Messages

6991

General Mach Discussion / Re: How do I get Mach3 to work

« on: May 27, 2017, 02:36:38 AM »

Hi,
what PC have you got to run Mach3? What operating system?

Download

Mach3 CNC Controller
Software Installation and Configuration

read it then read again!

Craig

6992

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: index homing mach 4

« on: May 26, 2017, 11:42:08 PM »

Hi,
I think I can see a way to get that to work. Of course a second MB2 and you'd be quids in with inputs to burn.

When you hit the 'RefAll' button it in fact fires up a script to do the work. What you'll need to do is overwrite that script with your own.
You may be better off leaving 'RefAll' alone and writing some new script or scripts until you've got it to work properly.

In addition to 'RefAll' you have RefX, RefY and RefZ. What I would suggest is that you assign outputs so that your multiplexer directs
the Z index signal to your input then 'RefZ'. Now reassign your outputs for the multiplexer to direct the Y index and the RefY, and so on.

If you open the screen editor in Mach4 and look at the left-up scripts for RefAll, RefX,RefY etc you will soon see that the actual functionality
is buried deeper inside Mach4. You could chase it further in but think there is a better way, from Mach API:
rc = mc.mcAxisHome(
   number mInst,
   number axisId)

This will allow you to home an individual axis which can incorporate index homing if you wish. You program is now:
1) set outputs for Z multiplex
2)mc.mcAxisHome(inst,2);       assuming axis 2 is Z, commonly the case
3) set outputs for Y multiplex
4) mc.mc.AxisHome(inst,1);      assuming axis 1 is Y, commonly the case
5) set outputs for X multiplex
6) mc.mcAxisHome(inst,0);       assuming axis 0 is X, commonly the case

and you could attach this to the RefAll button or make another button or even bundle it into a macro and call it from your Gcode job
as required.

Craig

6993

General Mach Discussion / Re: using mach 3 to operate a CNC with waist ( radial ) X axes and linear Y axes

« on: May 26, 2017, 11:05:20 PM »

Hi,
I'm not familiar with the term 'waist'?. I'm guessing from the way you've written your post that the machine is constructed like
a radial drill press?. Garylucas has already responded that Mach3 doesn't work that way and I believe he is correct.

I think there is a way to get it to work but would require some coding and the resultant Gcode would be all but unreadable to anyone
but yourself.

I presume you have Gcode programs that if you ran them on a standard three axis machine would produce a desired part. In order to
achieve the same part from a machine with a radial axis would require the Gcode be rewritten so that the X co-ords represent the radial
movement rather than linear.

Any student of physics or applied mathematics would recognise this as a co-ordinate translation.
The normal (mathematical) representation is:

X'         [ .... .... ....] X
y'    =   [ ...  .... ....] Y
Z'         [ .... .... ....] Z
where X' Y' Z' represent the controlled point co-ords on you radial machine and X Y Y are the original rectilinear Gcode co-ords
and the matrix [ .... .... ....] etc represent the transformation matrix between rectilinear and axial, axial co-ords is the name ascribed
by mathematicians. I would have to get my textbooks out to fill the matrix in...but its doable.

What you would do is write a program in VB if using Mach3 or LUA if using Mach4 to open your Gcode file and line by line
convert the co-ords in it to new ones and run the new job. It sounds daunting but I suspect is probably not as bad as you
might think. My preference is LUA given that I've already converted to Mach4. With VB, actually Cypress Enable, in Mach3
being a bit spotty is what convinced me to take the plunge to Mach4 and learn a new language, LUA. As it turns out LUA is
vastly more capable than VB will ever be.

The only fly in the ointment would be that G02 and G03 co-ordinated circular interpolations would have to be expanded to a lager
number of linear moves in order that the translation would work. Cant quite decide what would happen to canned cycles either?

Could be a lot of fun if you're into programming.

Craig

6994

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1/2 speed spindle

« on: May 26, 2017, 09:41:08 PM »

Hi,
from one OCD to another....yeah I got you!

