The benefit of using a 5Y Pressure Foot over the High Capacity Pressure Foot is that it allows you to pick up the debris on the table, without interfering with the material, or exerting pressure on it. To get a better understanding of how the two pressure feet work, watch this video.
The steps below are for the AXYZ series machine. Even though the functionality is the same for all 5Y pressure feet, they will look slightly different on various CNC router machines.
How to use the 5Y Pressure Foot
- Jog the spindle above the material.
- Loosen the knob on the 5Y locking bracket, turning counter clockwise. Push it up to the highest position and lock it by turning the knob clockwise.
- Jog the cutting head with the tool loaded, down to about ¼” (6mm) above the material. Ensure the 5Y foot is resting on the material.
- To avoid the foot dragging on the material, lift the foot 1/8” (3mm) above it.
- Lock into place by turning the knob clockwise.
- Jog the machine in the X and Y axis.
- Ensure that the height set in Step 4 is appropriate by jogging the machine in the X and Y axis. The foot should not drag or collide with the material.
If you’re using a bellows seal then you need to use the top bracket.
- Raise the head with the bellows on it.
- Ensure the bellows do not stretch more than 4.5 inches (110mm) by adjusting the top left bracket so it touches the right bracket. When you raise the spindle, you will see that the bellows will also move upwards, preventing it from stretching.
For more information on the benefits of using a 5Y Pressure Foot over a universal pressure foot, read our Tech Tip from April here.