Hello Guest it is March 19, 2024, 05:08:23 AM

Author Topic: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.  (Read 6942 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kf2qd

*
  •  148 148
    • View Profile
Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« on: July 19, 2010, 03:33:13 PM »
While this is frowned on by those in the Seig Support forum -
I am more comfortable working with a machine that is configured for INCH and so I re-configured my KX3 so that it was default INCH. I kept the original XML files so that I can run it in "factory" mode, but I have had no occasion to run it that way since I created my new configuration.

I made a new config that I call KX3 Inch and under Motor Tuning I made the following changes -

Select Native units = Inch

Steps Per = 12,700 ( I played with this and came up with 12776.66 when comparing to an indicator, 12700 should work)
Velocity = 100 (will work with my setup at 120)
Acceleration = 20
Step Pulse = 6

Mr Stephenson gave me a bunch of grief about making this change and how the machine wouldn't work, but all that I did was scale the numbers they were using for steps per MM and changed it to Steps per inch.

Offline RICH

*
  • *
  •  7,427 7,427
    • View Profile
Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2010, 05:23:40 PM »
Steps per unit are calculated, but, you should actually see that the movement agrees with the calculated value over some working distance , and if not, then tweak the step value.

You can use Mach to accomplish this quickly, open the SETTINGS SCREEN>SET STEPS PER UNIT...AXIS CALIBRATION located by the reset button. ( use is covered in the manual)

1/12700= .00008" per step ( if life was perfect )........ .00008 x 76.66= say .006" change .......so run the calibration and forget the
" should work" thinking

I would then also just check the accel and velocity and reduce max velocity to say 50 to 70% of max velocity

You should not need to scale up the Step Pulse as usually the driver manufacturer provides info for it.

RICH

BTW, I don't know who Mr Stephenson is but I am sure he had reasons for saying whatever based on his discussions with you.

Offline kf2qd

*
  •  148 148
    • View Profile
Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2010, 11:08:09 AM »
As with most things in the machine would there is the ideal and then there is what you really end up with.

I started out with 12700 as my step count and was coming up a gnat's eyelash short so I played with the calcualtor and some more movements and came up with 12776 and am able to get parts to the size I expect.

Sorry - it is Adam Stevenson over on the Seig site got rather upset when I suggested that the KX3 could be configured in Native Inch. The way I see Mach3 is that it is able to configure the machine however you want it to be configured and however works out easiest for you. I have worked with a coiuple systems that did enforce a set of units (generally the one's I didn't care for in the application...) and seeing as how we do have a conversion factor from millimeters to inches (and there are many more counts per inch than millimeter) it is a rather painless thing to have 2 configurations - 1 inch and 1 millimeters.

I am comfortable in either units, but seeing as how I have worked most of my life in inches it is just easier for me to visualize what i am doing in inches. Having my machine default to inches is just easier. (and I am probably a bit lazy...) I figure there are a few others out there who don't really want to be bothered in having to deal with those silly little millimeters and would just rather think in inches. Mach doesn't really care and as long as teh numbers are correct the result are correct. I see it more as a customer service thing. It used to be that the customer was always right, and you tried to deliver what teh customer wanted, even if you had other preferences. This customer wanted a machine that was native inch. And you never tell a customer it can't be done just because you see no need for it. He has different needs than you do.

Offline RICH

*
  • *
  •  7,427 7,427
    • View Profile
Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2010, 12:18:51 PM »
Hmm.....
I'll leave to Adam what is his opinion, and, as long as you are a happy camper that is all that matters!  ;)
RICH

Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2010, 09:54:56 AM »
I just got a KX1 and while setting it up, in inches, because thats my native unit, I found I needed 12744 steps per in instead of the calculated 12700. I posted on the smallcncsupport site and got Adams expected posting to use metric.

Just as a test I did a metric setup and made accurate measurements and found the pitch must be 502, not the calculated 500.

The machine has a slight pitch error in the screw, it may well be within tolerance for the screw design.

Bottom line is one should measure his machine accurately and set the steps per to the measurements, not to the calculated value.

Im doing a training video for LIttleMachineShop and I will be covering this is some detail.

Offline RICH

*
  • *
  •  7,427 7,427
    • View Profile
Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2010, 01:26:03 PM »
Ron,
Certainly agree, but ........., we live in a world of plug and play. The trouble is most folks don't  understand how each of the parts that make up a system can affect the steps per settting. I see it as a quality issue of the components and the screw example is a good one. Isolation of a component can be difficult and depending on what your looking for, the measurement can be out of the norm for most users. Generally, calculated and then a single test is about all most will do and should there be deviation then confusion comes into play and understandably so.
RICH