Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 10:55:16 PM »

I just ran my test and 3.042 behaves the same at 3.043.000.

I call on the software gods of Mach3, please make FRO adjustments obey acceleration limits. 

Thanks,
Curt

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 10:31:44 PM »

There are fixes in 042 that are not in 043??? That is a bit interesting.

OK, I am downloading Mach3 R3.042.024 and will give it a try. I am getting ready to do a whole lot of cutting and I need good results.

I better setup some of my test programs to check it out.

Is there any rule as to installing software over the top of previous versions?

I usually just make a backup copy of the directory and then let the installer write over the previous version.

Curt

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 03:04:56 PM »

Yes I saw this earlier, but there where bigger problems with the SS so I wasn't focused on this just yet. I believe you have to stick with the latest experimental software for the SS drivers and features to work since they are actively being developed.

The reason I am think about this is because I would like to get/build a pendant. I would like to have a MPG and FRO knobs to make life even better now that I have a CNC mill. I figure if FRO doesn't work reliably through the GUI then it will have similar issues with a pendant.

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 02:22:13 PM »

The latest R3.043.000 and SS release  SmoothStepper_Beta2_v015ogb.m3p

Are you running steppers? This wouldn't happen with Servo drives that have their own closed loop position control.

I never need to go above 100% because I am using a CAM program that takes my spindle HP into account along with the cutter and material. It really pushes the tools pretty hard so I am generally down below 80% most of the time.

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 06:04:17 AM »

That reminds me of something else. When can we get acceleration to be something other than linear?

I read under the Quantum thread about "S" curves and that could really help. Most machines could probably accelerate at a higher rate as long as the acceleration decreases with velocity since the steppers loose torque with speed.

I have to keep my acceleration really low just so I can obtain high velocities for rapid moves because of this.

Maybe someone could take that portion of the code and bring it to Mach3?

16

General Mach Discussion / Feed Rate Override needs to take acceleration into account

« on: March 26, 2009, 05:53:41 AM »

Hi,

I have a real problem but I am not sure it belongs to Mach3 or Warp9. I am running a SmoothStepper on my mill.

When an axis is moving, sliding the FRO up or down causes such an abrupt change in velocity that I will loose steps or sometimes totally loose coupling (is that the right word) with the stepper phases. Adjusting the FRO appears to totally ignore the acceleration parameter and will just jump to the new speed.

It would be really great if I could get this solved. I would like to be able to take the feed rate up and down dynamically as the program is running for safety reasons, like when running close to a clamp or fixture for the first time.

Maybe there is a way I could fix this in a Macro or Brain thing?

I plan on cutting a lot tomorrow so shoot me some ideas please......

17

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: V2.82 ready for test, also for Tormach users

« on: March 22, 2009, 11:53:49 PM »

Here is the code from the surfacing option.

It appears that the file Test.tap is created when I preview the moves under the surface screen. See how it contains the lines with "M6 T18" and "M03 S4000" and "G43 H18". This is what I would expect, it calls out the tool I selected, enables tool offsets, and starts the spindle at the desired RPMs.

Then look at the result in "New Program" and you can see that G43 is cancelled out along with no command to start the spindle, enable coolant or program the spindle speed.

This was output from the 2.82 version I downloaded yesterday.

18

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: V2.82 ready for test, also for Tormach users

« on: March 21, 2009, 06:50:27 PM »

I take back that last post. The Surfacing still doesn't work. The code in the preview window before posting is fairly correct but when the code is posted the code that is prepended and appended is wrong.

The Tool Offset G43 is removed and replaced with G49. The spindle speed is removed along with the coolant macro.

I found the surface macro leaves the code in Test.tap and was able to somewhat combine it manually into the output code to get it to work. It would be great if you could fix this, it seems that the individual processor is outputting code that is almost correct but the main menu kind of screws it up.

19

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: V2.82 ready for test, also for Tormach users

« on: March 21, 2009, 06:38:52 PM »

Just upgraded from 2.79 and appreciate that you fixed the surfacing wizard. Now Tool Lenghts are enabled by default and the spindle speed is set and enabled. You don't know how much panic sets in when the spindle isn't running and your tool is approaching at 100 ipm. The only thing that saved that collision was the accidental fact that you disabled tool lengths and my tool just missed the surface.

20

Modbus / Re: Spindle control via Modbus tied to OEM input switches and screen buttons

« on: May 26, 2008, 09:24:48 PM »

Thanks for the instructions. I was able to get it working through the GUI and M-codes.

A few comments.

The Outputs on the Motor tab only accepts port 1 and 2 pins. Luckily I have two unused pins right now, but I would like to get them back. If I didn't have to enable the step/direction section for the Spindle then I am not forced to throw these pins away.

In a previous thread I thought I was not supposed to be using the "Modbus PlugIn". It was implied that this was for the ModIO boards and it also doesn't show up in the Mach documentation. I enabled this "Modbus Plugin" and then configured using the newer spread sheet looking configuration tool.

Using your tips, I was able to find signals in the Brain editor that indicate Spindle CW and CCW. I use these to set the direction bit. I use the Spindle Enable to control the enable bit and I used the Spindle percent DRO through a formula to set the frequency in the VFD. It was pretty simple once I figured out which Modbus output serial box I needed to check in the termination tool.

I am using a Hitachi SJ200 VFD. These have modbus built-in which is awesome because it reduces the number of boards you need to zero and reduces the cost to use it.