in the lower left-hand corner of the material to be cut (stock), just barely touching the top of the material.

The most difficult part is touching the cutter to the top of the material. It can be helpful to put a small piece of thin paper on top of the stock materials and lowering the cutter until you can just feel it dragging on the paper when you slide the cutter.