Messages

1

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Giffin Powermate resurection.

« on: June 21, 2010, 05:17:49 PM »

No one has an opinion? 

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help! Traning needed

« on: June 17, 2010, 10:16:23 AM »

I looked over the Powercam website. It appears they have many types of CAM products. Which are you mainly using? Most of them appear to be of a high enough quality that I would feel fine using them.

I quick google search found this, maybe they can get you started.
http://www.architecture.yale.edu/dmonline/Tutorials/robot/Powermill-3axis.pdf

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help! Training needed

« on: June 16, 2010, 04:07:45 PM »

Most CAD programs require a CAM program to take the model file and convert it to G-code. A major one we use at work is mastercam. I know Lazycam is available for free on the mach website in the downloads section, but I have not played with it myself. I use Solidworks in my shop to do my modeling, and then either Solidcam or mastercam to generate my g-code. Mach 3 also has a few built in wizards that can generate code for simpiler functions.

4

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Giffin Powermate resurection.

« on: June 15, 2010, 09:21:55 AM »

I purchased a powermate before I read the posts of the plug-in being broken. However, since I had the device, I decided it was a good time to get back into programming and also to try my hand at the Mach SDK. I decided to start from scratch with a new plug-in.

I have written a driver for the device using another project as a template that I located on the web. I have the device working in a test app and movement simulated by progress bars using C and I am now ready to move it into a plug-in enviornment.

I have decided to have the following functions:
Pressing the button down with a quick release cycles the axis.
Rotating the knob jogs the selected axis.
Pushing the knob down and rotating adjusts the Jog%.
The LED will pulse at the jog % rate. i.e.- faster if moving faster.

The question I have is what would be the best way to jog the axis based on the knob rotation? Do I read the DRO and save as the start point, take the knob input, add it to the start point and store it as the end point, then jogon until Mach's DRO reaches the value of my end point variable? At this point simple issue a Jogoff? Is there a better way? Let me know.