Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Oval pockets

« on: February 24, 2009, 09:39:14 AM »

We manufacture foil balloons. The machine I have makes any shape you can think of. When I've thrown ellipses (any shape for that matter) at it the code from Vectrics is always very small and concise. Cut2D will take a PDF as the vector file. Our creative department designs in Adobe Illustrator. I've been up and down the DXF, DWG road too many times (I use Solidworks but can't do all the drawings/shapes they need). The best and NO TROUBLE format I've used is PDF. Cut2D translates these perfect.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Oval pockets

« on: February 23, 2009, 09:11:01 PM »

I'm using Vectrics Cut2D program. With what it sounds like, shoot me a drawing of the sizes you want and I'll shoot you back the G-code. Something like this will take about 10 minutes tops.

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: New error message: "Radius to end of arc"...

« on: February 23, 2009, 03:29:24 PM »

Thanks very mcuh; I'll give that a try.

4

General Mach Discussion / New error message: "Radius to end of arc"...

« on: February 20, 2009, 05:48:55 PM »

Out of nowhere I'm getting this error when generating a path; "Radius to end of arc differs from radius to start line xx". The same files were working yesterday. Any ideas?

Second question; it is possible to seperate M3 and M4 so that they are not mutually exclusive? I'd like to use them as general I/O.

Thanks.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need help with 2.5D operation of Mach3/Galil system

« on: February 19, 2009, 02:53:34 PM »

Thanks for the reply. I understand about two threads; I'm just a little "anxious"...

I haven't tried a new button. Is there a way to do this through a command line or the "teach" mode?

Thanks again.

6

General Mach Discussion / 2.5D frustration

« on: February 19, 2009, 02:12:35 PM »

I have a machine that is an X-Y table. The cutter is a hot air knife. I'm using Mach3 with a Galil DMC-1822 PCI controller card.

Cut2D generates perfect G-code; however I need to be able to use the "2.5D" mode of Mach3 to turn the relay on and off to the air solenoid during moves. To be more specific, I am cutting internal shapes out as well so I can't have the hot air stream dragging across the part during moves.  I can't use "M3"; this turns the relay on at the beginning of the cut and doesn't turn it off until the end. I understand that the Mach3 software will interprete Z moves (Z+ turns on Pin#6/ Z- turns it off or vice-versa); however I can not get this to work. I've tried every configuration I can think of. Part of the frustration is I have a series of test lights on the outputs of the Gailil card. Using their SmarTerm software I can verify every I/O works correctly. When I try to do this with Mach3 nothing.

Can anyone shed any light on this? I am at my wits end...

Thanks.

7

General Mach Discussion / Need help with 2.5D operation of Mach3/Galil system

« on: February 19, 2009, 10:44:12 AM »

Up until now my system has been working very well. I've gone to implement the 2.5D feature and can't get it to work at all. Same old story; I have a hot knife on a valve. The hot knofe runs all the time. The valve switches when it gets into position to make a seal. I thought I could use the 2.5D on pin#6 but for the life of me can't get it to go.

Quick breakdown:
Vetric Cut2D
Mach3
Galil DMC-1822 2 axis controller card.

All homing and drives work perfect. I can home, load G-code and it'll draw out the pattern flawlessly. Now that I've gone to implement the "Z positive/negative" action to control the switch valve I cannot get a signal from the system to do this.

When I run Galil's SmartTerm I can turn the pin#6 output on and off with no problems.

Some other clues (?):

On the DIAG screen OUTPUT ENABLE LEDS are lit for ENABLE 1,2,3 bit not 4,5,6.
All M-codes work (M3,M4,M5,M7,M8,M9). I can enter the code for each on the command line and they work.
I can command an X or Y (G0 X24 Y24) and it works perfectly.

The Galil breakout board looks like this:

PIN#  OUTPUT#
2       6
3       8
4       5
5       2
19     4
20     1
21     3
18     7

The M-Codes are set up for M3-pin1, M4-pin2, M7-pin3 and M8-pin4. I thought there might be a conflict on output 6 being on pin 2 but when changed makes no difference.

I really need to get this so that the leadin generated from Vectric CUT2D doesn't switch the valve but I can't get that far before reliably switching this pin on command.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

P.S. One thisng that would be of good use is a window that allows direct access like though SmartTerm. Right now you have to jump back and forth to see it a particular function is working.

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and Galil running INCREDIBLE... and then

« on: February 18, 2009, 01:14:44 PM »

Very cool... thanks. I haven't done any macros yet, but I'm going to look at them right now.

Thanks very much.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and Galil running INCREDIBLE... and then

« on: February 18, 2009, 09:54:20 AM »

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! THAT SOLVED THE ISSUE!

Soon I hope to post some video of this beast...

Thanks again!

P.S. Ok - hate to be a pain in the ass now. I have a number of output available from the Galil. M3,M4,M5,M7,M8,M9 I can map in my code to do other things than turn om flood for instance. How do I use the outputs directly? Can I say "OUT#6-ON" or such in the code? This would be of huge benefit.


Mike Tripoli

10

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 and Galil running INCREDIBLE... and then

« on: February 17, 2009, 04:13:26 PM »

I've been working on my X-Y system for the last few weeks and everything has been going perfect. Mach3 talks to the Galil (DMC-1822) without any problems - homes, limits everything. THe motion of the whole system is slick as can be; smooth as hell.

So then I get to what I THINK is going to be a cakewalk; setting outputs to drive some solid state relays. I have four relays I have to turn on/off during a cycle. I can't get an single output to work. I've used the Galil software and talk to the SSR's all day long. Can someone please help with this; I don't have much hair and I'm pulling it out faster and faster.

Thanks very much.