Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: hemi43 on September 27, 2010, 03:05:49 PM
-
I need to duplicate a motorcycle chaincase, but having difficuty manually measuring the basic outside shape of the part.
Is there some way to use my mill (which runs on Mach3), to probe the outside contour of the part so that I may then be able to input the results into my Cad program ( I'm using Dolphin Cad).
Thanks for any help, Dan.
-
There is a probing wizard and also a plugin which you could likely use if you make a probe and hook it into Mach. Whether Dolphin can work with the output I have no idea.
Other option may be to just slowly jog around the part and use the Jog to Code plugin.
Hood
-
I'm obviously very new at this Mach program, and don't use it too often. Slowly jogging around the part and using the Jog to Code plugin sounds exactly what I want to do. Where can I get this plugin, and info on how to use it ??
I'll figure most of it out If you'll send me in the right direction.
Thanks
-
Look at the top of the forum and you will see the Downloads tab, you will then see the Plugins link when you move your mouse over it.
Hood
-
Oh its called J Code plugin and when you download you should just need to double click it and it should install to the plugins folder. You will then be able to enable from Config Menu in Mach then Plugins.
I have never used it so not sure what to do but will go look now.
Hood
-
OK, Thanks !! I found it and installed it. I mess around with it and try to figure it out. Thanks again
-
Looks like it may work for you, you can select to record the actual jogs or just record points so you could move around in small increments and press the record point at every location you wanted. Will probably take a while to do if its got a lot of curves in it but if straight sections then shouldnt be too bad.
Hood
-
I downloaded it here at work, and tried to get it to work on a demo version of Mach. It doesn't seem to work, because I now can't even get the MachMill to open up. It has been a while since I've opened this program here at work, and it is on a shared computer, so some files may be corrupt.
I will try and re-instal to see if that helps.
I would rather screw up the program here at work than my legal version at home . :-)
Dan
-
Ok when you double click the m3p you have downloaded it should automatically install to the plugins folder. You then open Mach and go to Config menu then Config Plugins and enable the J Code plugin. You will then need to restart Mach and you should see a tab up at the top right which is for the pluging, you can click and a small window will open. You choose your feeds etc and where to store the code and its name then you can jog away.
Hopefully the reinstall of Mach will get you sorted at work, it may be an old version you had therewhich doesnt support plugins.
Hood
-
Awesome !! OK, I got everything to work, and now have to figure out how to use it ! LOL
-
Basically you just choose what you want to do (jog record or point record) then click back on the screen and do your jogging and clciking when to record if point is chosen. When done click OK and the code should open in Mach.
Hood
-
I definitely want to "point record", but like I said before, my skills are limited when using this program. It would be nice if the author had a small tutorial with the program.
My biggest problem is that I don't know if I'm supposed to use this plugin AFTER or BEFORE marking the points on my part.
If I use it AFTER, (which is the way I think it's supposed to be used), how do I record the points as I touch the stylus to my part?
sorry for such stupid questions !!
-
OK I think I'm getting it now.
I wasn't clicking back on the screen. I was also expecting to record the clicks as I was moving.
I appreciate your help.
Dan
-
To me it looks like you jog to where you want then press record, jog record, jog record and so on then when you have finished you click OK and the code will open. Might have to press Regen and you will see the toolpath.
Hood