Camera setup
The camera needs to be mounted close to the tool - adjustable.
Either connected to the Z axis (like on my plotter),
or independent from the Z axis.
For the next steps it is recommended to machine a horizontal marker for camera rotation and a small marker at position 0;0 to calculate the offset - using the tool.
Just change the rotation angle until the picture is exactly horizontally aligned. The horizontal marker-line should be parallel to the cross hairs.
If the camera is mounted to the Z axis, it must be aligned in that way, that the center of the picture doesn't move if the Z position is changed.
This can be done is this way:
a) move Z axis to lowest point, move marker to center of cross hairs (XY position)
b) move Z axis to highest point, tilt camera on it's fixture until marker is in center of cross hairs
Repeat steps a) and b) until desired accuracy is reached.
Furthermore a 'Homing' must be performed, because the scaling will be saved depending on the machine coordinates. The work piece must be marked with markers of known size to be able to scale the grafics on it. In my example I used circles with r=5mm and r=15mm.
3.1 Move camera to owest point and click "Teach Lower Position", now click inside the picture to mark the distance from center given in the field "Set teach radius bottom" (in example circle with r=5)
3.2 Move camera to highest point and click "Teach Upper Position", now click inside the picture to mark the distance from center given in the field "Set teach radius top" (in example circle r=15)
Now the scaling will be calculated depending on the machine Z position (not world position).
If the camera is not mounted on the Z axis, don't change height when teaching lower and upper scaling radius (both radii must be same) on same picture position.
Now a separate coordinate system (G59) will be used to switch between tool and camera.
- Switch to 'Tool coord.'
- Set a marker with the tool on workpiece and zero the coordinate system (zero X and Y axis)
- Move marker below cross hairs and click on "Teach Offset - Teach camera offset"
- Switch to 'Cam coord.'
- Now the XY position can be switched between camera and tool position using the buttons 'Tool coord.' and 'Cam coord.'.