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Messages - Bob La Londe

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1
General Mach Discussion / Re: Old Stuff: Mach 3 Tool Number DRO
« on: November 22, 2019, 07:41:20 PM »
I found somebody's tool change macro that has what I need in it. 

Quote
'Tool Change Macro For Manual tool change 09/14 CNC4XR7
'###############################################################
DoSpinStop()                     ' Make sure the spindle is OFF
Code"M09"                        ' Make sure the coolant is OFF
OldTool = GetOEMDRO (1224)  'Tool In spindle DRO You must add this to your settings screen
'x = GetToolChangeStart( 0 ) ' Get x tool change start position
'y = GetToolChangeStart( 1 ) ' Get y tool change start position
'z = GetToolChangeStart( 2 ) ' Get z tool change start position
tool = GetSelectedTool() ' tool to be changed to
NewTool = tool
If NewTool = OldTool Then 
        Exit Sub   
End If
Code "G53 G0 Z-1.0" ' Move z to tool change position in Machine cord.
While IsMoving ' wait for z to move
Wend
Call SetUserDRO (1224,NewTool)
SetCurrentTool( NewTool )  ' input new tool into tool in spindle dro
Code "G43 H" & tool        ' Call tool offsets for new tool
' Verify Tool Change Complete message box
Dim Msg, Style, Title, Help, Ctxt, Response,MyString
Msg = "Please Insert Tool  : " & "   (   "  & GetSelectedTool( ) & "   )   " & " " &  GetToolDesc(NewTool)
'Msg = "Please Insert Tool  Number " & " ( "  & GetSelectedTool() & " ) " & "    " & GetToolDesc(Tool) ' Define message
Style = vbYesNo + vbCritical + vbDefaultButton2   ' Define buttons
Style = 0 + 48 + 0   ' Define buttons.
Title = "Tool Change Requested"   ' Define title
Help = "DEMO.HLP"   ' Define Help file
Ctxt = 1000   ' Define topic       
 'context.       
 ' Display message.
Response = MsgBox(Msg, Style, Title, Help, Ctxt)
 If Response = vbOk Then   ' User chose Ok   
MyString = "Ok"   ' Perform some action
End If
'Show user the current tool description
Message "Tool  #   " & GetCurrentTool() & " :  " & GetToolDesc(GetCurrentTool) & "  Installed  " & "   Returning to Tool Change Start Position"
Code "G00 Z.25"
'Code "G00 X" & x  & "Y" & y & "Z" & z 'Move back to where the tool change was prompted
While IsMoving
Wend
End                         

His video is here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26_N4uwRWmQ

He has a link in the description to a drop box with a screen set and the macro at dropbox.  I edited the my screenset instead. 

2
General Mach Discussion / Old Stuff: Mach 3 Tool Number DRO
« on: November 22, 2019, 07:14:55 PM »
I recently set up one of my machines tool tables with tool lengths. 

When I execute a tool change it updates the tool length offset and Z DRO, but the tool number DRO still reads zero. 

My typical tool change command is T(x) M6 G43 H(x) where (x) is the tool number.

I can manually enter a tool number into the DRO and it applies the tool offset from the tool table if it is not already applied from a command like the one above.   

I run into this same issue on both the machine where I have implemented the tool table, and on the test installation on my design computer.  I spent over an hour looking for a solution by searching the forum, but was unable to find anything. 

Is there some setting in Mach configuration I am missing or do I need to add something to my tool change macros or both? 



3
I just allowed my house machine (not a CNC machine controller) to update Windows 10 to version 1803, and in fact Mach 3 no longer opens.  I did the basic compatibility testing and was unbale to get more than the basic Mach 3 splash screen, and then nothing.  Even XP compatibility mode did the same.  Nothing.

CamBam 1.0 still works long with all the plugins, so it may not be strictly a DLL file issue as all the plugins in CamBam are DLL files. 

4
Is it possible that you can "unblock" the DLL files one by one?   

5
There are some decent low current trigger relays around where the trigger is very low current, but the coil is powered by a direct connection to a power supply.  Unfortunately those I am aware of are 12V not 5V. 

6
Rich,  I thought there was a way to make an axis spin continuously.  I seem to recall that in the past, or does it only work with the spindle?  

7
Xyil provides an external controller with their X5 combo  machine and is currently listed on their site
as  a "HiCon 4 axis control board". They also provide other "optional" controllers.

Is that what you have?
I need the board number / information about whatever  controller board you are using.

Take a picture of your spindle and post it.
Take some pictures of the drives and boards inside the control box. Mack sure one can read any  labels of the drives and boards.

