Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Engraver Conversion

« on: July 18, 2012, 10:12:31 PM »

Tweakie,

I have Mach 3 set up on my bench with stepper motor drivers, a couple of loose motors, LEDs etc.
I set the M3 output up as you suggested- but there's is a problem here and I don't understand. 

The M3 command is meant to start the spindle and it works fine this way to "lower" the spindle.  But I need the spindle lifted periodically while engraving.  I used the "Write" engraving wizard to generate GCode to engrave "111".  The M3 command starts and ends fine- but this won't lift the spindle between the characters.

Am I missing something?

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Engraver Conversion

« on: July 17, 2012, 05:56:18 AM »

Tweakie,

Thanks!

Meanwhile, I've been messing around and I also noticed in the Config / General Config a check bubble that reads "Z is 2.5D on Output #6".  Any thoughts on this?  My guess is that this should map M3 / M5 to pin 6(?)

My real concern is a little downstream- I will be using the G code output from commercial engraving SW to run this.  Do you see any problems with the SW interface?

3

General Mach Discussion / Engraver Conversion

« on: July 16, 2012, 08:28:18 PM »

Hi folks,

I'm new to Mach 3 so this may be a dumb question...

I am converting an ancient Dahlgren 300 engraver from the DOS world into this millennium.  This all seems workable except that I'm a little stuck on Z axis control.  There is no stepper here- just a relay to move the cutter up and down. (control is actually electric valve pneumatic)

The question- how do I configure Mach 3 for this kind of "binary" control?

Also, I plan to use this setup with either Engravelab or Flexi Engrave.  Any comments on these 2 pieces of software would be appreciated!

Thanks!