Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: HimyKabibble on September 14, 2008, 01:55:00 PM
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What do I have to do to start Mach without loading the driver? I want to use it for testing G-code on my laptop, so I don't want the driver to load (last time I tried with the driver, it locked up the machine....).
Regards,
Ray L.
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Hi Ray,
I thought when installing Mach 3 it gives you the option to not load the driver?
Dave
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Dave,
That was simple enough! Thanks!
Regards,
Ray L.
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Dave, I don't think you will have much luck simulating Gcode. Mine allways ran extreamly slow if I didn't install the drivers.
Brett
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My laptop didn't run code correctly without the driver, but it does with the driver. Running without the driver hasn't worked well since around version 2.4. Before that it always seemed to work fine.
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Mine actually works exactly the same (verywell) with and without the drivers.
Very odd this PC schtuff- :D
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Well, the problem I'm having is when trying to simulate known good code (I've cut real parts with it...), it executes a few lines, then dies with a crytpic error:
"Radius to end of arc differs from radius to startLine 18"
Here's the pertinent part of the G-code:
N0000 (Filename: Jag bracket2 Mill.nc)
N0010 (Post processor: My Mach2 2D.post.txt)
N0020 (Date: 8/24/2008)
N0030 G20 (Units: Inches)
N0040 G40 G90 (Cancel Cutter Diameter Compensation, Absolute Distance Mode)
N0050 F1
N0060 (Part: Jag bracket2)
N0070 M00 (Process: Outside offset Perimeter, Mill/Router, 0.5 in diameter, 0.125 inch Deep)
N0080 M00 (Insert Mill/Router, 0.5 in diameter)
N0090 T0 M06 G43 H0 (Change Tool, Set Tool Length Offset)
N0100 M03 S35 (Spindle CW)
N0110 M00 (Set Z to 1.0000)
N0120 G00
N0130 X-0.0175 Y5.1254
N0140 G01 F1
N0150 M00 (Set Z to -0.0625)
N0160 G03 X0.3483 Y5.3919 I0.0496 J0.3161 F2.25
N0170 G02 X0.5886 Y5.6187 I0.2667 J-0.0419
N0180 G03 X1.6176 Y5.8453 I-0.4349 J4.4249
N0190 G02 X4.7371 Y6.4722 I3.2187 J-7.9414
N0200 X4.7391 Y6.4722 I0.0031 J-0.2700
Regards,
Ray L.
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Is your IJ mode set right?
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Gerry,
Interesting..... I never changed the IJ setting when I installed Mach on my mill,, yet it's always been incremental. On this install, it came up absolute. So, it now runs through the entire program - very quickly. Is the purpose of simulation just to see that Mach doesn't gag on the code? Can I make it run slower so I can see what it's doing?
Regards,
Ray L.
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Also, the simulated run time is WAY too short (indicated 6 minutes, when actual run time is close to an hour), and the timer keeps going after the run has ended.
Regards,
Ray L.
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The simulate is meant just to run through the code quickly and tell you how long it will take to complete, you do not see a representation of what it does on the screen . It is basically a check to make sure it will run and what time it will take.
If you want to see a real time run through just press start like you would normally.
Hood
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Hood,
Well, it sure gives a lousy estimate of the run time, then. It's off by a factor of 10 or more. When I try to run it normally, it just hangs at line 110. No DRO updates, no path updates, nothing.
Regards,
Ray L.
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please attach your code and I will see if it acts the same here
Hood
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Hood,
Code is attached. Note this is setup for 2D milling, manual Z, so there are M00s where each Z move would be.
Regards,
Ray L.
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Runs through fine here, says it will take 38mins 56 seconds.
Hood
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Hood,
Interesting.... This was a fresh install of v3.041 on a new laptop. Is there some configuation I need to do?
Regards,
Ray L.
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you got the xml from your machine in there?
Hood
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Actually had my motors tuning set way down, put it back up and its now saying 37mins simulation, It will however depend what your rapids are set to what time is actually calculated as rapids are taken into account when simulating.
Hood
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Just out of curiousity, what material are you cutting, feeds and spindle seem really slow unless is 316 with HSS cutters.
Hood
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you got the xml from your machine in there?
Hood
Hood,
No, just using whatever was there in the install, which is reasonably close to the real thing in terms of rapid speed.
That part was 304 SS, with HSS tools - my first ever SS project. Came out perfect, and only ruined one tool, when the coolant stopped mid-cut.
Regards,
Ray L.
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Spindle speed seems way low, feeds are probably not bad depending on the flutes.
Best bet is to copy the xml from your machine, that way it will (or should) simulate exactly as the machine does.
Hood
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Hood,
Ah! What it calls spindle speed is not spindle speed, it's VFD frequency. That is also set manually at the moment. I was running around 380RPM with a 1/2" end mill, which is right around 50SFPM. That's reasonable, no?
The simulation is working now, just don't ask me why. I re-started Mach a few times, and it started behaving! Go figure!
Regards,
Ray L.
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Yes that sounds about right :)
Just finished doing an actual run through and the simulated time and the real time differes by 3 secs :)
Hood