Messages

521

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3, LazyCam, Corel X5. Help please?

« on: November 09, 2015, 10:36:02 AM »

Normally you setup a post processor file, and within that it would define the units scale the drawing object is defined in so when you load the gcode file the machine will automatically rescale it..
... That's the way sheetcam works ... As I sometimes draw in metric and sometimes in imperial (think of it as coordination tolerance... Depends what I want to coordinate with)

Lazycam... Not sure... But here may be a way you insert a standard header so you can define the gcode units there.

If not... Edit the gcode in a text editor (I use notepad ++ as it does other things... Tabs... Plus able to do code with highlighted text...) And just insert your scale at the start.

There may also be a setting in lazycam for your units.... Where you tell it you want to draw in metric or imperial (sorry I don't know lazycam at all... Tried failed)

Rob

522

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3, LazyCam, Corel X5. Help please?

« on: November 09, 2015, 08:05:22 AM »

Do you not just prefix your gcode with G20 is the code / drawing is in inches and g21 if it's in mm and the machine will work it out for you

Rob

523

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3, LazyCam, Corel X5. Help please?

« on: November 08, 2015, 09:46:35 AM »

What about:
Onshape?
https://www.onshape.com/

Dassault draftsight?  https://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/free-download/

Sheetcam? ... If you are not doing 3d machining.
http://www.sheetcam.com/

Rob

524

General Mach Discussion / Re: yesterday Y axis home works, today....

« on: November 08, 2015, 06:02:57 AM »

Can I make a suggestion on your production XML file...

Your Axis are running as follows:
X-Axis = 12700 steps / inch, with a maximum velocity of 59.064" / min, so that is ~12.5kHz,   [59.064 / 60 x 12700]
Y-Axis = 12700 steps / inch, with a maximum velocity of 59.064" / min, so that is ~12.5kHz,   [59.064 / 60 x 12700]
Z-Axis = 12700 steps / inch, with a maximum velocity of 38.378" / min, so that is ~8.1kHz,   [38.378 / 60 x 12700]

Now when you look at the ESS Config, you have
X Axis = 32kHz (ok, that's the minimum setting)
Y Axis = 32kHz (ok, that's the minimum setting)
Z Axis = 4MHz .... suggest this is changed to 32kHz
In fact I'd suggest changing them all to 32kHz (even the axis not used, just in case the ESS sets up a loop at those frequencies regardless of if the axis is enabled or not, as it will do no harm).

There is now a good explanation here on the Warp9 website (suggest reading the rest of the whole page too as it's more informative than the manual ever was):
http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/faq/f-a-q-mach3#MachThreeStepFreq

Your controller frequency is set to 250hz... you may wish to improve that to 1khz (unless your PC is not up to it), again there is an explanation on the Warp9 website here (actually above the post I listed above... hence suggest you read the whole page
http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/faq/f-a-q-mach3#MachThreeControllerFreq


You also have debounce set on the Mach3 Config page.... but if you want debounce with the ESS... you need to set it within the ESS config ... explanation here:
http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/faq/f-a-q-mach3#Debounce


And finally you have the lookahead set at 20 lines on the mach3 general config page (but as I noted above you have the ESS controller frequency set at 250hz (~4 second buffer) ... so it's looking for a buffer, but mach3 is only looking at 20 lines for the motion planner ... suggest increasing this to 200 lines... bit of a guide here too for you to read (some of the other settings may be worthwhile to know about even if you don't use them:
http://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mach3_CVSettings_v2.pdf


Hope it helps

Rob

525

General Mach Discussion / Re: yesterday Y axis home works, today....

« on: November 08, 2015, 05:45:22 AM »

Update:  opened the machine up, re-seated the internal ribbon cable, now the switch works again.

So as I suspected, bad connection at the pin itself.

Time for a new cable.

Oxidisation ?

Can also occur on the switch contacts given there is no high current flow when the switches make and break they are reliant upon the mechanical abrasion of the two sliding contacts to clear any oxidisation.