My mill is homebuilt. I used cast iron elevator weights to mill the axis beds. 15mm linear rails and cars, C5 20mm ground ballscrews,
5 phase steppers with low backlash planetaries and German made 1hp 24000 rpm spindle all bargain hunted off Ebay.
Machining volume is very small, 190x190x190mm. Amongst the things that I wanted this machine to do is make circuit boards and
it does so really well. In addition I wanted to be able to mill steels and other tuff stuff. The high speed spindle is hopeless at that.
The problem with milling steel or stainless is that you need relatively low surface speed but plenty of torque. I hadn't appreciated how
whimpy the torque is from high speed spindles is.

That's what lead me to making a slow speed spindle necessary to spin 1/2-5/8 inch endmills in steel. Budget precluded me from
buying outright or even having a precision engineering company make it for me.

I've had to learn that despite my wanting a certain thing or level of precision I can't achieve it, be it budget, skill, machining capability
and the list goes on. I've come to realise also that if I insist on a certain standard say then I may in fact prevent myself from doing anything!
This spindle is a case in point. I did buy a genuine RegoFix ER25 cylindrical tool holder and matched NSK angular contact bearings. The
problem was that I wanted it to be perfect, or as near to it as I could get, and yet couldn't afford to have someone else make it and with
the lathe I have access to and my skills suggested that if I did it myself it was going to be less than perfect. I had talked myself to a standstill.

I eventually did break thru that nonsense and did make it myself. Surprise, surprise, its not perfect! On the other hand its not to bad either,
in fact its better than not too bad, I'm rather proud of it! It works a treat, enuf torque to drive just about any tool I can fit in it and certainly
more than my machine is rigid enuf to contain the cutting forces. TIR=0.01mm, not as good as I hoped but not too bad and it certainly works.
All up including the Allen Bradley servo, servo drive, toolholder, bearings and seals plus some extra tooling for the lathe $2000 NZD.

Sometimes you've just got to overcome that OCD thing and get on with it, this example is a good one for me.

Craig

6995

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Caution - Stupid questions within

« on: May 26, 2017, 07:10:32 PM »

Hi,
sounds like you have a raft of problems. I think your best approach is 'disconnect everything' and then start hooking things up one
at a time diagnosing and fixing faults as you go. Your description suggests two or three basic faults and they are interacting in a manner
thats really confusing.

The fact that the axes jog sounds very hopeful. You say that you are using a SmoothStepper board. What model?. What version number
is the software plugin? I assume you have a BoB hooked to the SmoothStepper. What model BoB? Can you post a manual? How is the
SS and BoB powered?

The last question is not trivial. It sounds to me that your BoB is struggling to detect inputs which may explain why it works occasionally
but not others.

I would ensure that the power supply arrangements are per spec and then in the plugin disable all limit and home switches and then enable
and test one at a time. For instance if you disable all home and limits and then enable X home. You should see the Xhome LED on the
machine diagnostics page light up as you manually flick the switch. It tests the switch, the switch circuit, the  BoB input, the SS input and the
comm link back to Mach. If any of those components is faulty Mach will never reliably see the switch and can hardly be blamed for not doing
the right thing.

Repeat this process for each axis. Once you have the home switches working then you either work on homing OR limits. Do one or tother,not
both at once. If your home switches are at the very end of your axes travel the 'Ref All' can be pretty scary in that any fault which causes an
axis to drive in the wrong direction when at its nominal home position will cause it to drive off the end and crash. You need to sit there with
your Estop in hand to prevent it. If you could set, even temporarily, your home switches an inch or two inside the machine boundaries
you will find this process of testing much easier. If you cant do that then consider setting up the limit switches before trying the Homing
settings.

The limit switches should be enabled one at a time and tested. Most users hook all the limit switches up in series so that operating any one
of the switches disables the machine. It is still important to test that each of the 6 switches can do that.

You can now set up the Homing settings. Note that its possible for the limit switches to interfere with the Homing process and you may have to
temporarily disable or ignore limits while homing with the chance of a crash. Its for this reason I prefer to have separate limit and home switches,
it certainly easier to understand!

Craig

6996

General Mach Discussion / Re: Drilling Problem

« on: May 26, 2017, 05:42:24 PM »

Hi,
I'm guessing that the X and Y axes are no longer at exactly the same scale.