Till then,
RICH
 



Rich I highly doubt it has an external motion controller.  The standard seems to still be parallel with other stuff as options.  Jeff at Syil America adds an ESS now as a standard, and COA adds one on request.  If he swapped computers he would have needed to setup any external motion controller and should "know" what it is if there is one.  Yes, they do "offer" other controls.  They even offer a Seimens control, but I don't think any of us looking at Syil are doing so for anything other than the economy. 

I only need the 4th axis to rotate roughly 120rpm. The spindle should be a servo because it can operate at over 4000 rpm.

I highly doubt its a servo.  I have two X5 Combos.  Mine are Speedmasters, but they both use VFDs, and I am sure the standard X4 and X5 also use VFDs.  (I also have an X4).  Its pretty easy to check though.  Just open the cabinet on the back and look.  My X5s have Delta VFDs.

We have a Syil X5combo with the 4th axis add-on. We purchased one of these little guys as a test bed to see if couldn't handle our environment . It sat in one of our facilities in Farmington MI for almost a year and was never used. We had it delivered up to our facility in Northern MI and it sat here for another 6 months before I got sick of looking at it not running. I took it upon myself to utilize this machine. When I initially hooked it up the PC was bad. kept freezing up the machine. I replaced that and it seems to be working. Then the thing wasn't moving correctly in odd spots of programs. Come to find out the tuning was wrong on it. I since tuned it and it seems to be holding its coordinates. I'm not sure on the stepper or the servo motor. Cant seem to find it in the manual.

I strongly suggest you go thru the machine.  The ones I have are not as good as they claim.  I had a spacer missing on the Y axis ballscrew on one and the oil passage that feeds the Z axis ball screw was not drilled thru in the head.  I bypassed it with an oil line to make sure it got oil.  (The line was dry before.)  I suspect some used components were used on my other X5.  There was excessive backlash in the Z axis ball screw, and with less than 50 hours on the machine the gas spring that supports the Z failed.  My X4 had an out of square saddle and there was no oil line at all to the X axis ball nut.  Syil air freighted a replacement saddle from China to replace the bad saddle. 

Sorry, I do not have 4th axis setups on any of my X(x) machines, so I can't help there.  Mine all have Ethernet Smoothsteppers, but they were added by the reseller.

The standard on these machines is stepper drive on all axis, but they do offer some servo based versions.  They cost more and are a more expensive option.  I do not believe either Syil America or Charter Oak Automation stocks them that way.  There is a third Syil Importer now, but he is recent and he doesn't sell raw machines.  He juices them up and goes thru them selling them under his own name. 

Quote from: Rich
So that tells me the machine right from the start is not quite accurate to do what you want it to do.

No, it probably is not.  In fact I don't think any of mine is as accurate as they claim.  I use them for making molds, but none of my main stream of mold work is critical dimension work anyway.  I mean who cares if a rubber worm comes out 5 ten thousandths off.  My 1981 Hurco is as accurate (or better) than my Syils.  That being said, like with all but the crappiest mill drills I can use good machining techniques to creep up on critical dimensions. 



8
Flanders,  I am not Rich, but my example was a snippet of simple hand written code that you could use to achieve your goal of doing something like grinding a cylinder.  

I'm no Mach 4 guru, but ultimately its always about getting the job done.  If you don't know your basic G-code (sounds like you did once) then learn it.  

G00 Rapid machine move at max machine speed.  
G01 Controlled speed move set by last F word or F word in line.  
G92 Set offset of one or more axis.  

In Mach 3 there is a button you can click on that brings up the G-codes with a fair description of each one.  I use it all the time.  There is another for the M-codes.  

I didn't try to attack the problem the way your were.  I just tried to offer a quick and dirty way to get the job done.  




9
Flanders, I have used a 4th axis in a sort of continuous mode by using commands like

G01 A1000000 X6 F(x)
(Then rather than rewind the axis I reset it to zero or any other useful degree)
G92 A0
(Then do one more rotation of A to complete the machining operation)
G01 A360 F(x)
(and then retract to clearance height or other housekeeping)
G00 Z1


10
General Mach Discussion / Re: Jog Mod Change from Increment Change
« on: September 25, 2016, 07:34:04 PM »
I figured it out.  Another problem with the machine setup XML file.  On the general config screen where it allows you to set the jog increments there are two lists. In the top position of the second list the value 999 was entered where one would expect a 1.  Apparently that excess step increment puts the machine in continuous mode.  What got me is the second machine is setup the same way.  Since I haven't actually run jobs on the second machine while I am going thru it I had not noticed the problem was duplicated. 

Sigh!  Teach me not to trust somebody else's setup file. 

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