In the process of re-calibrating the Haas VF2 5-axis trunnion, I also took the time to recalibrate the rest of the probing systems on the machine.

Unfortunately, since this is the older control, there is a slightly longer process in calibrating the Reinshaw probes, and I actually missed a huge step that could have caused a massive crash on the machine. This is actually the same problem I ran into when I first calibrated it several months ago, and I'm kicking myself for making the same mistake twice. 

The Haas online tutorial has you go through several cycles to calibrate each of the probes. One of these cycles includes setting a calibration bar (a tool holder with a gauge pin), and you probe the tool setter. However, I forgot to consider that the machine has no idea how long the tool holder is from the tip of the gauge pin to the spindle, and I kept getting some weird consistent offsets. I thought you would only have to measure the approximate distance, and the machine would figure out the rest, though if I thought about it, I would have realized there was no way for it to tell. 

Finding the actual length of a tool without a tool probe is by taking a dial indicator and touching off the bottom of the gauge pin and setting the indicator to zero, and recording the z-axis number. Then move up to the top of the spindle until the indicator goes to zero as well. You then subtract the two z-length distances to get your tool height. I almost missed one big thing because when I touched off the bottom of the spindle, I noticed there was a lot of residue build-up, and I had to clear that away to get an accurate reading.

Once I found this number, I was able to run through the calibration cycles and finally got everything working together nicely!

Working on the model rocket project again and putting together everything that goes into each of the kits! 

I'm super excited to get these shipped out and getting to see what kind of a response they get! It seems on the face of it to be a simple project, but the amount of small stupid things drives it up there of the most complex projects :)

Overall I'm quite pleased with how they turned out, and the experience of working with all the different features will definitely help me in the long run! Plus, I get to learn a different side of marketing and outside-the-box thinking. 

In my previous post, I mentioned I had some issues with the Haas 5-axis trunnion not going to the correct home zero in the a-axis at the machine origin. It's not a big issue as I can find zero and set it with my G54 work offset, but it gets tricky when you start playing around with additional offsets.

I'm working on a 2014 Haas VF2ss, and this process may be different depending on the year of the controller software.

After talking to several Haas service and applications technicians, I finally found one that specialized in 5-axis work, and he was able to walk me through the process!

It turns out that changing machine or global zero for any of the axis is more of what a Haas technician would do in person, but there was a back-pannel way to do it and re-calibrate the angle as well.

The behind-the-scenes part of this is called 'debug' for the Haas controllers, and you can access it through the following sequence:

Unlock both ports on the side of the controller with the keys to allow changes to be made.

SETNG/GRAPH-> 7 DOWN ARROW-> Parameter Lock from On to Off -> LIST/PROG-> ALARM/MESGS-> D E B U G-> ENTER/WRITE

I initially had some problems where I couldn't get the debug change to happen until I unlocked the parameter lock. At which point, I had to go through the exact order of buttons to get it unlocked. The screen didn't change at all, which really threw me off, but there was a green border to everything showing that it was unlocked after going back to the parameters. 

Once you're in the background of the machine, I found my way to making the machine zero change, which I got to by the following steps:

PARAM/DGNOS-> 2 1 2-> DOWN ARROW

The number should be 0, but if not, write it down. To find the correct number to input, I used a dial indicator and swept the top surface until I found zero, then went to find the actual position it was at by doing the following:

POSIT-> F4-> RIGHT ARROW

There were several data inputs under the A-axis tab, and I wrote down the number tied to the actual machine position. The decimal point isn't important and can be written as a whole to input back into the 212 parameters. Then home the A-axis and check to see that it worked. Finally, power off the machine and e-stop and double-check all the settings took place. This also gets you out of the debug configuration.

The final thing I wanted to check and re-calibrate was the 90deg tilt at which the trunnion would rotate to. This was actually easier than I initially thought. I put a quick command into the MDI to move the head to a vertical position (don't jog it), and after checking with a dial indicator, the 90deg position was about 0.0015" off from end to end, so it needed to be fixed.

I went back into the debug configuration and found the parameter that defines the a-axis rotation ratio, which is different for each machine. From what I understand, this works by defining how far and how much power the motors get when turning the a-axis. 

PARAM/DGNOS-> 4 7-> DOWN ARROW

I initially tried to find the actual position and input the difference when sweeping and moving to the correct position using a dial indicator. However, this number had to be used in an internal equation that I didn't have the answer to, so I resorted to trial and error.

The number in the a-axis ratio was something like 458852. After playing around with adding and subtracting from that number (I started by adding 100 and subtracting 100), I would re-home the a-axis, and with the MDI command the machine to come back to that position to recheck it. You mustn't jog the machine by hand as it's got different variables than your real-life scenario of machine-controlled operations. 

It turns out that I only needed to add 34 to the initial number, and I got within 0.0003" (3 tenths) from end to end. After making all these changes, I shut down everything, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then booted it all back up again to ensure it all stayed consistent. 

Man, it feels good to get back to the shop!

