Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / PMC files for eveyone

« on: February 11, 2021, 10:17:00 AM »

Hello all,
I had to make this PMC file to help someone out and wanted to share it so everyone can see how we solve little things like this for people.
I am in hopes that others can post files here and share what they have done. If this becomes popular I can make a place on the webpage to share things like this.

This PMC script will turn off the coolant if the spindle stops OR when Estop is pressed. You will see it is a VERY simple

Enjoy!

2

Mach4 General Discussion / X Box here we come!

« on: December 18, 2020, 03:40:03 PM »

Hi all,
Daz The Gaz sent me the base that he started 4 years ago for the Xbox 360 plugin. I have spent the past week adding lots of goodies to the plugin. I am not done but it is starting to work the way I would like it to. The major change is that you can configure it like we do with the Shuttle Pro. You simply go into config and press a button or joystick. A dialog will popup with the options you have for settings. This makes it very quick to setup! I think this is the feature that most will like but here are some other highlights:
Diagnostics window for the XBox
Buttons can be mapped as inputs (this makes it so you can call functions in the signal script in the screen)
Exponential rates have been added to the analog sticks (this really helps with precision on the slow moves)
Reverse Jogging for each axis
Added a lockout toggle so you can disable the controller
Custom Gcode strings can be run like the Shuttle

TO DO:
BIG one for me is to make it so you can use the analog sticks as a mouse on the screen   I want to make it so you don't need a mouse at the machine if you have this. (I think it can be done I just have not started)
Need to make an input that shows the X Box locked state (so you can have an indicator on the screen to show if it is locked)
Jogging at feedrate (or limited to a % of Max) sometimes rapid is not needed, I don't know when that would EVER be but..
I know I must have a few more but I just wanted you to have something to use while your home for X-MAS

Here is where you can find the Plugin:
ftp://ftp.machsupport.com/Mach4/Plugins/mcXbox/

Enjoy and if you can think of other features I will see what I can do.

Special THANK YOU to Daz and have a happy holiday
Brian

 

3

Mach4 General Discussion / New engraving screen for testing

« on: November 18, 2016, 10:08:35 AM »

Hi all,
One of the things that Mach4 was missing and that I think is very important for users is simple and easy to use engraving software. In Mach3 we had the write wizard, for it's time it was a really great thing but we demand better! We have made a new Lua module that will produce Gcode for engraving text. This is the first round of the screen and modules but as far as I can tell it is working well. This is another example of the power of the screen designer and why we picked Lua as the scripting language. This is a function that was added that required no changes to the source code of Mach4, Simply scripting (sounds like a TV show)! On the screen we have a Lua panel that has a data input field where you can type in what you want to engrave as well as some serial number settings. Every time you produce the Gcode it will increment the serial number automatically. We have also added tools for engraving the time and date if needed. The screen is intended to mark parts or do very simple engraving, we are not making this to take the place of a Cad package.

Some of the boring details about the new engraving is that the fonts are 100% editable. Well if you know Gcode they are. I made the fonts 1 unit high and with a style that is sort of Gcode meets HPGL. Here is a sample of a W:
-- W
ascii87 = function()
ZUp()
G0(1.20070,1.00150)
ZDn()
G1(1.20070,1.00150)
G1(0.92860,-0.01410)
G1(0.62130,1.00150)
G1(0.57920,1.00150)
G1(0.27210,-0.01410)
G1(0.00000,1.00150)
ZUp()
return (AddWidth(1.201))
end

The screen has a Lua panel that can be added to any screen. So if you have a custom screen you can make a new tab and you place a Lua panel with this code in it. We have been thinking about making a Gcode interface to the engraving but just have not had the time. Also I think a more graphical interface is better for getting started.

Anyway enough of my mindless rambling.

Here is a link :
ftp://machsupport.com/Mach4/Screens/EngravingUpdate.exe

Thanks
Brian

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Signal Scripts

« on: May 03, 2014, 09:11:43 PM »

Well Now that you guys have been having fun with scripts I wanted to share a fun one with you.