Imagine a circle of 100mm radius but where the X component suddenly increased its length by 10%. You would
end up with an oval, 200mm in Y but 220mm in X.

Looking at the circles you've produced can you see an oval shape? If so might direct you to a faulty axis.

While your description doesn't sound like the classic fault....it could be and worth checking.
On the Config/General Config page ensure IJ Mode (approx centre of page) is checked 'incremental'.

Craig

6997

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach3 upgrade to Mach4

« on: May 26, 2017, 04:43:30 PM »

Hi,
to try Mach4 requires neither a controller or LUA coding.

Mach4 has 'Sim' motion controller which simulates movement. LUA coding is only required you need to modify Mach4
and in the vast array of cases you don't need to. The one area where coding is required is M6 toolchange macro. If you
manually change tools you can get away without it.

To try machining something you will require an active motion controller, either a separately purchased board or the
Darwin Parallel Port Plugin for $25. Without a licence ie demo mode, Mach4 runs for about 6 minutes.

I don't believe Artsoft have set the bar too high.

Craig

6998

General Mach Discussion / Re: Our router is losing position, seems to be related to ATC

« on: May 26, 2017, 05:55:08 AM »

Hi,
sounds like electrical noise getting into one or another of the servos.

When the fault occurs does it always occur at the same stage of the tool change cycle?. What I'm thinking is that say when
'procedure 4' happens, which is say 'rotate tool table', where a particular device, maybe a solenoid or motor operates that device
generates some electrical noise which can couple into an adjacent circuit, servo step/direction for instance.

The general rule for dealing with noise is identify the device causing it and suppressing the noise if possible and breaking any path
that would allow electrical noise to propagate to nearby circuits. Keeping noise sensitive circuit seperated from noisy motors is a good idea
but preventing noise from being radiated is still a better proposition than trying to stop that noise from causing problems elsewhere.

Spend a bit of time trying to identify the noisy part. Best not to change too many things, just one at a time and then test. Once you've
established that the change either has no effect on the fault or that it does, then and then only progress to the next item on your
list of suspects.

Craig

6999

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1/2 speed spindle

« on: May 25, 2017, 09:18:09 PM »

Hi,
yes, I understand what you mean. The problem is that you can't change that parameter on the fly,
ie you can't use Mach to change it and then change it back after you're done unless the drive manufacturer
has allowed you to program parameters  while in service.

To be honest if your machine is accurate and rigid enuf to require C axis resolution of 2.6 arc min then you
obviously have LOTs of bucks, why piss about with Mach4? Time to get real about what you want vs what
you can achieve within your budget/expertise.

I have recently made a mill spindle with a 1.8kW servo. I will at some stage require an indexing spindle for
rigid tapping, but not 2.6 arc min!!!  15-20 arc min will be plenty good enuf for me. In the mean time
all I require is speed control, and not much of that...max spindle speed is 3500 rpm. Unless I use a large diameter
facing tool I set it to 3500 rpm and leave it there. Saves a lot of messing around to achieve little except bragging
rights. Man does this spindle make chips...glorious chips!

Craig

7000

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach3 upgrade to Mach4

« on: May 25, 2017, 02:46:38 PM »

Hi,
I did the migration about 6 months ago, surely you heard me, I live in New Zealand but I was swearing REALLY LOUDLY!!!, lol.

Mach4 is pretty much ready to go for milling/routing. If that's what you do then you'll be cutting chips in no time. If you need custom
features to run your programs and Mach3 had a lot of 'fruity bits' built in after so many years development then you'll need to code those.
The real power of Mach4 becomes evident when you go to customise things, what you can achieve is limited by your imagination only.
LUA coding is a large part of that. I thought at first Artsoft had made a mistake in that choice....but now that I've learnt the rudiments of
LUA coding and the power it brings...its brilliant, light years ahead of Cypress Enable.

As Stuart I use an ESS. To make the most of Mach4 an external controller is the way to go. I did buy the Darwin PP licence but never got round
to using it, the Ethernet driven external controller runs so sweetly.

Craig