Messages

1801

CS-Lab / Re: CMPIO/IP-S with MACH4 - new plug-in released - Servo Spindle still broken?

« on: August 07, 2015, 07:10:57 AM »

That explains why it was almost 8 months since their last plugin.

They're not the first motion controller vendor to not want to jump on the Mach4 bandwagon yet. Most Mach3 users don't either.

If Brian wants Mach4 to succeed, he either needs to get these people on board 100%, or start writing plugins himself.

1802

FAQs / Re: CNC will not go home

« on: August 05, 2015, 10:01:38 PM »

What does that mean to go that high?

You have a serious noise issue, that you need to fix if you want to use homing reliably.

1803

CS-Lab / Re: CMPIO/IP-S with MACH4 - new plug-in released - Servo Spindle still broken?

« on: August 05, 2015, 07:33:36 PM »

Please keep us posted on your CS Labs experience.
Like you, I feel that it should be the best option for Mach4.

I was under the impression that Artsoft would be certifying Mach4 plugins, so that Mach4 would operate consistently across different hardware platforms, and that you could count on a reliable product regardless of which controller you chose.

Unfortunately, it appears that it's still the crapshoot that it was with Mach3.

1804

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Multiple Spindles on Independent Z

« on: August 05, 2015, 06:57:52 PM »

But that is the only way you could do it.

No, it's not the only way.
There are Lua commands similar to Mach3's SwapAxis() command. What you do is set up the second spindle as another axis, like the C axis.
You use a range of tool #'s for one spindle, and another range for the other spindle
During a toolchange, you decide which spindle you want based on the tool #. If you need to use the C axis spindle, then you "swap" the C axis for the Z axis, making it the current Z axis.
It's easier to use G52 rather than the G54-G59 offsets, as you'll still be able to use those in addition to the G52.
I'm also building a dual spindle router.
But I'm undecided at this point if I'll be using Mach4.

You still would have to manually set tool heights for each tool independently which is why no one does it.

You could easily have the machine auto zero each tool after a tool change, which is what I do in Mach3. Not difficult at all.

1805

FAQs / Re: CNC will not go home

« on: August 05, 2015, 09:31:35 AM »

Are you getting a limit switch error message?
Try setting the debounce to 10,000.

1806

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: August 03, 2015, 07:13:48 AM »

1), If the widescreen versions are too big, then yes, you'll need to use the 2010.set screen.
2) Drag the lower right corner of the window to fit the screen, and you won't see those numbers, which were intended to be hidden. (You can't see them on a 1024x768 monitor)
3) Go to the toolchange tab and enter a value larger than 0 in the Clearance Plane DRO.

1807

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: script locations... tired of looking... gotta ask

« on: August 02, 2015, 01:28:32 PM »

Okay, read in the scripting guidel there is a screen load script, screen unload script, and a PLC script... have seen post where people have mentioned editing them, and have seen some code snippets from these scripts... But I can't find them

I think that these are embedded in the screens?

In Mach4, go to Operator > Edit Screen.

In the Tree manager on the left, click on "wxMach".
In the properties window below it, click the second icon, with the lightning bolt, and you'll see all the scripts there.

1808

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 Aqua

« on: August 01, 2015, 05:32:48 PM »

Can someone post a link to this screenset?
None of the links are working.

2 posts before yours has a direct link that works.

I'll be moving my site sometime in the next 2 months though, as Comcast will no longer be offering web space.

1809

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 and Windows 10

« on: August 01, 2015, 03:27:37 PM »

It seems that I read somewhere that the Pro version of Windows 10 allows you to disable automatic updates.


........................



We peons, on the other hand .......

I'm running 8.1 Pro, so I'll get 10 Pro for free.
If I was building a new machine, I'd spend the extra $30-$40 to get Windows 10 Pro.

1810

General Mach Discussion / Re: Kernel Speed Question

« on: August 01, 2015, 03:25:32 PM »

Steps/unit never changes. When you change the kernel, you need to reset your accel and velocity settings.

As you increase the kernel speed, you're taking time away from the CPU to actually run windows itself. So as it gets faster, you may start to see stability issues in Windows.

Many people have reported smoother running motors at higher kernel speeds, but the author of Mach3 has always recommended using the lowest kernel speed to give you the speed that your motors need.