Rob

526

General Mach Discussion / Re: yesterday Y axis home works, today....

« on: November 07, 2015, 11:13:09 AM »

Like I said I've read of it but never experienced it.

Can you swap the wiring at the ESS for the switch if so and the problem goes away it may be the physical pin or profile, if not its cabeling or faulty switch (oxidisation of contacts)

Yes profile is just a text file

Hopefully you've got a few options to troubleshoot

Rob

527

General Mach Discussion / Re: yesterday Y axis home works, today....

« on: November 06, 2015, 11:41:12 PM »

suggest you check the ports and pins settings for inputs that they are still set.

then have a look on the diagnostics page and see if they are tripping

(presume you have physically tested the switch with a meter...?)

... I've heard of this but never experienced it... you may have a bad / corrupt profile.... suggestion on that one would be to add / install a new profile (don't over-write / delete your existing one though!   >>> Go to start >> Programmes >>> Mach3 >>> Mach3 Loader and create a new profile.... then install the smooth stepper driver off their website (given it was working before and not now its not an issue with the plugin more likely) http://warp9td.com/index.php/sw#PluginEssMachThree ... but download and install the latest version... then setup just your input pins ..... I'd suggest closing down that profile, opening your existing one an copying the pin mapping .... then open up the new one and copy across the mapping (just for the inputs as all you want to do is toggle them).

Once you've done that (note you will need to restart M3 so that the ESS can reload the settings to the FPGA) ... toggle your switches and see if they work.... if they do... then its probably a profile thing (and you need to recreate all of your settings pins ports and motor tuning etc just by copying them across) .... if not .... a hardware thing.... switch wiring .... breakout board (optoisolator if your bob has them) ... of the ESS ...

Method of elimination ... may want to flip your wiring between the troubled axis and another pin on the ESS (physically) and see if that clears your fault.


Rob

528

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Need help designing plasma table

« on: November 05, 2015, 04:48:24 PM »

The specs for the G540 kind of are dictating your limiting power supply voltage for you as they are rated at 50v DC....

The current rating of your steppers is 3.5A, and its unlikley that they will draw 3.5A x 4 = 14A x 50V = 700 W

So you're looking for a lower supply rated at less than 700W and less than 50V DC allowing a margin for the back EMF from the drives.

http://www.cnccookbook.com/MTLatheCNCDrivers.htm
Probably looking at a 44V 600W one of these http://www.antekinc.com/600w/
http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-137

My personal advice would be to not use a switched mode power supply but look for a toroidial transformer type power supply or build your own (in which case you will be looking for a transformer rated at less than 700W and 35V AC.   The reason being is they tend to deal with the back emf better and absorb the current flow they are also quieter when you're running your steppers.
There is a bit of info here for you to read up on.



If you're looking for ideas for the rest of the plasma, have a look at this link, it may give you an idea about doing an easy to expand system.
http://www.instructables.com/id/CNC-Plasma-Table/

Unfortunately everyone tends to buy the steppers, drives and BOB before they build their machine... and really they should consider doing it the other way around...

Hope some of this helps.

Rob

529

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Lathe Threading with SS

« on: November 05, 2015, 08:22:26 AM »

The thread(s) I was referring to are on the warp9 website forum (the makers of the smooth stepper).
http://www.warp9td.com/

Another alternative open to you (given the expense you are going to) is http://www.cs-lab.eu/en/

They do a controller... And then a separate threading module

I am no expert and cannot vouch for them as I use an Ethernet smooth stepper.

Hope it helps in your search

Rob

530

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Need help designing plasma table

« on: November 05, 2015, 02:29:31 AM »

If you are buying the smooth stepper... Buy the Ethernet version as it does backlash compensation and torch height. Control and can use m10/ m11 codes to quickly toggle one output on and off.

I'll be back later to unload a load more info... Need to go pay the bills with the day job

Rob