Messages

1

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Re: G-code button

« on: January 27, 2012, 10:35:14 AM »

Hello Thanks Overload but that is exactly what I did at first, I created a button and set it up exactly as in the 1024 set with VB script edited in Mach3, and label named G-Codes then saved screen set, opened in Mach3 and got problem with script error, made new dir. If you look at other screen sets they seem to have same problem only the 1024 set file works right, I have restarted Mach3 many times hoping that screenset would find something new but NO! I know I am special, but not that special and not that hard to forget. Your answer is logical, but does not work for me.    

2

Screen designer tips and tutorials / G-code button

« on: January 26, 2012, 01:49:05 PM »

Hello I have modified Benny's screen to be specific to my mill and uses. I have two problems and maybe the answer to this question will help me with the second. The problem is I like the Gcode chart that comes with Mach3 as it describes a Gcode in some detail and  I will be able to add my own notes to it at a later date. I have tried to link the Gcode button to the VB script in Mach3 to call up this file, but I only get a Script compiler error, I am not very knowledgeable about VB (CB) script but can read and understand the commands, I have copied and renamed the macro, tried putting it into another directory which I don't think would work because the call of the macro is probably in the main program. I have played with some macros and can't seem to get them to work or call up. Can some one lead me in the right direction or help with this probelm?

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gcode more than 100,000 lines

« on: January 26, 2012, 01:30:36 PM »

Hello Glad you got it, I had a similar problem  a year ago when I started using PhotoVcarve and Wrapper. Because the time needed for some Lithos was so great I started sharpening my cutters in different configurations and playing with feed rates to cut the time down while maintaining a good cut. As I started getting into 75K and 80K programs my machine would stop around the 60K mark (but only once in awhile like a week apart), the error message was limit switch pressed ( something like that ) or Estop pressed, I know it is some kind of noise problem but after a wire re-sheilded and 1 month of other stuff chasing the noise I have set my debounce in Mach3 to 2 and have cut 30 Litho's with no problem. The problem only occurred when using PhotoVcarve with all the little short moves. Nice program, someday will solve this issue. probably by accident

4

Mach Screens / Encoder zeros

« on: June 01, 2010, 11:13:40 AM »

I have set up a basic screen for some experimenting,  I am using standard X,Y,Z Dros  for the stepper motors and have added encoders to the axis,s for a comparison read out, I am using OEM DRO codes of 170,171,172 and have added buttons to zero encoders and asigned Button codes 133,134,135, when I press one of these buttons to zero a encoder it will not totally zero the encoder, I also added DRO to show differences between stepper DRO and encoder DRO using DRO codes 127,128,129 these seem to be working, does anyone have a clue to what I am missing? also in Dro code 173 would allow me to add a 4 encoder DRO but in button codes there is only button codes for XYZ ( three axis ) how would I zero the 4th encoder?.  John

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Encoder motor control

« on: May 09, 2010, 10:19:21 PM »

Hello Thank you your reply, it  will go into my notes, to check out later have a section for thios,  I have not done anything with Mach3 brains or VB editing but need to learn as I want to get this machine talking to me also. I have given up on getting this machine to do Litho's as  it is.  I am about 90% done with my new Z axis for this project, I like the idea of comparing readings and stopping when need to, I strongly agree that for this type of project it would be a pain and not save much time, my new Z should be the cure for now. I do see a use for writing a brain as you describe so that my future limit pushing can be monitored by the machine thus freeing me up which was one of my goals of refitting my mill to a CnC machine. I can see that by doing a brain as you suggest I could do a lot of things when certain conditions are met and I like the flexability of these options. Hood also suggested a script. I Thank all polite replies and until the next off the wall question , Here's my best to you and yours.     JD           

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Encoder motor control

« on: May 08, 2010, 07:11:07 PM »

Sir Thank you  for the response, I have said I believe my problem is motor vs mass vs velocity, I counterbalanced mass which helped, I played  with accel and vel settings and it helped however my 20 min job went to 40 min, not acceptable. I accept that  motor control with encoder is not a option and have moved on to plan B of building a new Z axis that can be removed quickly allowing me to use mill in as designed and the new Z can be attached to a dedicated machine I designed just for these projects. I have asked about encoder control only as a possible band aid to the real problem. Since I have had a crash course about steppers, drivers, Gcode, Mach 3 and retroing my machine in the last 5 months, all responses have reaffirmed my confidence in my basic skills. I still would like to see a screen with stepper Dro and encoder Dro on same page as I am a visual person and am always going to play and push the limits  I would like to see a problem when a  job might be salvageable, this brings me to a point, at 55 I know that I do not understand everything I know, so I have a question for you. You state watch my bandwidth, now I am lost. Sir if you would please expand on  where  I would watch my bandwidth in Mach3 ?     JD       

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: BAD Monday! My router is not moving how far I tell it to...

