Messages

411

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Homing sequence triggering by limit switch possible?

« on: September 23, 2017, 06:48:24 AM »

I'm an undergraduate EE at a dead broke Louisiana college in an internship at a dead broke research lab; I've got no profit to gain from this other than course credit Smiley

Understand and maybe the folks in here can provide enough assistance to get you  4.0 out of the grade!

RICH

412

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servos progressing well, but question about index

« on: September 22, 2017, 08:04:13 PM »

is that Mach ASSUMES constant spindle speed when threading

Not quite right........

Later,
RICH

413

General Mach Discussion / Re: Servos progressing well, but question about index

« on: September 22, 2017, 05:57:36 PM »

Mach3 threading is based on a spindle index being used since it is required to read the TRUE rpm and also provide triggering to start the threading path. The true rpm is  to 3 to 5 decimal places if memory serves me,but, you do not see that in the RPM dro. You can also use a different pitch for the thread to refine it if you wish ie; say for a 20 tpi 1/20=0.050 on could use say .0499123456 and it will use that pitch.

There is no value in using an index with more than one slot. An encoder is not supported only a single disc slot type is as an index. If you measure your spindle rpm make sure the you are using a tool that gives you good resolution on the measuerment, else, trust me that Mach is more accurate than a crappy tach.
Things are the way they are!

Frankly if your can set your spindle  manualy and it will maintain the rpm for whatever pitch thread and depth of cut your taking then half the battle is won.In Mach you can't have two devices trying to control the feedrate as they would be fighting each other. Additionaly Mach will adjust the next path based on spindle slow ( range in the say 25% and i even tested it out to about 75% for punny lathes )With experience one can find what their lathe will and will not do and apply knowledge to accomplish a threading task.

Now how accurate is the threading? Well that depends on the "complete lathe system" and the criteria base is defined in the Threading on The Lathe manual I wrote. A quick test would be to do  multiple start threads and see how the tigger and start of the thread matches ( when you get to 3 start you will know what i am talking about and for the average guy how many two or three start threads are you going to do?). Lucky most folks will ever accomplish a class 3A thread. If you want more accurate threading them go to formed inserts and don't do single point threading. BTW, I asume you will using accurate thread cages to test the finished thread, high end comparator or micoscope. What more can one say..............

RICH

414

General Mach Discussion / Re: More inputs or can I configure Mach3 to use one MPG for X, Y and Z axis?

« on: September 21, 2017, 08:22:03 PM »

You can configure three MPG's in Config>Ports & Pins >Encoder/MPG's and each would have its owne pin and port assigned to it.

So Alt A is MPG number 1 in configuration, BUT , as you click Alt A you will see via the green LED that
the axis associated with MPG#1 will define what axis it will be used for. So if  X,Y,Z,A,B,C axes are  actualy configured in Mach it will jog that axis.

An example:
I use two MPG's but for the lathe they are assigned to X & Z.
For the mill they are normaly used / assigned X &Y but  if required I can assign one of them to Z if so desired by click AltB button.

RICH

415

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Homing sequence triggering by limit switch possible?

« on: September 21, 2017, 07:56:19 AM »

Hmm.........
Industrial application of Hobby software with free support. 

Why not get Mach4-INDUSTRIAL version?

RICH

416

General Mach Discussion / Re: Moving settings to another computer

« on: September 21, 2017, 07:38:16 AM »

Also, see the File menu in the upper right. There's a selection called "Entib."  What the heck is that???  When I click it, it brings up a Windows Media Player setup page.  

I have never seen the "Entib" listed under File in any of generic lathe screens.
Try this,  View>Load Screens and in the flyout under files of type, select Turn Files (*.lset) and then
select 1024.lset which is the generic lathe screen. The screen will load and see if Entib is still listed.
You may have a plug-in that adds that selection ......just a quess.


Mach3 or Mach4 what to buy...........?
Like Tweakie I will stick with Mach3 until the time comes when there is no choice but to upgrade.
I use custom screen sets, scripting, wizards and have invested a lot of time into Mach3 which is not transferable to Mach4. So nothing much to gained in upgrading for what I do.

Since your starting from scratch I tend to agree with Tweakie on deciding on Mach4.
Haven't followed Mach4 much and don't know exactly how devleoped the Lathe part is these days
and have no desire to invest in another external motion device that will sit with the other two in the drawer.
Hmm.........................maybe becoming "dated". 


RICH

417

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: cad/cam software that link with mach4 on USB to control

« on: September 21, 2017, 06:44:15 AM »

There are wizards that can be used for simple jobs which eliminate the need for CAD / CAM but they
are more task oriented than general application. All software is similar in that a user defines how something should be machined. You will just need to try different ones and decide what satisfies what you are doing and the interface.

RICH

418

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: cad/cam software that link with mach4 on USB to control

« on: September 20, 2017, 04:15:24 PM »

You want to skip the creation of gcode and just have the controller automatically do the machining from the dxf file?

Is that what you truly are meaning?

RICH

419

General Mach Discussion / Re: More inputs or can I configure Mach3 to use one MPG for X, Y and Z axis?

« on: September 20, 2017, 04:08:46 PM »

Is there a way to get Mach3 to change the axis a single MPG will be used for?

Why not just use Tab key and the flyout allows you to assign any MPG to any axis you want to use it for when jogging.
If your into  modifying screens you can add the functionality to any screen you wish there is no need for the flyout.

KISS......


RICH

420

General Mach Discussion / Re: Interference with axis motors

« on: September 20, 2017, 06:03:22 AM »

The problem of EMI can be complex and requires  understanding, definition, and experience.
A lot of folks don't understand elementary electronics let alone able to relate  to something they cannot feel or see. EMI / Noise / RF interference can be a real PITA. Knowing the source and possibly eliminating the culprit is the first or preferred step if possible. We often hear simple solutions and they get echoed over and over again. As Graig and Joe point out, good wiring practice can reduce the possibility of creating a problem. I won't ramble on as the subject is covered by many books BUT will say that sometimes it's just pure  black magic and has no explanation !

BTW, Ever read that FCC lable for something that states the device must accept un-wanted signals? 

Back to the side lines,
RICH