Messages

1

SmoothStepper USB / Re: If you have noise issues this might be worth a try

« on: January 09, 2011, 08:41:35 PM »

Thanks jeff, not to sure what an arc snubber is or how to fit one but I will have a hunt around for more info , would you recommend taking off the capacitor and resistor on the SS board also?

2

Post Processors / Re: mastercam x4 mach post processor

« on: January 09, 2011, 08:02:17 PM »

Hi Guys,

After finding no way to get the tool offsets callout on the mach 3 post, I have been messing around with the generic fanuc one  and think I have a working solution and just wanted to check with anyone here if you think what I have done will cause major issues later on ( so far I have cut a couple of parts with no problems )

The problems I initially faced with the fanuc post were

1, after a tool change it was outputting G0 G90 G54  and Taking me from the current location way off the edge of the table by the x and y amount ( i think it was taking the current pos as G54 not the true G54 ) Im not sure why but i think it had something to do with G90 ( maybe this should be G91) ? so what I did was comment out the reference in the post processor to G90 ( there was only 1 ) I have left G91 intact in the post but on subsequent G code files i have created it no longer outputs G91 for some reason, but this does not seem to have affected the parts i have created since doing this

2, the other problem I was having ( after I removed the G90 from the post ) was before a tool change it was output G28 Z0 which was taking down to home zero instead of up to machine Z0 giving me the max space for a tool change  , the fix I have done for this is as follows , I looked in the post processor for any reference to G28 and replaced it with G53, this now seems to post out G53 instead of G28 taking me up to machine Z0 as desired ,



one thing i should mention is that when I post out a G-code file I have an error message that I am able to read, basically it has a list of checks and changes that it does then at the end it says  successful completion of post processing ?



Anyway as Im a complete novice messing around with post processors  do you guys think by not having and G90 and G91 moves in my code and swapping round G28 with G53 is gonna come back and bite me in the ass?

Worst case is I go back to the mach 3 post on this site and manually type in the tool length offset callouts and and the G53 Z0 move before tool change



Any advice would be great,

Cheers

3

SmoothStepper USB / Re: If you have noise issues this might be worth a try

« on: January 09, 2011, 07:38:41 PM »

Hi Guys ,

When you say hang ups do you mean the SS rand out of data warning message>?

As I am getting this sometimes when my spindle shuts down for a tool change ( or I move around in the graphic screen when running ) and I end up loosing my position and having to unplug/re-plug the SS usb as well and re-starting mach 3?


Would removing the c4 and R5 Possibly help this issue?

Cheers

4

Post Processors / Re: mastercam x4 mach post processor

« on: December 28, 2010, 10:14:44 AM »

The updated post works well but wont seem to call out tool offsets any idea on how to fix this ?

5

Post Processors / Re: mastercam x4 mach post processor

« on: December 28, 2010, 06:41:37 AM »

Seems to have done the trick sam

Thank you very much

6

Post Processors / mastercam x4 mach post processor

« on: December 27, 2010, 07:36:18 PM »

Hi guys does anyone know if there is a post flying about that will work with mastercam x4 currently mpfan.pst or the fanuc posts works fine for 3 axis work but for 4th axis things start to get messed up, firstly the only post that seems to output is mpfan.pst ( for 4 axis work ) and works fine till it gets to the rotational moves after that point its all over the place, I did try the mastercam post available on the downloads page but cant seem to get it to update ( not quite sure how to run the updatepost.dll  , failing a post being available if there is anyone out there that can create a custom one please send me a message.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

7

SmoothStepper USB / An update to my previous thread with a new question

« on: August 29, 2010, 05:32:14 PM »

Hi Guys just an update, so the machine was checked over and it appears the problem is the bearings down by the hand-wheels that connect on to the balls screws like rcaffin suggested, the machine will be sent back to germany ( to confirm this ) and a replacement shipped out.

