Messages

1

LazyCam (Beta) / Soft Limits and Z axis relative position

« on: June 13, 2011, 09:31:04 PM »

Being new to Mach and LazyCAM, I constructed a simple example of a rectangle with a pocket, and an outside offset.
The code only runs correctly if I un-apply the Soft Limits command button. I believe it has something to do with the Z
because the first movement that occurs is that the Z goes up to the 0 position, rather than staying where I located it
on top of the work piece.

I would like to Z down to the workpiece, then perhaps Z up 0.100", rapid to the origin, and come down to being cutting
the piece. The code works correctly however, the Z works relative to the 0 position and not relative to the positioning on
top of the workpiece.

I am attaching the *.tap. code file for this test file.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Display is inverted - zup/zdown backwards

« on: June 13, 2011, 09:22:09 PM »

Hood,

   Thank you for your reply. Thank God I came upon the answer to what I had done incorrectly ... I had not put the depth of the Z in negitive value. So, as I looked at the display all the zup's were underneath the workpiece.

Andy

3

General Mach Discussion / Display is inverted - zup/zdown backwards

« on: June 13, 2011, 03:59:29 AM »

Greetings,

   Loaded gcode displays inverted. When the image is rotated, and following the X/Y/Z legend in the lower left when the Z is pointing down the zdown comes up from the bottom, and alternately, when the Z is pointing up the  zdown comes down from above. 0,0 is overtop of the lower left extream of the table,  however the axis don't seem to correspond, but seem to be backwards of what actually occurs.

4

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7

« on: June 06, 2011, 09:49:32 AM »

TP,

   I truly thank God for persons such as yourself who are willing to assist others with the expertise you have acquired. Thank you very much. I tested this out over the weekend, and it works just exactly as your example.

Andy

5

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: NFS Wizards: Preview Issues

« on: June 03, 2011, 10:46:03 AM »

Ron,

   I believe that I know what my problem was. I thank God for you and others being so willing to help. I had designated the worktable increments incorrectly. So a combination of my worktable being huge, and the part being very small made it appear that there was no part at all. I am still reading, learning and gleaning from others such as yourself.

Thank you,
Andy

6

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7

« on: June 02, 2011, 04:07:01 PM »

Thanks very much for doing the testing.

The tool dia field is +0.00 on the controls, yet the Peck comment picked up 0.5?
Was this defined somewhere else?
Also, on line 4, did you zero the coordinates, or did you move down the Z from a higher position?
The reason I ask is because even though I had come down to the work piece from the 0.00 position
with the Z, and I did NOT zero the coordinates, the code did not write the position of the Z.

Thank you again.

7

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7

« on: June 02, 2011, 02:34:57 PM »

TP, Thank you for your input.

I believe that I tested some of your suggestions, however, I will go back again and retest.
As for the depth, I will go back and reread the manual, however, I thought that it said
that the depth could be specified in either pos/neg value as the program turns it into absolute
value. I have read so much lately that I am forgetting about which feature I read the specifics.

The reason I used the value of 3 for the Pecks was because, as you suggested, at first I also
put an incremental value such as .20, however, then the program comment read something like
(Peck Drill hole, with 0.25 tool 0.6 deep, in .02 steps) and that didn't seem correct to me either.

If this gives you any further insight, please let me know. I will go back and test some more.
Andy

8

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7

« on: June 02, 2011, 10:08:38 AM »

Rich, Thank you for your reply.

I am using the input table as in figure 5.9.3 (page 10 of the CopyCat manual) as follows:
Tool dia     +0.25
Safe Z       +0.00
Hole depth +0.60
Hole dia     +0.25
Z inc         +3.00

... which in the comment of the code translated to (Peck Drill hole, with 0.25 tool 0.6 deep, in 3steps) which is what I believe I would have expected,
but tripped the error.

Is the error originating from the Z coordinates not being defined?
All the lines you see which have a Z reference show Z 0, however each time, physically, I was jogging the Z (motors moved, DROs changed)
but they didn't write to the code? The Z did write the depth of 0.6 on the code line below the comment, but no where else.

9

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7

« on: May 31, 2011, 10:30:06 PM »

I have downloaded and unzipped the v1.1 CopyCat. In reading and testing the manual I attempted to record drilling holes. Specifically Peck.
What I noticed is that the X, and Y are being recorded when I jog, however a movement in the Z axis does not change location (and does
not even give coordinate).

The below code generates the R Less Than Z in Cycle in XY PlaneLine7 error. Please assist.

G0 X0 Y0
G0 X0.8775 Y0
G0 X0.8775 Y0.7818
G00 Z 0
G01 Z 0 F 15
G1 X0.8775 Y0.7818
(Peck Drill hole, with 0.25 tool 0.6 deep, in 3steps)
G83 Z 0.6 R 0 Q3
G80
G0 Z 0

10

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Rotating Image in LazyCAM

« on: May 23, 2011, 08:52:57 AM »

Thank you Rich. I did read that this was the manner in which this operation was carried out, however, it does not work for me.
When I do this, the mouse freezes on screen, and physically moving the mouse in my hand does not create any movement.
I am a Programmer/Analyst and do understand the instructions.

I will try replacing the mouse, and perhaps installing on a different computer, however before going through this, I wanted to
know if you have any other suggestions?

Thank you, Andy