Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: ckambiselis on September 27, 2018, 05:53:50 AM
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Hi,
Is there a setting in Mach4 that could pause the cycle after a certain time from the start of the cycle, I have build a plasma table and in the plasma cutters specs there is a 40% duty cycle per 10min, at around 5-6mins the thermal relay on the transformer trips and the torch turns off, so I would like to pause the cycle at the 5min mark. I know it would be possible to add a pause in the g-code but the feedrates change depending on the thickness of the plates cut so that isn't a viable option. Also the cutter is old enough that there are no output signals to use as a trigger of a pause, but if there is no time option in Mach4 I could wire a signal output using the thermal trip LED the cutter has.
Thanks
Oscar
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Daz just did a video on timer scripts. I haven't tried this, this is just a theory. Have a timer script to call a Feedhold and start another timer; once the second timer reaches it's limit call Cycle Start and restart the first timer.
Just an option, don't know if it would work, but that's where I would start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNPMqjkcJ_8
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Thanks for the help, I was able to do what I needed using his method, the only thing I have trouble with is finding a way to stop the timer when the cycle ends (the g-code ends), I don't expect I can add the command scr.StopTimer() to the footer of the g-code, right?
Thanks
Oscar
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Oscar,
You can make your own m30 that has the scr.StopTimer() in it. All you have to do is make a new macro and name it m30.
This will override the stock m30 that Mach4 uses.
Be aware of the functions that m30 takes care of automatically.
Steve does a great job explaining what needs to be put back into a custom m30 in this thread. His post is the 4th one down.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,33831.0.html
So when you make a custom m30, be sure to add back in the listed functions as well as adding your scr.StopTimer().
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I created a custom m-code and added a call in the g-code but can't seem to get it working to stop the timer, not sure if its not loading because I have written the file wrong or it isn't just possible to load such commands with m-codes. But while testing it with the simulator controller I found out that my whole idea is flawed since Stopping the cycle in the middle of a cut turns the torch off but resuming it doesn't turn it on again. My only hope now is to get Mach4 or CamBam to show cycle time estimation, so I can adjust the amount off cutting on each cycle accordingly.
But thanks for helping out anyway, learned a few things that might be useful in the future!
Oh one more thing, is there a better guide for modifying the Mach4 Screen than the one in the Docs folder, as I understand the GUI is based on wxWidgets?
Oscar
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Oscar,
I'm not sure about the m30 not stopping the timer. I don't see why it wouldn't. Be sure it is saved as a lower case m30.mcs .
Also, you should be able to add the m3 to your resume timer.
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Oscar,
I'm not sure about the m30 not stopping the timer. I don't see why it wouldn't. Be sure it is saved as a lower case m30.mcs .
Also, you should be able to add the m3 to your resume timer.
Yes the file name was correct and the location was in the Macros folder of the profile, I tried it by writing
function m30()
scr.StopTimer(0)
plus the rest of the commands
end
and straight
scr.StopTimer(0)
plus the rest of the commands
I actually tried multiple different ways.
I could add the m3 after resuming but it is not always stopping at a point it was cutting, it might also stop during a rapid, the cuts are usually multiple repetitive parts, so there are usually many rapids.
Oscar