Holes appearing as large circles in Mach3

[Hood]

Well the xml you attached looks fine so next thing to try is go to MDI, zero the X DRO  and then command a G0X1 from the MDI line, does it move 1mm or 1 inch?

If it is just moving 1mm then could there be a possibility of your steps per unit being set wrong, they look rather low for an Imperial machine.
Hood

[eugenejohn]

Hood,
Your answer to my last email showed me what was wrong. When I checked the steps per, the X axis gave mm but the other 2 axis were correct in inches. When I Iooked at motor tuning the X axis was set to 800 steps, which was obviously wrong.
I reset it to 8000 with an acceleration of 17.09375 and reset the step pulse from 5 to 3.
Do you have recommendations for these settings? But at least the machine works now, thanks to you.
Regards,
Eugene.

[Hood]

Your steps per unit are a fixed amount, you need to calculate them or use the auto calculate. The former way will be as accurate as your hardware, the latter only as accurate as your measuring.
To calc you need to know the microstepping of the drives, any gearing between screw and motor and lastly the pitch of the screws.
Hood

[Tweakie.CNC]

Hi Eugene,

If it's any help, Al's excellent little calculator is here http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,16315.0.html

Tweakie.

[eugenejohn]

Thanks Tweakie CNC,
Everyone on this site is so helpful to a newby,
But I am sorry to be so thick.but I cannot understand the calculator.
My machine has a 5mm pitch leadscrew but I program in imperial.
What is the steps per?
Eugene.

[Hood]

You need to also tell me the microstepping your drives are set to and if there is any gearing between the motor and screw?
Hood

[eugenejohn]

Hi everybody,
I have got my problems sorted out at last, and the machine is working OK.
I contacted John Stevenson who developed the original kit for the X3 mill and he gave me the settings.
I would like to thank everybody for their interest in my problems, and particularly Hood for his patience with my failure to understand.
Regards,
Eugene.

[Hood]

Good to hear you are sorted
Hood