The Renishaw OTS tool setter/probe was twisted and was loose on its rod, so today, I was tasked with figuring out why that was the case and fixing it. I initially thought the problem was related to a twisted piece of aluminum that attaches to an external nut and the tool probe, but I later found it was just a symptom of the problem. 

After taking it all apart and thoroughly cleaning all the components, I realized the whole issue was because of a loose nut, not on the inside, but on the outside, that attached the probe to the base! It was not a waste of time, though, as I learned more about how it worked and removed all the internal debris.

There's also been an issue with the trunnion machine zero wasn't correct in both A & B axis. This hasn't really been a problem as we can find the a-axis zero and add it to the work offset. It's mostly a pain when powering up the machine, and it's visibly off and takes a few seconds longer to start up a new operation. 

I initially thought this would be a super easy fix to input a new global or machine zero. Still, after doing some quick searching online and on the Haas controller, I couldn't find any information on this. I'm honestly a bit shocked this isn't something that you can easily fix, and I feel it would be something that needs to be done every so often with a & b axis add-ons. I called up the Haas service line, and after getting bounced around to several technicians, they too didn't have a solution for me. They're doing some research on the matter, so I will have to wait until I get a call back before finding a conclusion on this matter. 

I assume that since the machine zero is seldom changed, it's a behind-the-controller option, and you can't access it without permissions. 

It is January 2nd, and I just finished my run, and I've been considering something that I noticed when talking to other people about the new year. 

Only one person out of about a dozen or two people actually had new Year resolutions, and after asking why the others didn't, I got a pretty consistent answer. That was that the likelihood of actually keeping to the resolution was so low it wasn't even worth putting effort into if it was just going to fail. 

That got me thinking about why we achieve some goals and not others. Succeeding in building habits vs. not. Change and circumstances are always difficult to overcome, but everyone has that in common, which doesn't seem to be the major factor. 

Something caught my attention from listening to the book 'The One Thing,' which was of principles, what is the purpose behind what we are doing? So many times, we want the go after the golden egg without thinking about why we want it in the first place. 

What is the principle behind getting into running? If we run for the sake of running, we can only do it for so long before our rational brain realizes that it's pointless, and so we stop doing it. But if we discover the principle behind why we want to run, we can build a long-lasting habit. If serving others is our purpose, then we can start to think through the means to that end. 

Becoming healthier is an obvious one as it allows us to serve at higher levels with more regularity. Then breaking down becoming healthier may include a regular running routine as that builds muscle, consistency, breathing, and builds our immune system and many other benefits. But now that the principle is understood, then we can build a regular habit. We satisfy our rational brain and now have a purpose. That also means that you don't have to be afraid to stop running if there is another way of obtaining the principle, being healthy. 

Key takeaways:

1) Most people don't make new years resolutions because the failure rate is so high

2) We forget to ask why we want the golden egg in the process of trying to get it

3) We can start on a goal with no problem, but eventually, our rational mind will ask us why, so know the answer beforehand

4) Find the principle behind why you want the goal

5) I want to serve at higher levels; to do that, I need to be healthier. To be healthier, I can start running in the mornings

This is the final video of this challenge, the 100th post; everyone unique and challenging. 

It has been quite an experience, and I'm a little sad to have concluded this project. It's been beneficial in increasing my public speaking skills, as well as my own personal development. 

Through this process, I've had to think through a lot more of what I was speaking about. I couldn't just dump what was in my head into words as it wouldn't make any sense to anyone reading or watching it. Comparing to my first video, there is quite a dramatic difference. My confidence speaking, my use of filler words and my wandering speech took away from what I wanted to get across. I am by no means perfect where I am now, but I've made significant strides in improving my verbal and mental thought processes.

I am certain that teaching others what I've learned will be part of my future, and building a database of where I am now will help me better understand someone else who is at my same level and what I am thinking about. I started this whole series out on the premise of following others because it was easier than re-inventing the wheel and leaving it, realizing that I was missing the forest for the trees. The purpose was to know what it was for, building my character, and, most of all, serving God. 

Throughout making these videos, I've had to move things around in my schedule and work through periods of lack of motivation. I've tried to say everything within a minute to develop my concise speaking skill. I've refined my process for coming up with ideas, tested dressing formally, speaking confidently, my pre-video preparation, and challenging myself on things I formerly took for granted. 

I may continue making more of these posts as it's a very convenient spot to park my ideas and passively grow my speaking skills. 

Challenge yourself for growth

As apart of my new Year evening time, I am reflecting on this past year and considering all the amazing things I've been blessed with and why it came about.

God blesses those who multiply the gifts he has given. In the parable of the talents, the master gives one talent to one servant, five to another, and ten to the last. He places them as stewards over his possessions. When the master returns from his trip, the first servant given the ten talents returns them with ten more, and the master says, 'well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master.' So he comes to the second servant, which he gave five talents, and he returns it with another five, and the master says to the second that which he did to the first. Finally, he comes to the last servant with which he gave a single talent. Only to be returned the one talent and the servant saying 'I knew you were a hard master, reaping where you did not sow,' and the master grew angry and took that he had and gave it to the first servant. 

