Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Peterb33 on March 21, 2011, 04:23:59 AM
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Hi,
Just have got a Sieg KX3 mill and it is starting to work fine but one or two issues I cannot solve---real newbie not sure what I am doing wrong
When I zero the axis (X, Y, or Z or the zero all screen button)the axis zeros fine but that axis then starts to move, I can zero using keyboard and enter ok or enter zero but press "zero all" on screen and z moves upwards. Really odd.
how can I zero without the movement starting?
Also can anyone advise on best file to save work in on Vcarv to suit Mach and then be able to re-open in Vcarv?
Thanks Peter
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Dont think there is a zero all button or at least I can remember seeing one. There is a Go to Zero which will move the axis to the work offset zero position. There is a Ref All button that will home the machine, so if you have home switches enabled the axis will move to home position. If its not one of these can you post a screenshot showing the button or maybe even just describe its location.
Hood
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Peter,
I don't think there is a common format for directly transferring files back and forth between Mach and VCarve. The nearest would probably be .dxf but this would involve using LazyCam for the toolpath and because the features of VCarve are so superior to LC this would really be a waste of time.
The best bet is to stick to the native VCarve format of .crv for your work and using the VCarve post processor save your Mach toolpaths as .txt
Tweakie.
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Thanks for the replies.
The zero all is on the initial screen and also the offsets screen and we are just using the standard Mach3.
Ok for the advice on what file to use between Vcarv and Mach. That was our conclusion but being new I thought we may have missed something somewhere.
Peter
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Hi Peter,
I don't know which version of Mach you are using but as Hood has said there is no "Zero All" on my Mach screens either. ???
There is a "Ref All Home" button but that performs a different function to zero all.
However the "Ref All Home" button contents can be changed by using the 'Operator'/'Edit Button Script' tabs then selecting the flashing 'Ref All Home' button. Delete whatever is in the box and enter DoOEMButton(1007) and then save it. Now this button will just zero the X,Y,Z and A etc DRO’s without homing or performing any other functions.
Tweakie.
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Hi Tweakie,
It is version R3.041 we are using and the zero button all is just to the left of the xyz zero's.
As this came with a Sieg machine I wonder if it has been modified?
Peter
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Hi Peter,
That would explain it.
Tweakie.
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Can you please attach your screenset. Either that or go to Operator menu and choose Edit Button Scripts. The see if the button you are talking about is flashing, if it is click on it then copy whats in it and then paste it to the forum, I am guessing although it says Zero All it is actually the Ref All button, ie for homing your machine.
Hood
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Hi,
Think you are on the right lines as the button flashes when I follow your instructions. Sorry I dont know how to paste the info to to the forum after copying, same with screenset.
This is what is in the file.
Do Button (7)
Do Button (24)
Do Button (23)
Do Button (22)
Do Button (25)
Sleep (500)
Do Button (7)
Is that what you expected?
Peter
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Not quite as the DoButton(7) is not normally there. What that VB is saying is
Zero all Axis DRO's
Home Z
Home Y
Home X
wait for 0.5 seconds
Zero all axis DRO
Do you have Home switches?
Hood
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No just limit switches.
Peter
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Then youre axis should not be moving, can you check to make sure, I think your limits must be also enabled as home switches. That is the normal thing to do and is the way most people have things set up.
If you dont want to home the machine then you can disable the Home entries but that will also mean you will either have to manually position the axois before pressing that button or if not doing so then you wont be able to take advantage of softlimits.
Hood
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Hi,
Followed the suggestion by Tweakie and now all zero button works ok. Big improvement!
I think there must still be a gremlin somewhere as I can highlight and zero an individual axis ok using the keyboard but when I use the onscreen button to zero that axis it does not zero but runs away until stopped by the limit switch??
Also my machine is rated at 5000rpm spindle speed but I will not go beyond 3500rpm, Checked it with a rev counter and spindle now set to 108 in tuning to make onscreen display agree with rev counter. Does Mach limit the speed somewhere?
Peter
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think there must still be a gremlin somewhere as I can highlight and zero an individual axis ok using the keyboard but when I use the onscreen button to zero that axis it does not zero but runs away until stopped by the limit switch??
This could be attributed to your modified screenset. If the individual axis zero buttons can be accessed by the 'edit button script' (as you did for the zero all button) then their contents can be changed easily - if this is not he case then the only way to change the contents would be to use one of the screen editors. This is not difficult to do, bit of learning required but may solve this problem.
Tweakie.
nb. My post #2 is totally irrelevant to this thread, just how it got here is anybody's guess.
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I have a zero all button. There is a system function you can select from the drop down on the button dialog called "Zero All Axes". It's not a VB script button.
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We have got the KX3 mill we are using working well now doing a useful job of making some spacers, very pleasing!
