Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 11:10:14 AM

Title: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 11:10:14 AM
Hello,

I just "wrote" a new engraving program with morning using BobCAM V24 It ran perfectly in the BobCAM simulator. I then opened the G code in Mach 3 on our CNC router's computer. The engraving is straight forward, on a 9" x 9" square. But I cannot see the artwork in the Mach 3's Tool Path window, on the right hand side of the monitor? There is a tiny little green dot that you can not zoom up to, no matter how you try? Any ideas? The machine was working fine last week.

I did try loading another file that has been used before, and it opened in the tool path window, just fine?
Thanks,

Cismontguy
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: ger21 on February 03, 2014, 11:36:37 AM
Check the program limits to see if the engraving is far away from the origin.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 12:02:24 PM
Hello,

I am not sure what you mean, by limits?

The 9"x 9" rectangle is at 0,0 for the lower right hand corner of the X,Y axis in BobCAM.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: Picengraver on February 03, 2014, 12:02:55 PM
Also, do you get an error message in Mach3's status line?  Sounds like maybe a problem with the BobCAM gcode.
John Chaamplain
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: ger21 on February 03, 2014, 12:22:09 PM
Go to the Toolpath page, and see what the X any Min and Max values are in the upper right part of the screen.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 12:46:13 PM
Thanks for the replies!

OK the Program Limits screen shown on the Tool Path page of Mach 3 are : X range +0.00 +15.540 /  Y range +0.00 and +7.360   which are well within the working range of my CNC router area of movement.

I decided to take a chance and just run the program and it ran just fine but for some drawing detail errors that became apparent when the tool cut the sample materal, but still no tool path illustration shown in Mach 3?
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 01:07:56 PM
Just to answer the other question, Mach 3 is not showing any error messages on loading the file and creating the tool path.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: Hood on February 03, 2014, 01:22:56 PM
Do you have a licence?
Hood

Edit, sorry just noticed you said it ran fine so not sure whats going on.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: ger21 on February 03, 2014, 01:31:37 PM
Do you have the toolpath turned off?
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 01:49:51 PM
Hello,

Yes, were have a fully licensed copy of both BobCAM and Mach 3. Yes the Tool Path function is turned on . I can see it on other CNC programs I have loaded this morning to make double sure something in the settings has not been changed between today and last week.

Cismontguy
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: Hood on February 03, 2014, 02:02:57 PM
If you want to attach your code I can see if it looks ok here.
Hood
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 05:07:46 PM
Hello Forum,

I am not sure whether I have solved the problem, but I found there was an error in the drawing and or Gcode that, on simulation run in Mach 3 the program stopped. The line reads "Zero Radius ArcLine 2637". I have no idea what this means, and without being able to see the tool path I did not know where it was on the project, so I just ran a piece of material and it was in the letter "C" in some of the text. I tried redrawing the file's art work several times and this same error came up several times, further down the Gcode. But after I simplified the artwork, I got a ToolPath displayed in Mach 3 and the program ran without a problem.

So I guess, if you do not get a ToolPath image in Mach3 you had better not run the program until you find the error in the code. I hope that is correct.

Cismontguy
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: ger21 on February 03, 2014, 05:11:49 PM
If you don't see the toolpath, the error should be displayed as soon as you load the g-code.
Title: Re: Unable to see tool path after loading new G-code file?
Post by: cismontguy on February 03, 2014, 05:20:19 PM
Hello,

The error was in the Status Line and I did not see it or it did not come up until I ran the Mach3 simulation. I did not know that if the program ran OK in BobCAM's simulation it might not be OK in Mach3. I am just not that familiar with the software yet. Cutting a second sample right now. First one came out OK.

Hope this helps someone else in the future!

Cismontguy