On a side note Wabeco sell a more expensive machine ( F1410LFHS )that uses linear slides for all 3 axis and a counter weight for the Z instead of Gibbs and i was thinking of paying the extra for this option this time round as it may help the overall cnc process in the long run?, I will post a couple of links to the machines if anyone has any suggestions on which unit they think would be better to go for that would be much appreciated.

https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/index.php?cat=c16010_F1410-LF---F1410-LF-hs.html&subpage=basics&picture=2

The above is the one Im thinking of getting ( with SK30 spindle and ball screws )


https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/index.php?cat=c14010_F1210---F1210-hs.html&subpage=basics&picture=1

This is the unit I have now ( which will be going back )with the 180mm Y extension and the SK30 spindle and ball screws

The negatives on the linear slides i can see are as follows

Im thinking I may get more chatter with the linear slides on deep cuts but then again most of my work is in aluminium so this may not be an issue

With ball screws if I decide to use the machine in manual mode it may not hold its position so well as Gibbs ( no friction but I could lock off the the axis if need be )

Possibly less rigidity with linear slides but I have no experience with then so im not to sure

The positives with this machine I can see are

200mm in the Y as oppose to 180mm

Smoother overall operation

More weight

Counter balanced Z axis

Once again any thoughts please post

Thanks

8

SmoothStepper USB / Re: I hate this machine

« on: August 29, 2010, 05:27:47 PM »

Hi Guys just an update, so the machine was checked over and it appears the problem is the bearings down by the hand-wheels that connect on to the balls screws like rcaffin suggested, the machine will be sent back to germany ( to confirm this ) and a replacement shipped out.

On a side note Wabeco sell a more expensive machine ( F1410LFHS )that uses linear slides for all 3 axis and a counter weight for the Z instead of Gibbs and i was thinking of paying the extra for this option this time round as it may help the overall cnc process in the long run?, I will post a couple of links to the machines if anyone has any suggestions on which unit they think would be better to go for that would be much appreciated.

https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/index.php?cat=c16010_F1410-LF---F1410-LF-hs.html&subpage=basics&picture=2

The above is the one Im thinking of getting ( with SK30 spindle and ball screws )


https://www.wabeco-remscheid.de/index.php?cat=c14010_F1210---F1210-hs.html&subpage=basics&picture=1

This is the unit I have now ( which will be going back )with the 180mm Y extension and the SK30 spindle and ball screws

The negatives on the linear slides i can see are as follows

Im thinking I may get more chatter with the linear slides on deep cuts but then again most of my work is in aluminium so this may not be an issue

With ball screws if I decide to use the machine in manual mode it may not hold its position so well as Gibbs ( no friction but I could lock off the the axis if need be )

Possibly less rigidity with linear slides but I have no experience with then so im not to sure

The positives with this machine I can see are

200mm in the Y as oppose to 180mm

Smoother overall operation

More weight

Counter balanced Z axis

Once again any thoughts please post

Thanks

9

SmoothStepper USB / Re: I hate this machine

« on: August 06, 2010, 06:32:17 AM »

Hi Hood I will check that, I also thought it was ok also till i did another batch and I was getting errors again,

Either way the backlash seems huge for a new machine

10

SmoothStepper USB / Re: I hate this machine

« on: August 05, 2010, 11:06:27 AM »

Hi Phil i think its backlash so i got the vice on the mill and put in a 1-2-3 block i then got my 3D tester and zeroed off to the edge I then set the mach dros to zero and then set the jog steps to .01mm per click and moved in the opposite direction ,, it took 6-7 clicks before the dial moved to the first .01 graduation, after this every click measured .01mm i then went in the opposite direction again and it again took 6-7 steps before i had movement on the dial (again after it started moving it was .01 mm with every click of the mouse ) I'm having the same issue on the z axis and y axis

The ball-screws were an optional extra with the machine ( wabeco f1210e   www.wabeco-remscheid.de )

I have also checked this against another dial gauge i have and am getting the same readings

I would be right in saying this is backlash and that is seems pretty high for £1000 ball screws??