Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: jporter on November 14, 2006, 03:05:27 PM
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I am a new user and find the way Mach3 handles the units very confusing. I wish you could switch between metric and imperial without messing with the tuning parameters or better still, when you set a global unit change, the motor tuning parameters would automatically change. The fact is that I don't mess with motor tuning much. Once these are set, they don't change that often.
However, I switch frequently from jobs that are metric based to imperial based jobs and vise versa frequently. When I am in metric, I would like to see everything including the DRO, JOG, home positions, etc. in metric without messing with or restting the motor tuning parameters. The same when I use the inch unit.
What's the best way of doing this with the current version of Mach3?
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You should be able to go to the settings page and place in MM. I'm not sure what all it will change, but I know it will change the DROs.
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Thanks for this. Looks like this might work but I don't know the full implication of this yet. In my case, the individual buttons don't work but the top toggle button switches between metric and inches without affecting the motor tuning selection.
--Jason
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I don't think you will need to change the motor tuning. Try to dry run some code slow and see what it does.
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The metric units seem to work for the Jog and DRO but the tools get all messed up. I guess the tool diameters and offsets are always set in the units set for motor tuning??? If this is the case it is bizarre. Can you please confirm this.
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Just curious here.
Is there a way to tweak two differant XML's and pick which one to use when firing up Mach ?
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I would love to try this but my machine is running as I type. I have read somewhere that Mach should be set up in in. or metric and left alone. If I were going to try it I would copy my XML and rename it something like
"My Mach3 XML" and create a short cut to this one also. I do know that in keygrabber you can set up other profiles. There is probably a way to do it that one of the smart guys will let us know about. If anybody has the balls to try it, let us know how it works out. ;D
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Brett
its easy enough, just start Mach with the Mach3 Icon, choose to make a profile and set it up in metric, call the profile MetricMach3 if you wish ;)
Then next time you start Mach you can choose either the metric or imperial profile.
Hood
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Thanks Hood,
I told everybody that one of the smart guys would have an answer for us. ;D
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So do you not now feel embarrassed that you were wrong?
Hood
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Not in the least. You are sharp as a tack Hood. Again, you are my hero. ;D
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Thanks guys! This was a very helpful suggestion as having separate XML files will be the perfect solution for me. I have a slight initial problem of setting the motor tuning values for the metric system.
Here is my current settings for the Imperial units. I think the steps per (which is currently 32000) should be divided by 25.4. However, I am not sure if should divide velocity (currently 20.25) or acceleration (currently 3.9023438) by 25.4
Thanks,
Jason
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I think you would multiply velocity and acceleration by 25.4. eg 20.25inch/min = 514.35mm/min
You can of course mess around a bit to see what it will run at.
Hood
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Thanks Hood. That did the trick. I was looking for a formula to keep both XML files in synch with the same tuning settings but in different units.
--Jason
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:)
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Sorry to drag this thread on but I have one more related question. How do you set the default feed rate and the default rapid speed? In the DRO, the default feedrate shows as 6 which is OK for imperial but for the metric system, I would like to set this to 150. I can set it in the feedrate button in the feedrate setting but seems to revert back to 6 every time I start the program. Also, where do you set the default speed setting for G0 ?
Thanks
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For G0 that is set by your motor tuning, whatever your velocity is set to is you rapid (G0)
Not sure where to set or even if you can set the default feedrate but why would you need this anyway? if you are comanding a move whether by program or MDI all you need to do is put F200 or whatever after you G1 move.
Hood
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Put F250 or whatever you want in the initialisation string on the config.
That then becomes your default feed.
John S.