Messages

231

General Mach Discussion / OEMLed 111

« on: July 10, 2007, 02:01:39 PM »

Hi everyone,
1- Can anyone tell me if OEMLed 111 is reliable on their systems? It is inconsistent on my desktop. Sometimes it is active on feedhold, and sometimes not whilst in a program block.

2- Another question, sorry about all the questions, but I'm at my wits end with this one. I'm implenting Mach3 in a flatbed plasma application.
The scenario that I am trying to establish is this.
If Mach3 is in M04 toolpath and the "Feedhold" button is activated, it should stop the spindle "torch on/off" button, with other words, an automated function. This is needed to change consumables on the plasma and for other reasons. The torch (tool) is then moved to a position by either selecting the "Goto Zero" button or by manually jogging off the NC path. When finished and Cycle start is depressed it should not activate the plasma torch/spindle until the tool is back at the original toolpath. I have tried implementing this by modifying the m4 and m5 macro's to save the state of the machine when the feedhold was activated. I have even created a file accessed in the macro's as to save the machine state, created a VBScript for the relevant buttons too, but the minute I modify the normal feedhold in any way, Mach 3 does some weird and wonderfull things. This happens even if I just modify the OEMButton to a VBScript calling the standard button DoOEMButton ( 1001 ), and just adding a DoSpinStop().  Not so wonderfull for me, 

3- If the feedhold is implemented while in NC run mode, with other words executing a block (when I have not modified anything)doing this a once or twice and the tool moved to a safe positing the software returns to the correct position after activating "Cycle Start", but after doing this for three or four times, the software seems to forget the toolpath and runs of to a non-relevant position where it will carry on with the rest of the toolpath. Is this a bug?

Any input will be appreciated,

William

232

General Mach Discussion / Re: No reverse run in G41/42

« on: July 05, 2007, 02:11:49 PM »

Thank you for the reply Brian,

I can make provision for the g41/42 codes in the software, i.e. Profile Lab from Cadlink. I am a distributor for them in South Africa. You can choose to have the compensation taken care of in toolpath with no G41/42 code. I have noticed that reverse run is not possible even if you issue a G40 command after you encountered the first G41 or G42 code in the program. I can also implement a step position buffer with my dsPIC controller and overide mach3 and implement a reverse run. Question though, I havent tried it but will Mach3 allow the changes to the xy dro's whilst in a g41/42 block?.  I have gone quite far with my development and I'm tailoring mach3 with my own controller to keep a standard common in the flame cutting and plasma cutting applications. I have built many machines, and I am a Hypertherm OEM bussiness partner in South Africa. Thus I have extensive knowledge on plasma interfacing as well as flame cutting. I have about 25 years experience in this field, and if you need any information when you are doing developments, feel free to contact me. I used Burny and Wescan ltd. controllers in the past, and now the time is drawing near where I'll be drawing the final curtain on them. Burny for instance has a PCbased controller called the Burny phantom at one heck of a price. I can now do everything the burny can except the G41/42 which I will address as I mentioned earlier. They have inherent problems, one being the hardrives don't last long as they are kept spinning for quick access from the kernel, as the system has limited ram, why I don't know, and at the price they're going a few bucks for more ram would increase the life of the hard disk.

I am a systems programmer and done mostly firmware in native code. So the swing to high level programming is a bit painfull, but it is easier than I thought. I'm getting there!

Best regards,
William

233

General Mach Discussion / No reverse run in G41/42

« on: July 03, 2007, 04:04:04 PM »

Actually this question is more for Art I think. Why is no reverse run in G41/42 allowed? In a plasma system or Oxyfuel system, you would use the reverse run after you lost the cut. That means that the operator would use the "Reverse run" button almost always in a kerf compensated path, i.e. between the G41/42 blocks of GCode. I havent tried to enter a kerf off in the MDI page, I will try it. But I'm still curious as to why the ability to run in reverse between G41/42 is not possible. With CNC controllers like the ESAB, Messer Griesheim, Burny, Wescan Lynx etc. it is possible to run reverse in the G41/42 blocks to the point where the cut was lost, and restart the cut.

It is also possible that I am overlooking something, I seem to have a strong tendency to that!

Best regards,
William

234

General Mach Discussion / Re: Declared functions

« on: June 25, 2007, 04:09:45 PM »

Thanks Graham!

William

235

General Mach Discussion / Declared functions

« on: June 25, 2007, 03:58:33 PM »

Is there a list of public declared functions callable from VB script available, or do we have to find it in the .h files?

It would be handy to have a complete list, I need to do some crafty coding.

Regards,
William

236

General Mach Discussion / Re: Job rotation

« on: June 23, 2007, 02:13:48 PM »

Thanks for the reply vmax549, I know about the rotation function where you can enter the degrees to rotate the job, it's in the MDI screen. What I am looking for is an automated function that will adjust the nc path using two reference points along the axis that is "skew". This is a standard function in controllers like BURNY, LYNX from WESCAN etc. I have searched the forum but did not find what I am looking for. It seems that I will have to write some code in a custom screen with a dialogue whether by drop down menu or button click. If I'm on the wrong way, or am overlooking something, please tell me, I don't mind being called stupid. 

To elaborate, when you load a plate on a profile cutting machine, especialy thick heavy plates, you have a hard time to line it up with the rails of the cutting machine. As I said before, with generic cnc controllers you can jog to the bottom corner of the plate, set reference point A, then jog to the top corner and set reference point B. Then the controller will adjust the cutting job to follow the plate as it lies.

I have attached a photo of my machine it its semi complete stage.

Best regards,
William

237

General Mach Discussion / Job rotation

« on: June 22, 2007, 02:56:54 PM »

I have posted on Yahoo at the Mach3 group, but I keep on getting error with my ie explorer, so I'll post my question here too.
Anyone familiar with the Burny and Lynx controllers? With these controllers in a Plasma or oxyfuel cutting application you can set two reference points on a plate to facilitate an "adjust for skew" option. This means that the controller will automatically adjust the CNC path for the plate skewness. Is this possible with Mach3 inside the Mach3 GUI ?

Regards,
William

238

General Mach Discussion / Re: Desktop and XP Pro

« on: August 11, 2006, 06:15:07 PM »

OK everybody, ignore the previous post, it's all sorted!
It was the port driver, the specialdriver.bat sorted the problem out!

Whacko

239

General Mach Discussion / Desktop and XP Pro

« on: August 11, 2006, 04:26:13 PM »

I have Mach3 newly installed on a new desktop P4 running XP Pro. It will be dedicated to only Mach3, there are no other applications installed, and the OS is optimised as per the "Optimisation" file.
When I execute the "driver test" utility, it fails to produce steps on the "Pulse per second" window, CPU speed reads 2655 and the graph window is inactive. The Apic constant reads 50.
The interupt used indicates "00" telling me that this thread is not active or being supressed.
LPT1 used on 0x0378, quite normal parallel port.
Mach3 is co-ordinates is non-operative, it loads and allows configs to be set. Upon loading it says "Driver initialised successfully".
I have the Mach3 on my other machine, also a P4 running Xp, and all is well. Now the OS edition is XP home on the operative machine.
I have transferred the settings as per working machine to the problem machine. No luck, can't jog, can't run gcode.
Is it possible that the OS could be interfering and preventing the application Mach3 controlling the ports?
Anyone have an idea?

Best regards,
Whacko
(All software has valid license files)