Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 14, 2009, 03:39:08 PM »

This is embarrassing but I think I found the smoking gun.  On the end of my drive screw for the x axis there are two jam nuts one of which tightens the angular contact bearings and the other locks the first.  The locking nut had loosened and stopped against the drive pulley--about the same distance that the x axis would lose in its move.  The other nut would loosen or tighten depending on the rotation of the screw but again was restricted to moving only about an eighth of an inch.  The reason the axis would still home accurately is that the rotation in that direction to the homing switch would tighten the nut up against the bearings.  The learning curve never flattens!  My apologies to Mach 3 for suspecting the software.

CE

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 14, 2009, 02:46:34 AM »

That's a good question.  It would be easy to check on this short of a program.  I tried this evening but, just like when you take your car to the mechanic, the problem wasn't occurring.  I'll try again in the morning and see if it will act up and what the DRO's show.  Thanks for the suggestion.

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 13, 2009, 07:18:05 PM »

The axis isn't binding and if it were, the stepper motor would lose steps and not home to the same position as it does now.  It's almost as if Mach 3 is misreading the code, telling the machine to go a distance which is short of what the code directs.  Since Mach 3 thinks is giving the correct directions to the motor no steps are lost and the general positional accuracy is retained.  If the x axis was stalling on a particular line of code, the next line of code involving the y axis would offset it by the amount the x had stalled.  This isn't happening.  The code for y movements seems to be executed as directed.

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 13, 2009, 03:45:42 PM »

OK. I used the Verify button and got the same results; i.e, the machine is maintaining positional accuracy.  Interestingly enough, I ran the logo program again today.  The program was written to cut the pattern twice to ensure a clean cut in wood.  When I ran it this morning, the first path cut correctly and the second path--exactly the same code--cut incorrectly, truncating the horizontal lines in the C and E letters, like in the image I attached in my first post. I guess what I want to know is where to troubleshoot.  Is the problem likely to be in my installation of Mach 3, in my controller, in my motor drivers or where?  I can't understand why one axis (in this case the x) should cut too short given the code directions and yet still home correctly.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 12, 2009, 10:02:14 PM »

By jogging within an inch or so of the switches and then clicking home x and home y.  What I meant to say in my first post is that the absolute coordinates that I set before running the program have not changed any when I check them later.  If they had changed, I would suspect that I was losing steps and that that might account for the inaccurate machining.

6

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 not executing code as written

« on: October 12, 2009, 06:40:49 PM »

I've been having erratic results with my cnc router lately and couldn't quite pinpoint the problem but today I ran a simple program which illustrates the machine's behavior.  I've attached an image of the Mach 3 screen with the program loaded and the toolpath shown in the display window.  Another image shows an engraved logo on two pieces of wood.  The one at left is what the machine is supposed to cut and what it's done before.  The one at right is what it's cutting now.  I've also attached the file with the G-code.  I've checked to see if the machine is losing position, step motors losing steps etc., but whenever I go to the home switches, I'm always within a few 10 thousanths of where I'm supposed to be.  It seems I've eliminated everything but how Mach 3 is interpreting the program.  What could be causing this?

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: "an unnamed file was not found"

« on: October 11, 2009, 03:44:42 AM »

Thank you Sam.  I did catch the error on line 170 and edited it on the fly in Mach 3.  It was supposed to be M0 M5 (program stop, spindle stop).  The file I posted was saved on the computer I draw on and hadn't been edited yet.  The missing y value on line 6 is interesting.  Don't know why the program didn't generate it.  I will try your fix tomorrow.  Time for sleep now.

Strcklyneo

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: "an unnamed file was not found"

« on: October 11, 2009, 12:57:17 AM »

OK.  Here's one file that won't run.

9

General Mach Discussion / "an unnamed file was not found"

« on: October 10, 2009, 10:45:18 PM »

I've started getting the pop up message "an unnamed file was not found".  This happens in conjunction with trying to open a file and no image comes on the screen and though the G-code loads, the highlighted cursor jumps to line 8 or 12 and can't be rewound or started from any other line.  The G-code is generated in BobCADCAM and I've reinstalled their post processor for Mach 3 but it doesn't seem to help.  This only happens on certain files.  Others I can open and run fine.  Any ideas?

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: October 07, 2008, 12:38:59 AM »

Hello to all.  I'm currently completely rebuilding a 24x36 wood router I purchased about a year and a half ago and which turned out to have serious limitations and problems.  It did come with Mach 3 installed though and I really like the program.  I've replaced just about everything on the original machine--the linear guides, the drive screws, the stepper motors, the power supply, the drivers, etc., etc.  I'm real close to having it working again but it's hard to find time.  I'm a furniture maker-woodworker by profession and in spite of the crashing economy I am swamped with work right now.  Very lucky and trying to make hay while the sun shines.  It's frustrating though because i could really use the router in my work but I have no time for the inevitable trouble shooting required for anything connected with computers.  Oh well.  I'll let you know when it's up and running and try to post some pictures.  Thanks to everyone for sharing.  I would have never made it to this stage without generous support.

Strcklyneo