Messages

211

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: February 04, 2016, 06:43:58 AM »

Hood - Seems you have the following basic options:

1) MiniTHC driving CSMIO firmware THC functionality.

Arguably the easiest to set up and use because it *should* work out-of-the-box.

2) CSMIO Analog driving plugin THC functionality.

I don't really follow CS Labs description of how this ties together.

3) MiniTHC driving your "smart servo".

From your proposals, This looks like it *should* work. The "thing" about this method of course is that you're effectively converting your MiniTHC into a standalone. Not sure how you'd do anti-dive but (as you've indicated) with properly good accel it's less of an issue anyway.

My money would be 1,3 for a quick win and 3,1 for the fun of it.

212

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Getting up and running in Vista

« on: February 03, 2016, 01:36:10 PM »

The diagnostic screen shows output 1 flashing red in the Output Signals section.

Not sure why you've assumed this is an error. All it's telling you is that the spindle pin is active. i.e. the spindle will be on if it's wired appropriately.

You've already said it's not following the toolpath. But I asked what it IS doing. i.e. it's apparently NOT doing what you want so I was hoping you'd tell me what it IS doing that you DON'T want. Remember I can't see what you can see so unless you describe it in detail I can't really help much.

213

Tangent Corner / Re: Electro-Punch design

« on: February 03, 2016, 12:00:00 PM »

Tried to do a vid, I need luck with that.

Pathetic 

dang video is too large. Will get another.

c'mon Russ - pull finger 

and I want to see it on youtube - not some gigabyte download... let's at least pretend we're pro's here 

Hell even Hood can manage that... 

214

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Getting up and running in Vista

« on: February 03, 2016, 11:37:14 AM »

diagmostics is showing error on output 1.
I can load and run gcode ok now but the cnc is not following the path shown on mach 3 screen?

Not a lot to go on - can you explain a bit more what you mean by error on output1 and what path IS the cnc following?

215

Brains Development / Re: DRO feedrate to control solenoid cycles?

« on: February 03, 2016, 11:24:34 AM »

why not just use the A axis step pulse signal itself? Put that through an appropriate driver (i.e. suitable for your solenoid's voltage and current specs) and use DIR for the driver's enable. An example driver if your solenoid is less than 36V and 1A might be something like a LM18293.

Whatever you end up doing - don't "give" your Arduino 0-10V - it'll push the magic smoke out quick time.

216

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Getting up and running in Vista

« on: February 03, 2016, 11:13:00 AM »

I had to install a parallel port (com 3) the address for this that I was told to use is 0x040 can anyone tell me if this is correct please?

Just to check - are you sure you're getting the address of the correct port from device manager? It's just that you've mentioned com3. COM3 is a SERIAL port not a parallel port.

217

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 29, 2016, 06:41:41 AM »

Hi Hood - looking good. Remember what I said earlier though. It depends entirely on your THC, but I reckon you're going to end up capping that speed big time. Maybe 100 rpm or so depending on what you use for a lead.

I must have missed it somewhere but what's the idea behind having a slide on a slide for Z with an extra motor as opposed to just driving Z?

Ian

218

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 27, 2016, 12:42:08 PM »

HI Ian, there are cutters on the market that use an outside THC controller that drives it OWN Z axis independant of MACH3.

Yep.

They appear to be able to cut curragated sheet at high speed. To do that the Z MUST be very quick and fast obviously faster than teh normal Mach3 can do THC control.

Yep. Though if you look at SOME vids doing corrugated, it looks to me like they've slowed the XY feed down to match the Z rather than the other way around.

SO is the speed limit a function of the stepper motor being directly pulsed without a curve or the speed of the THC to be able to respond.

Both - one is no good without the other.

With a fast Z 2tpi you can drive teh Z faster than the THC can keep up with corrections and get overshooting.

If your Z can move faster than the THC can cope then yes - you get head bounce. That will happen whether you use Mach OR a standalone.



PS - I'd love for someone here to explain to me why they think THC with an accel ramp would be beneficial.

219

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 27, 2016, 10:35:33 AM »

What always interested me was IF direct pulsing of the stepper to gain max accel and minimum time HOW is it they can do it WITH accel curve and go MUCH faster and quicker with an outside controller driving teh Z ? 

IF direct pulsing is the fastest possible way to move the motor HOW can it be done faster

This sounds interesting Terry but I'm not with you. Can you run this one by me again?

220

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 27, 2016, 10:24:35 AM »

What he said. Sorry, was it the slope of 6/1.4 that confused? I should of course have said 1.4/6