Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: bocada on December 20, 2006, 04:22:02 PM
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Hello all!
A few months ago I bought a taig mill with a 4th axis. 4-axis milling was a little scary to me so I have spent the past few months mastering two-sided parts. I am now ready to use rotational milling. The issue I am having is that it is VERY slow to cut this way. I am cutting resin rod and its cutting through 1 degree every 10-11 seconds. I am using deskproto to generate my tool paths and all my speed settings there are the same as when I was using normal 3-axis milling.
I read here that I should set my a-axis rotation to the diameter of the part or .0001. Neither of those sped things up at all. I have tried a value in inches and mm just to make sure I wasn't crazy.
When I set my mill and mach3 up I used the settings file and imported everything into mach3 and didn't touch any settings after.
Anyone have any ideas? Are there some other settings I need to poke?
Let me also say that I am an artist. I'm not a dumb artist, but I am an artist. Most of the things I read on these forums seem to be way, WAY over my head so please excuse any vagueness or density on my part.
Thanks much!
JQ
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Hi JQ,
What are your 4th axis settings in motor tuning? I haven't got to mess with this yet, but hope to one day. Can you post your xml. file for us to look at?
Brett
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Here's what it says in motor tuning:
Step: 80
Velocity: 1999.8
G's: 0.518
Step/pulse: 11
Dir/pulse: 0
I have these because I wrote them down. I can get the xml file in a bit.
Does any of that help?
Thanks!
JQ
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Step is 80 per degree? I will look at the xml once it is posted.
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Um. Under step it says 80. That's all I know!
Attempting to attach the xml file.
Thanks!
JQ
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JQ,
I forgot to ask, what version of Mach are you using? Mach 3 version 2.0.0?? Also, can you post the Gcode file that is running slow for you.
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2.0.008
Here's a test file.
Thanks!
JQ
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Hi JQ,
First, I'm running version 2.0.028. This is what I found. Your xml did not have the use diameter for feed rate checked. I ran your test file with this unchecked. The 4th axis was reading 17.1375 at 2:19 minutes into the cycle. With it checked, the 4th axis was reading 19.2750 0:04 into the cycle ;D . Try to change this setting, close Mach. Open Mach back up and see if the change stayed and try to run your file again.
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Half your problem is your program, you have a thousand lines where one would do.
Your program moves .0001 in Z for a rotation of 1.1 on the A axis, you would never see the Z move.
If you are doing 1 rev of the A axis set the Z depth and leave it there until the A is finished,
G00 G90 X0 Y0 Z1.
G01 Z-.6 F5.
A1. F15.
A2.
A3.
A4.
A5.
......Etc
G00 Z1.
M30
Or
G00 G90 X0 Y0 Z1.
G01 Z-.6 F5.
A360. F15.
G00 Z1.
M30
Or are you trying to do something completely different ?
Graham.
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Thank you both! I will go try the check box.
Graham:
I don't know anything about g-code. I import a dxf into deskproto and it generates a toolpath. I wouldn't have any idea how to fix any of that! Thanks!
JQ
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Genius! The checkbox worked!
Too many checkboxes...arg!
Thanks very, VERY much!
JQ
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If Graham doesn't know when it comes to Gcode it is because it hasn't been invented yet. ;D
He helps gcode impaired folks on here a lot.
Brett
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You're welcome. I love it when a plan comes together. ;D
Brett
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I have the same problem and the same setup except I need 320 as 1 degree factor. The check box only converts almost one step per second into a revolution per hour. Which is MUCH faster then a step per second, but still completely unacceptable. When I jog with G0 commands the A-Axis is very responsive with my 320 steps and 600Inch per second motor tuning. But the moment I use G1 the speed is gone and all goes downhill. The funny thing is that after I execute a single G1 A********* command subsequent G0 A********* commands are not fast any more. As if there is a flag which is set and not reset... or something.
Any ideas how that can be sped up? My new machine is all set up for action... only the @$%@$#@ A-Axis is ruining the fun.
Lemo
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Hey Lemo,
Can you post your xml file here for us to see?
Brett
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I tried another PC and oh wonder.... All problems vanished. All of a sudden the angular stepper behaves using the .0001 technique.
Only two minor issues remain. One is that the port finder utility does not work. The port however, is functioning just fine.
And I frequently (every 10-20 minutes) the system tends to run into a watchdog error. I disabled the watchdog and cannot see a problem visually.
When it hits the watchdog, the system freezes for a second, then continues as if there was nothing. For now I'm happy that all works. But I must say that Mach3 is working COMPLETELY different on three differen PC's. All P4's with 2GHz and better.
Thanks for all the comments!
Lemo
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I have Deskproto for generate the G-code for Microproto Dsls 3000. The 4 axis is slow, help me, please,, and always ''the predssed e-stop''
PLease help me...
thanks
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this method does works,,the speed is up,,, but when I'm working stops trigriss at 5 %,, please help
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Are you getting an error message ?
If it is a watchdog error then in general config you can turn the watchdog off.
Graham
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yes,, limits switch triggered, and wathdog is on.
e-Stop 5 % , 25%
I used diameter for feedrate , 0.001 when the machine begins soon then for or but it follows and the low Z more must of it lower during the work and it damages soon it.
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OK,
turn the watchdog off in config and change the limit switch debounce to a much bigger number e.g. 2000
Try this and let us know how you get on.
Graham