We still cannot zero on an individual axis button, (ok by highlighting, entering zero and return or by zero all button)press individual button and the machine moves to that limit. Edit button script only seems to apply to the zero button. Anyone any idea what to do next?
Also anyone else using a KX3 and which suffered from being limited to 3500rpm in spte of being rated at 5000rpm in the spec?
Peter
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It would seen to be your screenset that is the problem, try the standard one and see if that cures your problem.
Hood
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Ok I will try that, do I have to download a different screen or can I just toggle somewhere?
Peter
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The standard screenset comes with the normal download of Mach, it is called 1024.set and should be in the main Mach3 folder. You can load it by going to the View menu in Mach and choose Load Screens then choosing the correct screen.
If you dont have that screenset because you have a custom install from an OEM then let me know and I will attach the standard screenset.
Hood
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I have accessed as you suggested but cannot see anything like that so would apprerciate a download to try.
Peter
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Place the attached file in your main Mach3 folder then load it. I have changed the name to Peterb1024.set so that it wont interfere with anything, just load it from the view menu as mentioned above.
Hood
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Did that changed screens and it now zeros on the axis button without moving. We still have the zero all button but this started moving the axis again so altered as suggested by tweakie and now works great--everything zeros and nothing moves.
Not sure what the dedicated Sieg screen was really for, text size in g code display now smaller font but even that is better as you can see more of the code.
Final thing is the spindle speed, we can only get 3500 no matter what we do so suspect it needs something toggling. We are running the 5000rpm program and it is a 5000rpm machine.
Thanks for your pateince in getting us this far.
Peter
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Ok thats good, will see if I look at your xml and see if I can figure out a problem with the spindle.
Hood
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Sorry was thinking you had uploaded your xml. Can you please do that and I will see if there is anything I can see regards spindle probs.
Hood
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Ok, I hope this is the right one?
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Go to config menu the Spindle Pulleys and put the max as 5000.
Hood
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Or change to Pulley 1 on Settings page as you are set for Pulley 4 and its max is set to 3500.
Hood
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Briil, thats it, changed to pulley 1 then spindle steps to 188 and speed now measured with tacho at 5000rpm. The SRO is showing 250% at 5000rpm and 100% is 2000rpm so not sure what that means? Is that another tweak somewhere?
Peter
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Not sure how these kind of spindle drives work in Mach, I only have servo spindles but I would have thought SRO should be 100% unless you override. Will see if I can find something in the xml but maybe its just the way it is with that type of spindle control.
Hood
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What kind of motor is the spindle? Do you have a link to any documentation on it?
Hood
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Just set the speed to 2500 and that shows a reading of 200% at the full 5000rpm so I think I will just leave like that as it is easy to relate to that when I use it.
Just finished a batch of 28 spacers so pleased with the progress so far in a week---many thanks for your help---sure I will need more soon!
Peter
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Peter, what kind of motor is the spindle motor? Do you have any links to documentation of the machine?
Hood
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The motor is just described as 5000rpm 1000w Closed Loop Brushless DC Spindle Motor on the Arc Euro site, cannot find anything more technical except that is seems to be an uprated version of the 3500 rpm motor used on a Sieg lathe.
Peter
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Sounds like its a servo, if thats the case then it would have a servo drive and your xml seems to suggest it is set up as a Step/Dir spindle as an axis would be.
If thats the case then finding out what count encoder it has would allow you to set it up correctly.
If its not a servo then it may be set correctly as it is.
I think John S has dealings with Arc Euro, I will see if he can shed any light on things.
Hood
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Talked to John S and he said it is a servo but it has a rather crude encoder, 3 optos on a slotted disc. Not sure of the slots but he thought about 100.
Wondering if you set the steps per as 100 and the Velocity to 5000 whether that would help. suppose its worth a try as long as you have the E-Stop handy ;)
Hood
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Thanks for making the enquiry with John S. I tried the settings suggested and it produced a max measured spindle speed of 1750 rpm. Set it back to 188 and 7500 and it goes to 5000rpm again which is fine, think I can live with the slight discrepancy.
Just read your post about centering and I like the approach. Hope I can ask another question. What is the difference between the goto and goto zero buttons? and if I set the soft limits presume any setting needs to be within the limit switch setting?
Peter
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I think it may be ToGo and GotToZero you are meaning. ToGo will tell you the distance each line of code has to go as it is moving. GoToZero will make the machine move to the offset zero position. If you have a safe Z set it will move the Z to your set position first, then move X and Y to zero then finally move Z down to Zero. I prefer my safe Z set in Machine coords as I always know where it will go to. If you have it set as incremental then it will just move by that value from where it is. If you have it set to work coords then it will move to that value in work coords.
Soft Limits are set to be Zero for X and Y min and Z Max and then the distance of your travel for X and Y Max and Z Min. However your Z min will be a negative value.
Hood