Messages

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Question on 4 Axis Toolpath?

« on: April 17, 2018, 11:21:49 AM »

So it has been there for the last 3 years but no one was aware about it

I was . I found what i needed in the 'Mach4CoreAPI.chm' in the Docs dir at least 2 years ago.

Anyway things are getting there, this has been added in the latest developer version 4.2.0.3741

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Question on 4 Axis Toolpath?

« on: April 10, 2018, 05:53:29 PM »

Ahh!.. i knew i had forgotten to put something else in the zip. Here is the actual head i used for tests.

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Question on 4 Axis Toolpath?

« on: April 10, 2018, 03:35:04 PM »

Here is some information/files that might be useful. It is how i have my stock coord set up in RhinoCAM. If your toolpath does not show up properly it is most likely a post issue from your CAM package?

Toolpath in 4th axis mode does not modify gCode at all.

link to video from a test i made using a venus head...
https://youtu.be/0pTqF7th5IQ

D+C

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Question on 4 Axis Toolpath?

« on: April 09, 2018, 02:48:19 AM »

@Mauri
I only built a 4axis machine so have not idea about 5 axis stuff.....yet

@smav
Yes it is the inversion problem that made me figure out what 'mc.mcToolPathSetAAxisPosition' does.
As long as your machine coordinates are at zero it should work fine, this is probably a bug?
I was to lazy to come up with any lua code to fix it automagically.

Glad to have helped
D+C

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Question on 4 Axis Toolpath?

« on: April 08, 2018, 01:54:41 AM »

Hi,
I have had it working for a while. I use Industrial version but tried this as a test now in the Mach4 hobby Demo.

First create a Toggle button on your screenset.
In the 'Down Script' enter...

Code: [Select]

--A rot on----------------------
local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()
mc.mcToolPathSetARotationAxis(inst, 0)
In the 'Up Script' enter...

Code: [Select]

--A rot off----------------------
local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()
mc.mcToolPathSetARotationAxis(inst, -1)
Secondly create a DRO and name it 'droRadius'.
In the 'On Modify Script' for the dro enter...

Code: [Select]

local inst = mc.mcGetInstance();
local getVal = scr.GetProperty('droRadius', 'Value');
local getValAsNumber = tonumber(getVal);
getValAsNumber = getValAsNumber / 2;    --convert to radius (dro is entered as diameter)
getValAsNumber = 0 - getValAsNumber;    --make negative for Z offset
mc.mcToolPathSetAAxisPosition(inst, 0.000, 0.000, getValAsNumber);

Load your Venus head in, enable rotations with your toggle button and enter diameter of the model and hit regen.
If weird stuff happens in a 2D job toolpath remember to toggle rotations OFF and regen your toolpath.
Also if your scale is wrong make sure your A Axis Machine Coords are at Zero.

Good Luck!
D+C

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Retract button in Router.set

« on: January 18, 2018, 06:51:09 AM »

Hi,
I take it your spindle is on the Zaxis, try this script with your 'go to work zero' button.

Code: [Select]

local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()           

local executeGcode = ("G00 G53 Z0.0000\n") --use machine coords (G53)
mc.mcCntlMdiExecute(inst, executeGcode)
mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "Moving Zaxis to zero using Machine Coords")
Good Luck!

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Has anyone used 4 Axis in Mach4

« on: December 13, 2017, 08:12:01 PM »

Hi
I managed to get a '3D' 4th axis toolpath to show up in Mach4 eventually.
Here is a picture of the toolpath.

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Comments about Mach4 in Demo

« on: August 06, 2015, 02:52:57 AM »

@awander
Do extents numbers look correct if you zero your Axis and Regenerate Toolpath?

9

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: July 28, 2015, 01:18:05 AM »

Elapsed Timer problem here also, now starts counting as soon as i start Mach. By the time Mach is ready to use, the counter has already counted to 14 seconds. I think it appeared somewhere after version 2491.

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Can I "level" my work piece in software?

« on: May 12, 2015, 04:33:10 AM »

Check this out...for PCB engraving originally
http://www.autoleveller.co.uk/