Messages

461

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Offset Macro...

« on: August 14, 2016, 05:54:00 PM »

Hi Dave
You may have mentioned it somewhere, but I haven't found it.
What version of Mach3 are you using, and are you using an ESS? If so, what firmware version for the ESS?

The reason I ask is that I KNOW, from personal experience, that some versions did not handle probing properly. Strange values got returned in the 200n variables at times, and other oddities. A few 'bumps' were experienced.

However, having updated to .062 and ESS u4f1a (weird, but I think that's right) I can now do probing with sub-micron resolution for thousands of cycles on end. I am even game to walk away while it is running!

Cheers
Roger

462

General Mach Discussion / Re: Improved g83 macro totally rewritten

« on: August 14, 2016, 05:55:20 AM »

OK, attached is the totally rewritten version of M1083.m1s.
Also attached is an explanation of what it is all about.
I would love to hear from anyone who has tried it, successfully or otherwise, and especially if you have found any bugs.

Cheers
Roger

463

General Mach Discussion / Re: Improved g83 macro with bug fixes (I hope)

« on: August 13, 2016, 01:03:04 AM »

Sorry all - there are still some funnies in the M1083 macro.
It works for the normal basics, but you can have some accidents if you go outside the 'normal'. I am currently trying to rewrite it from scratch to handle all the bugs. I would like to add an extra feature to it while staying within the obvious requirements and expectations.

Cheers
Roger

464

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle calibration, how I manage to get it working

« on: August 10, 2016, 05:59:36 PM »

I suspect (but do not know) that the problem is deep inside Mach3. I suspect that the spindle is set running before the system checks for pulley upper speed limit, so the PWM ratio generated the first time is wrong. Just one of those quirks in mach3 that we all love ...
With that in mind, my solution is to issue the following commands:

S1000
m3
s1000

This seems to work fine. In fact, the actual value for the first spin command does not really matter: it could be s200 for that matter. The second spin command does work.

Cheers
Roger

465

General Mach Discussion / Improved g83 macro with bug fixes (I hope)

« on: August 10, 2016, 07:07:46 AM »

The really slow speed of the G83 instruction in Mach3 Lathe bugged me so much I had to try to fix it.
See attached for my new version - you will have to rename it to M1083.m1s of course. I would welcome test results.
(It works fine for me, but I recommend some air cutting first.)

There was a line of code missing in the version in the .062 kit, to do the rapid feed down to near the last drill depth. Without this instruction the Z axis crawled along at G1 speed the whole way, each time. I have fixed this.
I have also tidied up the code a bit. There is still one wierdo in there which I do not understand, but it does nothing.

Now, this is for the lathe, so it ASSUMES that X=0 and ignores any X value you might provide. I suggest you move to X=0 BEFORE you use this macro. If you really want, a move to X=0 could be inserted in the macro, but I strongly prefer that such moves be explicit, so I know when they are going to happen.

Cheers
Roger

466

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Offset Macro...

« on: July 30, 2016, 06:13:23 AM »

A bit of 3mm (1/8") PVC welding rod makes a good dummy for this sort of thing. Just thread one end. They are surprisingly good in fact.
Cheers
Roger

467

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Offset Macro...

« on: July 29, 2016, 04:23:51 AM »

Hi Dave

Ah, OK, for a mill.
I use metal holding jigs a lot, and they are all made (machined up) with reference edges. I use the reference edges for alignment when reloading the jigs.

Frankly, I find sensitive commercial touch probes to be a bit of a pain, so I use the el-cheapo method of a ground 6.00 m carbide rod and a ground bit of shim between the rod and the reference edge. I find I can zero an axis to about 5 micrometres this way fairly quickly. That's for the X & Y axes.
For the Z axis, I often do just the same: use a shim between the cutter and a ref surface on the job. Again, 5 micrometres is normal.

One day I may set up a static ZTO at the sde of the mill table. But to use one I first need to use a mounted Z-probe to determine the difference in height between the top of the ZTO and the top ref surface on the job. I am working on that. Again, I find commercial 3D touch probes too expensive for this, too fragile, or too sloppy, so i will have to do something else, with a 1D probe.

Cheers
Roger

468

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Offset Macro...

« on: July 29, 2016, 03:14:58 AM »

Seems to me that you can do all this with the Tool Table Editor TTE (for lathe work).
Note that I am using gang tooling, where all the required tools are mounted at the start.
I set up the reference tool (T0), then dial in the other tools one by one, and enter their offsets via the TTE. No macros needed at all. Very simple. (Save Settings!)
If I remove the gang block and replace it later, without touch any of the other tools of course, I just realign the T0. The previously saved Tool Table is reloaded at startup and everything is there again . It is worth noting that if I am using two different gang blocks, I can swap between tool tables by renaming the files. Works very well for me.

Cheers
Roger

469

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 Z Axis Travel Not Complete for Next Instruction.

« on: July 18, 2016, 05:42:24 AM »

Mach3 drives the electronic driver which controls the motor.
If Mach3 thinks the motor can accelerate faster than the driver is set up to handle, then Mach3 might assume the Z axis has got up to speed before it has. But this is not your problem: your problem is at the deceleration end. Even so, if Mach3 is expecting more performance out of the driver than it can give, you may still experience problems.
I dunno, but it would be worth your while to check the acceleration settings in Mach3 and in the driver.

Cheers
Roger

470

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Backlash not applied during manual JOG?

« on: July 12, 2016, 05:55:45 PM »

Mach4 is about the same as M3 now just some bits missing
I'll wait. M3 does what I need at present. But I will watch.

Cheers
Roger