Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: VERY IMPORTANT INFO FOR THOSE USING Z HEIGHT SETTING MACROS

« on: February 10, 2008, 03:36:44 PM »

Phil,

I'm terribly sorry!    Being that I'm running a table router and don't use a tool changer or tool length offsets, I completely ignore the Z offset when changing and zeroing a different tool and setting a new work offset.  X and Y values become the only pertinent values for work offsets for me.

Good tip on the G49.

Scott

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Set Z to zero automatically?Auto tool zero questions

« on: December 03, 2007, 12:45:50 PM »

SF,

Another quick test of the macro would be to ground out your plate and then run the macro.  If the digitize/probe led is triggered (OEM LED 825), the macro should throw up the error message...

"Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again"

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Set Z to zero automatically?Auto tool zero questions

« on: December 02, 2007, 03:33:48 PM »

Ventuseu,

Are you saying that the tool stops before hitting your touch plate and retracts?  If your plate triggers the led when grounded, it should work.  The G31Z-(what ever distance you have here in the macro) is what relates to the "Probe" connection and how far it will travel before stopping.  Is it possible that you need to increase this distance in the macro to make your tool continue moving until it contacts the plate or start the macro closer to the touch plate?

If you start the macro and manually touch the plate to ground, does the macro work properly then?

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Set Z to zero automatically?Auto tool zero questions

« on: November 25, 2007, 10:05:09 PM »

Hey Jim,

Here's Screen4 http://www.machsupport.com/Downloads/Screen4.zip

The "Auto Tool Zero" button is not the same, in fact it doesn't have any script behind/under it at all.

5

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Need help with new macro or wizard

« on: November 04, 2007, 12:44:17 AM »

   It was a learning exercise for me too.  Kind of fun though.  A good break from the day to day stuff.

I need to do it again.  With the control software I'm using now, I've set one up that is just dialog based and I'd like to make a "Virtual Tool" (wizard) that is has a GUI with drop down lists and fill in fields, but I haven't had the time to wade through Visual Basic to make one.

Scott

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Height Touch Probe

« on: June 21, 2007, 06:52:27 PM »

Don't know if this helps, but heres a touch probe macro that finds the difference between lengths during a manual tool change and sets the new tool to the same height as the one that was removed.  It was made for someone else so your mileage may vary.   

Take note that it has some user DRO's that are used.

ChX = GetUserDRO(1200)
ChY = GetUserDRO(1201)
ChZ = GetUserDRO(1202)
Swposx = GetUserDRO(1203)
Swposy = GetUserDRO(1204)
SwError = GetUserDro(1205)
CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818)

If GetOemLed (23) Then DoOemButton (119) 'Turn soft limits off

Code "G20" 'Set to inch units

Code "G53 G00 Z" &ChZ 'Move the tool all the way up
While IsMoving()
Wend
ZOld = Getdro(2)

Code "G53 G00 X" &Swposx & "Y" &Swposy 'Move to the switch position
While IsMoving()
Wend

MsgBox ("Jog Z axis down close to switch then hit Cycle Start to resume")
SystemWaitFor (Start) 'Pause macro to jog the Z axis close to the switch

Code "G31 Z-7 F10" 'Move Z down until switch is triggered
While IsMoving()
Wend
Code "G4 P0.1"
HitOld = GetVar(2002) 'Get the position where the switch was triggered
Code "G53 G00 Z" &ChZ 'Z move all way up
Code "G53 G00 X" &ChX & "Y" &ChY 'Move to change tool position
While IsMoving()
Wend

MsgBox ("Insert the new tool")

Code "G53 G00 X" &Swposx & "Y" &Swposy 'Move to the switch position
While IsMoving()
Wend

MsgBox ("Jog Z axis down close to switch then hit Cycle Start to resume")
SystemWaitFor (Start) 'Pause macro to jog the Z axis close to the switch

Code "G31 Z-7 F10" 'Z move down until switch is triggered
While IsMoving()
Wend
Code "G4 P0.1"
HitNew = GetVar(2002) 'Get the position where the switch was triggered
Code "F" &CurrentFeed

Diff = HitOld - HitNew
DiffABS =Abs(Diff)

If DiffABS=0 Then
Code "G53 G00 Z" &ChZ
Code "G53 X0Y0"
While Ismoving()
Wend
DoOemButton (119) 'Turn soft limits on
Code "(New tool is now ready for use)"
Exit Sub
End If

ZNew=0

If HitOld < HitNew Then ZNew = ZOld - DiffABS :A=1
If HitOld > HitNew Then ZNew = ZOld + DiffABS :A=2

Code "G53 G00 Z" &ChZ
While IsMoving()
Wend
Call setdro(2,ZNew - SwError)
Code "G53 X0Y0"
While Ismoving()
Wend
DoOemButton (119) 'Turn soft limits on
Code "(New tool is now ready for use)"
End   

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pause LED does not work...

« on: May 24, 2007, 10:50:15 AM »

I've run into this before and as far as I can tell, Oem LED 80, 805, or 5 don't work with Pause or Oem button 1001.

Possible bug 

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Corel Draw Trace and Plasma cutting

« on: May 20, 2007, 01:38:59 AM »

You may be able to change the outline (after tracing) to "Hairline", although the best way to get what you want is to trace it manually with the "Bezier" tool.  Drop just enough nodes to make the shape, then use the "Shape" tool to tweak the shape.  Change nodes to a cusp, smooth, or symmetrical and drag the handles to fit the shape.  Make the line thickness larger while working on it and when finished, change it to hairline.

I've never had much luck with any tracing program giving me what I really wanted without a bunch of clean up and reshaping anyway.

Once you get the hang of tracing with the bezier tool, it will take less time and you'll have what you want. 

9

JetCam screen designer / Re: List of Jetcam requests :)

« on: May 17, 2007, 10:29:28 AM »

Sounds good to me too!   

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 launching media player as z axis movement

« on: May 07, 2007, 12:08:19 AM »

I haven't had it launch anything while using it, but ever since I started using it, when I close Mach3, a random program or file that is on my desktop will get zapped and either be opened or launched.