Setup / Workshop reference
Material setup, workholding & Z zero
Make the physical stock, tool and coordinate reference agree with the CAM job.
In everyday language
Keep the drawing and machine on the same page
Work zero is the chosen starting reference. Z is the height direction. The material top and support-board top are different references.
Draw your material on its support and label the height reference used in the job file.
What to notice: Check actual thickness, the reference location and clearances when changing material or bits.
Will a good drawing correct the wrong height reference?
No. The machine setup and file must agree. Follow the documented setup and checking procedure.
No need to know the vocabulary first
A few words, explained
- Collet
- The gripping sleeve that holds the shank of a cutting bit.
- Spoilboard
- A replaceable supporting board beneath the material being cut.
- CAM
- Computer-aided manufacturing: software used to prepare the machine's cutting movements.
- CNC
- Computer numerical control: a computer directs a cutting machine.
- Stock
- The wood or other material you start with.
- Workholding
- The way you keep a piece securely in place while working on it.
2 more words used on this page
- Toolpath
- The route a cutting tool follows through a job.
- Work zero
- The starting reference point used to locate a job on the machine.
How it works
Stock-top zero and spoilboard-top zero are different reference planes. The same numerical depth can produce a different cut when the reference changes.
When to consider it
Use a documented reference that matches the CAM setup, stock preparation and controller workflow.
Where it does not apply
Do not treat machine homing as proof that the work zero or tool-length offset is correct. Replacing a tool can change the tip position.
Before the first cut
- Measure actual thickness and secure the material against all expected cutting forces; plan how separated parts remain held.
- Match CAM units, stock dimensions and origin to the physical setup. Use the manufacturer's probing or touch-off procedure.
- Check safe heights against clamps and the full holder. Verify the toolpath with the controller's documented preview or safe verification procedure before cutting.
If the result looks wrong
Stop the machine and make it safe to inspect before checking the tool or workpiece.
Cut is unexpectedly deep
Stop. Check units, Z-reference plane, tool-length compensation and thickness before rerunning.
Final parts shift
Review tabs, fixtures or vacuum retention through the final cut; clamping the original sheet alone may not retain every part.
Use the matching calculator
Calculator outputs describe geometry, time or cost—not permission to operate at those values.
Make the setup repeatable
In Machine & Bit Settings, keep these details in the standard fields, additional fields and setup notes. Record a test date only after testing that exact setup.
- Stock thickness and zero plane
- Origin location and tool-length method
- Fixture and part-retention plan
No cutting settings are automatically supplied or saved by this guide.
References & exact specifications
These public references explain the tool families or software features. Locate your exact part number and machine manual before setup; product families are not interchangeable.
Guidance reviewed September 2026. Diagrams are original simplified explanations, not manufacturer drawings.