Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Jim80831 on November 12, 2008, 11:54:59 AM

Title: Anyone using Mach3 for Water jet cutting.
Post by: Jim80831 on November 12, 2008, 11:54:59 AM
I have explored this forum quite a bit, and I have not found any references to water jet.  Is anyone using Mach3 to do water jet work?
We started cutting our projects using the “Plasma” profile; however I have not been able to find any place to adjust for the width of the water stream.  Changing the code from G40 to G41, or G42 does not seem to help.
I have noticed the “Mach 3 Mill” has a place to change the Offsets that does not appear in the “Plasma” profile.
If I try to use the “Mach 3 Mill” profile, nothing happens (no movement). 
I have been offsetting the lines of the drawings .020 to compensate for the thickness of the cut, but this is not a good way to achieve the compensation.
Any help would be appreciated.
Jim80831
Title: Re: Anyone using Mach3 for Water jet cutting.
Post by: fer_mayrl on November 12, 2008, 04:04:40 PM
Hello Jim,

as far as i am concerned the g40 g41 and g42 are not fully functional, i might be wrong (if i am, someone will correct me) they might work sometimes but you have to define the tool diameter in the tool tables.

I may suggest you use a CAM software to generate your g-codes, any decent cam package will automatically compensate for the diameter or Kerf. I can suggest sheetcam, its a decent package for profile cutting and its only about 150dlls.

In the any decent cam program you can enter de kerf width of yout tool (waterjet in this case) and then post process the geometry and the resulting gcode will be offsetted.

Please tell us more about your machine, there are not many waterjet retrofits out there.
I would love to learn more!

Regards
Fernando
Title: Re: Anyone using Mach3 for Water jet cutting.
Post by: Chip on November 12, 2008, 04:10:43 PM
Hi, Jim

You need to configure the Mach3Mill Profile the same as you did the Plasma Profile, Ports, Pins, Motor Tuning, Ect......

They have separate "XML" Files.

Have a IR Water Jet 5' x 10' running Mach3, Work's Nice, Don't use it much.

Been using LazyCam and offsetting lines as you have.

Chip
Title: Re: Anyone using Mach3 for Water jet cutting.
Post by: poppabear on November 12, 2008, 04:25:49 PM
I may be doing a control for one, in early January next year for a company, we will see then, and I will report back to you what I find on that end. 

scott