Messages

1

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: December 23, 2014, 01:44:19 AM »

Ger,

Good news, reinstall and everything is working fine. From the looks of it there was file corruption and a few other issues. A few other programs started running better after the libraries where reinstalled and with Mach3 reinstalled and set up currently no issues. Glad to be able to report back a positive.

Michael

2

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: December 13, 2014, 05:36:41 PM »

Sorry Ger,

What I meant by more than one line is enter a line press enter and as it is going to that command enter a new line and press enter. It was locking up the moment you pressed enter on the second line of input and the DRO though it was still moving but the motor would stall. That was corrected by taking it off continuous and putting it in step on the jog tab. Checked all lines with multi-meter and they all show okay, nice clean tone on all of them.

Will let you know what comes out of the reinstall and hopefully it was just one of the libraries or files that got corrupted and needs repaired/replaced. If my explanation above is not clear please let me know.

Michael

3

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: December 13, 2014, 09:22:43 AM »

have run into an issue. The MDI was only allowing one line of code at a time. I was able to fix that by changing jog to step instead of constant. The issue is now it will not allow movement with the keys.

Another issue is that the touch probe for the movable plate is not triggering. In low it goes on and stay on and in hight it will not trigger now (was working). This is not my machine and aiding another person. Going to do a full re-install to remove the option of corrupted file issues. The system was running without issue until lately so going to try first port of call and re-install. Will let you know how that comes out and what the result was.

Michael

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 03, 2014, 02:29:56 PM »

Smurph and anyone interested,

When I closed Mach4 I made sure to end the MachGUI process in Task manager. Than I was able to re-open without issue.I than tried to see what was need to get Mach NOT to leave a process open after closing. Easy, disable Mach first and all process shut down when you close it. So that makes for a simple set of instructions for proper shut down that I can put down for future use and for teaching anyone how to properly use Mach4 (I consult small business on CNC equipment and unfortunately 3D printing as well). Nice set up so far. On to finding the next issue or non issue. -Michael

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 03, 2014, 07:40:55 AM »

Open task manager and kill the hung Mach4GUI.exe process.

Yes, did that first thing on the first time it was not responding. Will try again and see if I can get a route trace on it. Thanks for the quick reply. One other area I should state is been using/building computers since before 98SE with industry use starting in '91. This is only to give a bit more back ground. There is still areas of software that i am good at finding issues and following directions but bad on tracking down on my own. -Michael

Edit: I did a file search and cleared all files that I could with Mach4 from the computer including the download. Re-downloaded Mach4 from site and installed in drive D (C still causing issues) and had it load drivers and open without issue this time. Will update once I have shut off computer and rebooted later today or tomorrow. Hopefully the issues will not repeat. - Michael

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 02, 2014, 05:22:01 PM »

Issue install, opened once and than did not open. Will not install in C Drive but will in D.

Computer is running a Phenom 3 (number of cores) 64 bit with Windows 7 Pro 64bit Os and 4GB of RAM with an additional boast of 2GB.

With instructions will gladly do what is need to have a complete clean install to continue testing. The computer that Mach4 will be running on is a Athlon 64 running the same OS and also 4GB RAM.

Opened it up was looking through it in detail and liked what I saw. Closed it to go to bed and look at it today and will not respond. Unistalled from inside the program folder options and re-installed, no joy. Tried again in C drive and got an error for not being able to open/install Mach4GUI.exe. From what I am reading IF Smoothstepper writes a plugin for the ESS this is going to truly make things interesting for control and increase in signal quality (coupled with a PMDX-126 board and digital drives this could get very interesting indeed).

Thanks for the work and will help as able. Michael

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibrating (tuning) twin axis

« on: March 26, 2012, 01:18:47 PM »

Thanks Hood,

Cut acceleration to 175 and velocity down to 4000mm/min and things running a good bit better. testing out y axis now as I got the calibrated Dial gauge on saturday and had calibrated y before with a non calibrated gauge and vernier calipers. Shaping up much better, x is now spot on after 1000 lines of code run and Y was out by .2mm after the same. which for me needs to be fixed. I cut plastics (Acrylic, HDPE, etc.), Hard and soft woods, and will be getting into brass, bronze in the near future (PB102 to PB105 bronze).

looks like I will be takingthe advice of the man who built it for me and setting up a few profiles to deal with different materials.

Again thanks and progress made, hopefully this will still keep nice tight corners with the system set at CV.

Michael

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibrating (tuning) twin axis

« on: March 26, 2012, 05:41:59 AM »

Hood,

by detuning, which would be better to start with 1st, acceleration or velocity? the other part makes sense but I am currently getting jamming when they have matched steps per and the A axis is coming up about 1mm short (don't have 2 dial gauges and stands to get exact measure on it versus the x axis for calibration)when the x axis is showing about .03mm over on the dial. I will start with bringing acceleration down and see how that goes. Also if you want send me a PM and will send you my number as I am in Edinburgh. thanks for the information and will be keep plugging at it.


Michael

9

General Mach Discussion / Calibrating (tuning) twin axis

« on: March 26, 2012, 04:56:30 AM »

Okay,

I have X and A axis together and A IS slaved to X. Problem the steps per millimeter is not the same on both axi' and having issues with getting calibration done so that I can move forward with final set up and cutting. Tools being used are Steel engineers rule, a Vernier Calipers (150 mm) and a calibrated Dial Gauge (certified to .01mm on one rotation or less and 5um on repeatability in that range).

Now what I have been doing is swapping the driver control from X to A and back and that has gotten me closer but still get error after to single axis run out of greater then 10 movements of the x axis plane. When doing air cutting tests will get .2mm error approx' in x+ and the same or slightly less in y- from the point used as 0,0. Velocity is set at 4250m/min and acceleration is set at 225mm/min^2. Movement quadrant is set up as X+,Y+.

Motors are 3Nm Nema23/4 (off size 23's) and being driven by a 60VDC 10.0A ASTEC power source Drivers are set at 3.7A (as the next setting is over the 4.2A that the motors are rated for). Drivers are rated for up to 80VDC and are based off the M752-G type series just a bit bigger and older model. The Screw are ball screws from linearmotionbearings on ebay and are 16mm dia and 5mm pitch. Micro stepping is set at 1600 on all axi'.

Hopefully that is enough information and hopefully someone can help me on this as have clients that are being very patient with me for parts to be made and have convention season upon me very soon.

Michael

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motion Mode??

« on: April 15, 2011, 05:53:40 AM »

Thanks for the information.

Now here is another question. doing fine routing on some projects and dealing with 1.5mm radius curves and circles with a large amount z roughing to get excess stock removed. The gantry router is moving at 750mm/min with a 2mm single flue endmill. Spindle is set to ~1300rpm manually (kress 1050w FME model not yet under machine control). I am wondering if I will loose the .1mm tolerances I am working towards by moving to constant velocity from exact stop.

Input would be very helpful, as a Irealise that my cutting times will drop heavily if I am able to move over to constant velocity cutting.

Michael