Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Buggalugs on May 19, 2012, 02:09:31 PM
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What am I doing wrong? If I create a drawing, say a rectangle 100mm x 200mm for instance in Autocad, and import it into Mach3 through the File | import DXF | Generate G Code then Done, it works fine other than when I come to execute the G Code, the machine draws a tiny version of the job about the size of a postage stamp.
To my simplistic thinking it is needing to scale things up to a 'Real World' size.....
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First thing is you must be using an ancient version of Mach if you have that Import DXF option as now you would use LazyCAM instead.
Sounds like you may have the units set wrong, possibly in CAD or possibly on the machine, ie one is metric the other imperial.
Hood
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Mmmm... Need to check that out. Not sure about the version though, it came with my Chinese Wonder (a wonder it's working from the cr@p chinglish manual that it came with) I'm allready having a run-in with the EBay seller expecting me to use pirate copy software, and run a patch on it, so it comes as no suprise that the version I'm using is antique - it's probably been hacked. It says it is a Demo version, but it runs the machine okay with a 1,000 code line limit. (another bone of contention!")
As soon as I am settled up with this little yellow guy, I'll purchase a licenced version - I'm allready in the dog house for spending money, the other half has found the receipt for my machine (800 quid :o )
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99.99999% of the versions of Mach that come with Chinese machines are pirated licenses so you are not alone, also they are old versions for this very reason.
I would update if I were you as there have been lots of bug fixes, you can just run it in demo mode.
Demo mode will allow you to do most things but there is a 500 line limit, Run From Here doesnt work, Threading in Turn doesnt work and a few other things that I cant remember but it is still very usable for most people.
Pirate licence versions are known to do funny things.
Hood
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Hi again and thank you for your reply. I don't know what makes the little yellow bugga's think they can get away with trying to sell kit with hookie software. Bad enough giving me a copy of ArtCam Pro7 and documenting in the User Manual how to apply a Patch on the Sentinel Lock.... :o but giving/selling me a hacked demo version of Mach3 takes the biscuit!
Anyway, I have now downloaded and installed the latest version of Mach3 - Looks different and the Mill seems to be more responsive. Still have my scaling problems but I'm sure it will be much easier to follow with this newer supa-dupa version. 8)
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Still having a hell of a time setting this contraption up. The 'Chinglish' Manual gives me a boatload of settings on the Steps per Scale but it is all in Chinese. Surely I cannot be be the only 'Plonker' in the World who has one of these machines..... :'(
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If you attach your xml I will have a look, also a link to the manual for your machine would help.
Hood
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Thanks once again for your reply... XML ? Xmas Mailing List?, really !
I'm going to have to have another study of the Mach3 User Guide, but I'll get back to you on that one.
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The xml is the config file, it will have the name of the profile you are using and the file extension is .xml
If you open Mach as normal and look lower right you will see the profile name. Look in the main Mach3 folder on your drive for a file with that name and the .xml extension, right click on it and then copy and then past to your desktop (or any other location you like) then right click the copied xml and rename to Buggalugs.xml. You can then use the additional options button on the reply page to browse to the renamed xml and attach.
Hood
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Wow.. Mr Hood, that was one of those things which was easier done than said ... for a change!
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LOL yes I really need to copy that spiel so I can paste instead of typing it out all the time :D
Ok your xml looks to be reasonable for steps per unit and it is set to metric native units. Velocity and Accel look low but leave them at that for now as it will complicate matters.
If you go to MDI page and zero the X DRO then command a G0X10 from MDI does it move 10mm?
Hood
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No, it does about 80 Miles per hour (Fast!) and traverse's about 70mm I am adjusting the Steps per Unit in the Motor Settings to try and achieve the 10mm - I hope this is the right way to go about it. I have a clock gauge etc handy to fine tune it, but at the moment I'm miles off! :-\
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Eureka .... Success !
For those who are looking for the same information the Steps per Unit is as follows:
X Axis = 320
Y Axis = 320
Z Axis = 640
This coresponds to the jumbled up data in a hieroglyphics symbol table in my 'Chinglish' Manual.
I know in real terms, I got a bit of a bargain with this machine as in essence it is very well made. If I were to put a price of 3k GBP on it, it would be still worth it. But as I have said previously, the Manual is Cr@p and the software is all Pirate. Goes without saying, Pay Peanuts, you get Monkeys!
Now, time to get my clock gauge out and fine tune everything.
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Thats great you have got it working :)
I like to calculate the steps per unit myself but there is a button on the Settings page, its called Set Steps Per Unit, if you press that it will ask you which axis and how far then it will move it then you tell it how far it actually moved. Problem is it will only ever be as accurate as you can measure and that is why I prefer to calculate as that will be as accurate as your hardware and I suppose your maths skills (math for USA guys ;D )
To calculate you need to know the degree per step of the stepper, usually 1.8 degree so that is 200 steps per rev. You need to know the microstepping of the drive, any gearing between drive and motor and lastly the pitch of the screws.
As an example we will say its a 1.8 degree stepper, the drive is set to 10uSteps, no gearing and 5mm pitch screw, so it is as follows
200 x 10 / 5 = 400.
Hood
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Looking at your numbers it would seem you have on X and Y 1.8 degree steppers, 5mm pitch screws , drives set to 8 microsteps and no gearing, the Z seems to either be a 0.9 degree stepper or 2:1 gearing or 2.5mm pitch screw or microstepping set to 16.
Hood
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Finally had to commit 115 quid for a licence. It's now firing on all cylinders now. Maths used to be one of subjects when I was teaching, afraid like all skills it is use it or loose it. I have been busy with the Clock gauge and I have found that this machine is quite accurate to about 1/10 mm so I did not adjust the Steps per Unit any further. I'm very pleased with it. :)
I'm still dithering around with a pen and a couple of elastic bands, don't have the confidence to tool up the spindle. I have created a basic drawing in Autocad, banged it into LazyCam and then into Mach3 and, IT WORKED !!!! I got sick of running the Roadrunner image, so I found some code on the forum which makes a Deer's Head...
Very impressed.
I will stick my new Xmas Mailing List on the end for you to pick over if you don't mind.
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The xml looks fine, the only thing I see is you have the spindle enabled in the motor section of Ports and Pins but you dont have the relays set up, so either you have manual spindle control or if you wish it to work via Mach you need to set the relays up.
Are there limits on the machine as you dont have any set up, would recommend that you fit some if there are none.
Hood
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The spindle motor is a huge 20,000 RPM Motor on a flexi. It is mains driven and I have plugged it in to test it - it works. I think it is speed controlled by PWM. There are no limits on it and I'm looking forward to fitting some.
Since my last post, I have set up the 4th Axis (A Axis) Steps per Unit. I take it that you would define the Units as degrees being 360 in 1 Revolution ?? :-\
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Yes, 4th axis a unit is 1 degree or normally anyway ;)
Hood