Messages

1

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Mach4 screen editor issues and learning curve

« on: September 29, 2017, 04:00:59 AM »

I never thought I would say this but after having attempted some screen editing with the built in screen editor for Mach4, I actually prefer the Screen4 editor (with all its warts) that I used for Mach3. I expected a learning curve but certain "features" like the paste function in Mach4 are making me crazy, and the RMB basically does zip in the Mach4 editor. I need the extra performance of 4 so I guess I'll have to get used to a whole new set of warts...

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 on a laser cutter...

« on: August 24, 2017, 07:34:39 PM »

How did the laser work out? I've run Mach3 based waterjet cutting machines at over 1200mm/s at 1G with no issues.

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 Tangential

« on: July 27, 2017, 07:10:02 AM »

Any word on when this will happen? Without tangential I can't use it on the systems I build.

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Feature Request

« on: July 26, 2017, 06:55:25 AM »

What is the status for tangential motion in Mach4?

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tangential issues - again

« on: October 27, 2016, 12:21:16 PM »

Just to update - for others who may encounter this.
I found the issue - I had originally set the button to use the VB Script function (edited within Mach).
Changing the button operation to assign the OEM code function (241) from within the screen designer results in the tangential function behaving normally.
Mach apparently does not like performing some functions via VB Script - I've seen this on rare occasions before.
Still got the long pause at the end of a rapid move before the head lowers and starts cutting.

6

General Mach Discussion / Tangential issues - again

« on: October 14, 2016, 11:32:32 AM »

More weird tangential issues with Mach3.

I've got tangential working mostly as it should on an ultrasonic blade cutting system, with one big issue and a couple of smaller ones. The big problem happens when I load a new tap file and start the job. Even though tangential mode is toggled, the job doesn't run in tangential mode. However, after I hit stop, rewind the job, go back to zero, and restart the job, then tangential mode runs correctly. Anybody have any ideas for this?

One of the smaller issues is a very long pause (almost 2 seconds) after a rapid move before the head drops to the table surface and starts cutting. There are no G4 commands in the job file so I'm guessing it's some weird Mach3 or tangential issue.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 not executing code in order

« on: September 09, 2016, 05:23:48 PM »

Actually the other system was Mach3 as well.

Had an epiphany today.
The system involved is an ultrasonic blade cutter.
I had been trying to run standard SheetCam posted files and use a tangential selection button on my operator screen to run the A axis in tangential mode.
After dealing with the Mach3 tangential mode issues, I switched to a modified version on the tangential post for Mach that is included with SheetCam.
I had left the tangential button selected on the operator screen - figuring it couldn't do any harm
Apparently it can. I switched it of and now the file runs correctly, with the Z command code executing before the A axis command code.

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 not executing code in order

« on: September 08, 2016, 09:56:39 PM »

Thanks for the G90 info. I wasn't sure if it was needed, so added it just in case.
I've used M16/M17 before on other systems and they worked OK - no issues.
In this case, the M16 and M17 macros work, just seem to be executing out of order.

9

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 not executing code in order

« on: September 08, 2016, 08:32:30 PM »

Am hoping someone has an idea why this is happening - and a solution.
Here is a snippet of the code from a job file:

Basically, M17 raises the cutting head to lift to an absolute position of 1.5" above the table
The next line of code rotates the head
M16 then lowers the cutting head to a position entered in a DRO on the screen
The problem I'm having is line N0520 is executing before line N0510,


N0500 G03 X3.4222 Y0.4292 A-88.8756 I1.1670 J1.6746
N0510 G00 M17
N0520 A162.7067
N0530 M16

Just for information:

Macro M16 is:
Offset1=GetUserDRO (1031) 'Set Cut Height
code "G53Z" & Offset1
While IsMoving
Wend
code "G90"

Macro M17 is:
code "G53Z1.5"
While IsMoving
Wend
code "G90"

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 Tangential

« on: August 13, 2016, 08:44:58 AM »

1) Does it work?
2) If it does work, does Constant Velocity work in tangential mode?
3) If (1) and (2) are true, does it work through SmoothStepper?

Currently using Mach3 v3.043.022 - tangential fails in any version newer than that.