Messages

5341

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Using Biodiesel as a machining fliud - Video

« on: August 17, 2011, 10:41:59 AM »

DiD you happen to notice that vapor SMOKE coming OFF the cut?? Want to bet that it is VERY close to the ignition point? 

(;-) TP

5342

General Mach Discussion / Re: Height Control for Router Table

« on: August 17, 2011, 10:15:30 AM »

Just a noted point(;-) if You are in a commercial cutting business to use theTHC and plasma it is imperitive that it control the z down to a few thou  for control of the cuting process. The plasma arc is very sensitve to changes in the arc length. Loose control of that process and you will not be competitive in cut quality. Today everyone thinks plasma should be as precise as a milled profile. SO yes there is a Need for fast thc responce. Cutting coragated sheets it is a must or you end up  dragging the head or a very sloppy cut. DOing it on thin sheets requires you to CUT fast and close. Try it with diamond plate. It probably is the worst at crashing torch heads. Remember cut quality come with very close arc length so Fast cutting at .050" height can be very tricky.

Now to balance out that in some cutting you could turn the thc off and never know it wasn't working.

If you are talking hobby plasma or plasma art? After you have cut with a high speed thc you will not want to go back.The quality of cut is very noticable and the level of cleanup is greatly reduced. It lowers the cost of the end product.

With a slow thc you can actually WATCH the torch lagging behind the process or minor almost not noticable pogo effect. That will leave a minor scalloping to the cut.

SO I guess it all depends on what you require out of the process. (;-)

(;-) TP

5343

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 motion options (;-)

« on: August 16, 2011, 07:22:19 PM »

I thought it may be helpful to start a KNOWN list of motion options that can/have been used with Mach3. Might be nice to start a sticky list of all the options.

Mach3  - LPT - Mach3

Smooth stepper (SS) Usb - Plugin

NCPOD -usb - plugin

G-rex - USB - plugin

Mesa - usb- Smurf plugin

Mesa - LPT - Art plugin

Galil -  - SMurf & Ken? plugin

Kflop- USB - Kflop PLugin

DSPMC- Ethernet- Plugin DspMC

Deva - PCI

Jamen - USB

Ajax - Pci- Fiber Optic  - Ajax plugin

Cenipede PCI

Any others that you know of, (;-) TP

5344

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Foam 2D with X Y Z A hot wire

« on: August 16, 2011, 06:43:53 PM »

It does not matter what the board thinks they are. You make the axis assignments and slaving in MAch3 config pins/ports and slave axis settings

(;-) TP

5345

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Foam 2D with X Y Z A hot wire

« on: August 16, 2011, 06:23:17 PM »

Might want to reconsider your axis assignments it would make it easier to deal with.  X/a Y/b

(;-) tp

5346

General Mach Discussion / Re: Ignore Z

« on: August 16, 2011, 05:57:36 PM »

The CB option is DoOemButton(252) same as the setting screen button

Hope that helps, (;-) TP

5347

General Mach Discussion / Re: Ignore Z

« on: August 16, 2011, 05:21:48 PM »

Setting Page top right inhibit axis

OR I f you don't want to loose position of Z. Then set Z scale to .00001.  It will move but not so that you would notice it.

If that doesn't work for you there may be more options with CB.

(;-) TP

5348

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Using Biodiesel as a machining fliud - Video

« on: August 16, 2011, 01:18:03 PM »

Please be very careful with any flammable coolant.

 The GOOD water soluables have been around a LONG time without causing corrosion to machines . MIght want to try another brand.

Just a thought(;-) TP

5349

General Mach Discussion / Re: Macros And Buttons - Strangeness Abounds....

« on: August 16, 2011, 11:42:32 AM »

Sorry Comment deleted by me.

(;-) TP

5350

General Mach Discussion / Re: X and Y distances not tracking the DRO setting

« on: August 16, 2011, 10:57:57 AM »

(;-) YOU do not just  keep recalibrating..  I personelly do not USE the calibration routine I do the math on the drive assembly to calculate what it the setting should be.

Calibrate it at the long distance as Rich suggested. Then TEST the distances with SLOW G1 moves NOT the calibration routine.  IF you find actual error with the "suggested " setting do the math and calculate the % of error then apply that to your Steps /per unit  setting. THEN retest again check the error, if all is well then you are set to go.

NOW IF you retest again at a smaller distance and find large error then you have a feed mechanism problem(non Linear) OR a lost/gained steps problem.

Hope that helps, (;-) TP