When you’re setting up a job or touching off a tool, Milltronics’ remote handwheel offers a fast and easy way to get your table and tool exactly where you need them. Let’s walk through the steps for taking advantage of this highly convenient tool on your Milltronics machine with the INSPIRE+ control.

If you prefer videos to checklists, watch the video above.

STEP 1: On your main control panel, press the F3 “Handwheel” button.

STEP 2: Assuming you’re using the remote handwheel with the doors of the machine open, your machine will ask for the protective passcode. Input the code with the number pad, followed by the enter button. If you haven’t set a custom passcode, your machine will use the default of “0000.”

STEP 3: Rotate the left knob on your remote handwheel to select the axis you’d like to adjust. As you rotate the knob, your control’s screen will highlight in green whether the X, Y or Z axis is chosen.

STEP 4: Use the “x1,” “x10” or “x100” button to set your feed rate. The “x1” button corresponds to 0.0001-inch of movement for each click of the handwheel, while “x10” corresponds to 0.001-inch and “x100” corresponds to 0.01-inch. Make sure you’ve selected the appropriate rate to avoid crashing your tool into the workpiece.

STEP 5: Once you are finished positioning the tool and table, turn off the remote handwheel by rotating the left knob to the 9 o’clock position.

STEP 6: Press the “Escape” button on your control to exit the handwheel mode.

Please note that if you’re using your remote handwheel to set work coordinates, you will use the F keys on the control to select which axis you’re setting. For a full walkthrough of that process, our blog post “How to Set Part Zero with Edge Finder.”

You’ll notice that your remote handwheel also contains an e-stop button that allows you to lock the machine’s movement. Be aware that the e-stop button will continue to lock your machine, even after you’ve turned off the remote handwheel. If you find yourself facing a machine that won’t move, always be sure to check the e-stop buttons on your remote handwheel and/or chip conveyor!