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Using Control Mode
Control Mode displays only the necessary windows and features needed to:
- Review the GCode file sent to your machine line by line before production begins,
- Preview the upcoming operations before starting the job with a close-to-live wireframe representation of the position and toolpath of the active operation,
- View the current tool position coordinates,
- Manually set the workpiece origin,
- Probe the workpiece to set the workpiece origin automatically, or use optional accessories like Tool Length Probes,
- Jog the tool around the cutting area manually through on-screen controls, your keyboard number pad, and to user-set saved positions,
- Adjust the feed rate and spindle speed during an active job up to 10% higher or lower,
- Precisely set the desired spindle speed RPM on compatible machines,
- Manually activate/deactivate coolant and vacuum accessories,
- View a live feed of both the GCode sent to your machine and the controller's responses in the Console window,
- Access user-set GCode Macros to make sending common or often used GCode commands easy and fast, and
- Start, pause, resume, and stop your machining job.
Should changes to operations or designs be required, you will need to exit Control Mode and enter Edit Mode to make any changes.
Activating Control Mode¶
Control Mode can be activated in two ways through the Job Control window.
- By pressing the Process button, when the Require Control Mode Before Start/Send toggle is active and/or
- By pressing the Control Mode button, when the Require Control Mode Before Start/Send toggle is off
Need to Return to Edit Mode?
Press the Edit Mode button in the Job Control window to exit Control Mode and return to a design-focused MillMage layout. The Edit Mode button will not be enabled during an active job, and will only be enabled after the active job completes or is manually stopped.
Control Mode Features¶
Click in the image below to jump directly to information on that section, or scroll down for information on each option.
GCode Display¶
The GCode Display column on the left-hand side of the Control Mode window displays the GCode commands that will be sent to your machine once started, with sections of the GCode color coded for easier reading.
| Color | Represents |
|---|---|
| Gray | Comments |
| Orange | M-based Commands |
| Blue | G-, F-, and S-based Commands |
| Red | G1, X Axis Moves |
| Green | Y Axis Moves |
| Black | Z Axis Moves |
Wireframe View¶
The central feature of Control Mode is a wireframe representation of the upcoming operations and a summary of the upcoming job at the bottom of the window. This information includes:
| Color | Represents |
|---|---|
| Blue | Feed rate at that line of GCode in both mm/min and in/min, spindle speed in RPM, and GCode line number |
| Blue crosshair | Tool position at current browsed line of GCode |
| Red | Tool X, Y axis coordinates |
| Red crosshair | Current tool position |
| Orange crosshair | Tool position in data stream |
| Black | Total job GCode lines |
| Green | Outline of material stock |
Tool Position Vs Live Position
The current tool location marked by the red crosshair may lag behind the orange crosshair that designates the tool position in the data stream. The current tool location marked by the red crosshair may also lag behind the actual physical tool location. Complex geometries may increase this lag.
Move Window¶
Use the buttons at the top of the Move Window to:
- View the current tool position in Machine coordinates
- View the current tool position in Workpiece coordinates
- Establish project origins when zeroing out each axis
Jog¶
Use the Jog Tab to:
- Jog the tool around the work area at different speeds and movement lengths
- Home the axes
- Send a software-based stop signal
Warning
ALWAYS HAVE A PHYSICAL EMERGENCY STOP (E-stop) for your CNC machine. The stop button in MillMage must not be your only method for stopping a CNC machine.
Review Safety and Warnings for additional warnings.
Go To¶
Use the Got To Tab to:
- Home the axes
- Get tool position
- Switch between Machine and Workpiece coordinates
- Move the tool to specific coordiates
- Move the tool to saved positions
Override¶
Use the Override Tab to:
- Activate optional hardware features
- Adjust the tool travel feed rate up and down up to 10% of original setting
- Adjust the spindle speed up and down up to 10% of original setting
- Precisely set the spindle speed RPM
View the Move Window reference page for more information: Move Window
Console Window¶
The Console Window displays messages from your CNC machine's controller and commands sent to it by MillMage. You can also input direct commands to your CNC machine controller through this window.
View the Console Window reference page for more information: Console Window
Macros Window¶
Add Macro buttons in the Macros Window to store and quickly send frequently used commands.
View the Macros Window reference page for more information: Console Window
Job Control Window¶
The Job Control Window is the hub for producing your project, including framing and starting jobs, saving/loading GCode, and more.
Warning
ALWAYS HAVE A PHYSICAL EMERGENCY STOP (E-stop) for your CNC machine. The stop button in MillMage must not be your only method for stopping a CNC machine.
Review Safety and Warnings for additional warnings.
View the Job Control Window reference page for more information: Job Control Window
Exiting Control Mode¶
The Edit Mode button will not be enabled during an active job, and will only be enabled after the active job completes or is manually stopped.
Press the Edit Mode button in the Job Control window to exit Control Mode and return to the design-focused Edit Mode MillMage layout.
Next Steps¶
For more help using MillMage, please visit our forum to talk with MillMage staff and users, or email support.