We are to grow what we've been given. There is risk in that, but it is our task. As challenging what we know and have, I see that pushing out of our comfort zone to multiply that we have been blessed with. 

I think that is a big reason I have been blessed so greatly, seeking out wisdom, seeking out to grow what I have been entrusted with already and told to multiply it. I have not been perfect in this by any means, but that is not something I can achieve, so I must start with where I am. 

Key takeaways:

1) Challenge yourself for growth

2) God blesses those who multiply that which he entrusted

3) We are stewards of what we own and are told to grow it. That involves taking risks and pushing past our comfort zones. 

This is it, the key to unlocking unlimited potential. 

In the past couple of months, I've been on a journey trying to find my purpose and get more clarity on what I am meant to do. 

A few days ago, I found the start of that purpose and put it into words for the first time. Since tomorrow is the first day of the new year, it's had me thinking about what I've learned so far and if I could put it into a few words, what would be the single thing that I've learned I need to focus on. 

That one single thing is character. 

I've learned that building a good character is the most important thing I can be doing to improving my own life and those around me. Though the word seems to be fairly simple in itself, I believe it holds a lot of the answers to building a long-lasting and sustaining life. My two favorite books I've read this month were 'Thou Shall Prosper' by Rabbi Daniel Lapin, and 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' and both of these boils down to building a good character. 

I was a little disappointed. I was hoping there was some secret that not everyone knew about that would unlock new worlds. However, after mulling this idea around more, it's really opened my eyes to many reasons people do what they do and that everyone is at different levels and ladders. There is no 'secret to life.' It's all out in the open, free to take, but it's the understanding of what is out there that makes the difference. 

I wanted to make that big difference, impacting many people, but I didn't realize to impact many people, I must impact those I can first. This is it, this, here and now, this moment, this is it. This what I am asked about; this is 'the big battle' I am judged for my current actions. I'm getting caught up in waiting for the big battle, getting prepared for life, when life is this, right here and now. 

Key takeaways:

1) The single biggest thing I've learned about life is developing my character.

2) There is no big secret to life, it's out in the open for all to see, but understanding it is what makes the difference

3) This is it, this moment, right here, right now, this is the big battle, it's what you're doing in this very moment that matters. 

The problem is always you.

One of the things I've found quite fascinating from stories I hear is how often we blame those around us for things that aren't going right.

There is a very distinct phrasing when I hear of a story of two people in an argument. It typically goes something like, "If you stopped nagging me to take out the trash, I would do it on my own" we're blaming another individual for the problems that occur in our life. However, something we forget is that the problem is always us. 

We have complete control of one thing in our life, and no one can force us to comply with them. And that is our attitude, how we choose to react to things that are upon us. Problems are with you, how you view them. If you play the victim, you are giving up your attitude to the problem. Allowing it to control you. A problem isn't a problem if you see it as an opportunity—an opportunity for growth. You always learn something, even if it's the reaffirmation of something you already knew to be true. 

I've thought quite a bit about this and discovered that you need to disconnect yourself from the mistakes you make. You need to be responsible for them, but you need to release it from your pride. You fell learning roller skating, and someone laughed at you. You are now at a crossroads; laugh along with them at your mistake, or get angry and hold fast to your pride. When you hold on to your mistake, you are arrogant, saying that you are perfect and life just happened to you, and you cannot do anything about it. Or embrace the fall, realize that you are not perfect, and take it as apart of your learning experience. 

Key takeaways:

1) If the problem is an issue, it's an issue because of you

2) Only you control your attitude and perception

3) Look at problems as opportunities for growth

4) Disconnect yourself from your mistake

5) Holding fast to your mistake is holding fast to your pride. You are saying you are perfect

You don't need a new big toy to get started.

One of the biggest things I've realized is that you can do almost anything cheap and you don't have to compromise on quality!

Unfortunately, I hear many people say they don't get started in something because they aren't properly equipped with the right tools to start a new project, learn, and set in place good habits. The thing is, you aren't good enough to make any of the good quality stuff you want worth the cost. If you want to get good at public speaking, you don't need to hire a coach out of the gate. You don't need a professional voice recording setup to start a podcast.

I've found that you can do almost anything that would normally cost a lot of money where you go straight toward the big tool. For example, I spent today building a new shelving system for my parent's business. If I were to buy heavy-duty shelving, the cost would have been upwards of $600. I didn't have to compromise with cheap plastic or no shelving; there is always a third option. Building this myself would save a ton on not only money but space too. I had the ability to plan out the space to fit the products it would hold rather than hope everything fit with standard shelving. 

Previous experience and tooling aside, the principle stands. I've found that I can do almost anything without investing a huge amount of my time or money. Through making these videos, I have increased my public speaking skills by a shocking rate, and it cost me exactly $0 to do.

Key takeaways:

1) You don't need to invest in the biggest and the best

2) Getting started, your skills aren't worthy of a professional setup

3) Everything can be done on the cheap; you have to find out how to do it