« on: May 05, 2010, 12:25:55 PM »

Chris I had a problem on my milling machine with a sudden ambient temperature change a couple of times, don't know if that helps, but I agree that checking your tuning is important, I found that checking on short moves is not as accurate as checking on repeated long moves, I also had a unexplained change in my .xml once and had to use a .xml backup from a couple of days back when things were good. Read your Mach3 manual about .xml's     JD 

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: May 05, 2010, 11:48:16 AM »

Hello all, My name is JD I live in Lafayette Colorado, I have been a master engine machinist and master automotive mechanic and Harley mechanic for the last 30+ years. I picked up a old Millrite milling machine 20 years ago and having a back ground playing with computers and electronics was always thinking it would be cool to motorize the beast, so I did it with DC motors, this was okay at the time but I still wanted to be able to walk away from the machine more and the limit switches I had to use at that time were a pain. Fast forward, a wood working friend, bought a CnC wood lathe last year and asked me to look at it, after determining that computer was shot and the drivers were so old that documentation couldn't be found, we began looking for replacements and was surprised at stuff out there now, we replaced what we needed and it now works great. During this project I started, thinking about my mill ( didn't use it much) and decided to take the plunge, so 3 months later I have a fully functioning medium size vertical milling machine and get a blast out of playing with it when I am not cussing it. ( it's like being married again). And now like all newbies am constantly looking for new projects and pushing the machine limits so heres to the ART OF CnC.                     JD     

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Encoder motor control

« on: May 05, 2010, 11:20:23 AM »

Hello Ray, thank you for the post as I stated in my original post my conclusion was that the problem was the stepper motor vs the mass vs the velocity I was telling it to move. The machine was well designed to do what I intended it to do and it does it well, not until I decided to try something that I had not planned on doing, during the design, did I exceed it's limits. I fully intend to upgrade all the motors and drivers but do not have the resources at the moment to rebuild the mounts, buy motors and drivers, build a new power supply and re tune motors. I was hoping that I could put a band aid on the problem until I could fix it. I also stated in my post to Hood that I am going to build a linear slide, Z axis to attach to my quill, the slide will have my Z stepper on it and the quill will only be used for a mounting point so that I may continue to use my X and A axis's as is designed right it would take me 5 min or less to revert back to milling with the quill. The slide will significantly reduce the mass allowing me to increase the velocity. I also intend to build a dedicated machine just for my litho's and can later use the slide on it, I also need to put the new machine in a separate area as the router head makes more noise than my EX. From a previous post I understand you wrote a manual on Macro pump / VB editing when time allows I will take a look at it as I want to do some other things that require VB editing. Do you Know of a screen for Mach3 that has the encoder DRO's and stepper DRO's on the same page?      JD     

10

General Mach Discussion / Encoder motor control

« on: May 04, 2010, 01:11:42 PM »

Hello this is my first CnC, I just finished converting my Millrite Mill to CnC, works sweet, cutting wood and metal. I built a A axis to do lithophanes and when I set up with PhotoVcarve and Wrapper and start cutting, I will start losing steps gradually and have come to the conclusion that moving a 18 lb Quill up/down with the short moves is to much for the Z stepper, I added a counter balance to the quill which helped and made sure quill is very free. As I said I canl machine metal parts and wood plaques with no probelms once I get proper feedrates set. Now to the meat, this is my busy season so time is short, I have built a rotary encoder and attached to puter, it reads fine on the Settings encoder screen ( will need fine tuned later) but what I need it to do is control my Z axis stepper so that lost steps do not affect the work, I can not find any way to do this in Mach3, and was hoping some one might know how or if it can be done in Mach3       John