Using a camera on a 3018 pro with moving y axes bed

I’m contemplating purchasing and setting up a camera on my 3018 pro machine. My question is this machine has a moving Y axes bed which is 300 mm wide and 360 mm long ( 360 mm being the Y axes, I can bring the bed all the way forward, but am not sure whether that will work as when running the rear portions of the bed will, depending on the size of the piece or project become partially obscured from the cameras view. Would that be a problem or does the camera just need the initial view of the piece before sending a project to the machine ?

If it works like I think, then the camera and bed have to be ‘relative’. Meaning if the bed is moving the camera must move with it.

On mine, it’s mounted on the lid and looks down on the bed. Either one moves you have to re-calibrate.

Good luck…

I think it would be a 3036 :crazy_face:

:smiley_cat:

To add to @jkwilborn’s explanation let me add some nuance.

The camera does not need to be actively moving with the bed at all times. As you say, it’s only actively used for alignment before the job is initiated.

However, what’s critical is that the relative position of the bed to the camera be exactly the same as when first aligned. Any variance will throw off the alignment. How you get to that point is the decision you need to make.

Looking at mine… If you homed it or moved it to a known spot.

I don’t know where I would put a camera on this that wouldn’t be right where I needed to work. Maybe if it was in a cabinet like the other machine it could go in the lid…

:smiley_cat:

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