In the PLC script I have this:

Code: [Select]

SigLib = {
    --Enable
    [mc.OSIG_MACHINE_ENABLED] = function (state)
        machEnabled = state;
    end,
    --HeadUp
    [mc.ISIG_INPUT1] = function (on_off)--mc.ISIG_INPUT1
        if( on_off==1 ) then
            -- On
        else
            -- Off
        end
    end,
    --HeadDn
    [mc.ISIG_INPUT2] = function (state)--mc.ISIG_INPUT2
        if( state == 1 ) then
            -- On
        else
            -- Off Call A function here if you wanted
        end
    end,
  [mc.ISIG_INPUT3] = function (state)--mc.ISIG_INPUT3 --Used as an enable button
        if( state == 1 ) then
            local inst= mc.mcGetInstance();
            local reg = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_MACHINE_ENABLED)
            state = mc.mcSignalGetState(reg);
            if(state == 1)then
                state = 0
            else
                state = 1
            end
            mc.mcCntlEnable(inst, state);
        end
    end,
    [mc.ISIG_INPUT4] = function (state)--mc.ISIG_INPUT2 button to do feed hold
        if( state == 1 ) then
            local inst= mc.mcGetInstance();
            mc.mcCntlFeedHold(inst)
        end
    end,
    [mc.ISIG_INPUT5] = function (state)--mc.ISIG_INPUT2
        if( state == 1 ) then
            CycleStart() --Run my cycle start function
        end
    end
}

Then in the signal script I do this:

Code: [Select]

if(SigLib[sig] ~= nil)then
SigLib[sig](state);
end

The magic of this is your functions get called when the state changes on the input! So you can make inputs do things on your screen .. for example you could enable the control, Swap pages, do a cycle start, ANYTHING.. I use this in my screen to interface my PLC to the screen so I can have buttons do things on the screen.

Event based programing By adding the function calls to a Lua table the speed is very fast to jump into the index in the table.

Hope that helps you all to make your dream screen!

Thanks
Brian

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Comments about Mach4 in Demo

« on: April 23, 2014, 09:24:44 PM »

Hi, As I stated in my message I would like to have input on the interface so we can get any changes made before we start making the docs docs for running the software. Please post them here and I will get a message that some one has posted. I have been building a list and we will review the list in a few weeks to see what we need to change / add.

Thanks
Brian

6

General Mach Discussion / Mach4 tapping video

« on: January 20, 2014, 05:05:34 PM »

Hello guys, I feel we are getting close! We are working on the finer things in Mach4 now.. Here is a short video of me tapping some holes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5xeO7ZCfw&feature=youtu.be

This is using the feedback from the VFD to know how fast to feed the Z axis This was done with the G84 cycle!

Here is the code that I ran:

G90
M3 S800
G95
G0 Z.5
G84 X0 y0 Z-1.0 R.25 F.041
G91 X-.5 L5
G80
G90
M5
M30


Thanks
Brian

7

General Mach Discussion / Mach4 doing Feed per rev

« on: December 30, 2013, 05:17:36 PM »

Here is a short video of me testing the feed per in Mach4. I also have been testing CSS and will try to get a video out of that working...

http://youtu.be/fIXrkznE2IU

It is using the VFD to get the RPM of the spindle over serial modbus so it is not as good as an encoder would be but it seems very good for the tools I used

8

General Mach Discussion / Mach4 Wizard screen shot

« on: August 08, 2013, 09:41:23 AM »

I wanted to show you an example of a wizard that I did in the new lua scripting engine. As you can tell you can have combo boxes.  buttons, Text boxes, images and so on.. This example will be open source and I am thinking about making a modual for LUA to help with making wizards so everyone will not need to know how to program LUA..

Enjoy!
Brian

9

General Mach Discussion / New Wizard Trial download link

« on: January 24, 2013, 01:13:08 PM »

Hello,
I am sorry it has taken so long to get this out but I think it is time
for the  round of testing for the Wizards. The Wizards are nothing like
the old wizards, you can see that in the video's that Ron has posted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK4rbD6C17o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D70-ViinAjY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqzvrS5zHtM


Download for the installer is here:
http://www.machsupport.com/downloads/MillWizard_Installer_Version_1.0.0.exe

I have been making parts with the wizards for the past few days and it
has been loads of fun. You will not be able to make Gcode in Demo mode
but you will be able to see the toolpath . You will also be able to save
the job file in the event you would like to cut a part later. If
everyone likes it and there are not to many errors we will start to sell
licenses. We are going to have a one month special intro price for the
everyone as sort of a customer appreciation.

Ron Ginger and I had a good time working on this and I hope you all
enjoy using them as much as I do. Also please have a look at the Help
files in the software, Ron and Todd are the driving force on the help
files and I think it is a great addition.

Thank you goes out to Ron Ginger , Todd Monto , Steve Murphree , Karl
Kirk , Jeff Birt and all the others for there input

Thanks
Brian

10

General Mach Discussion / CNC workshop 2012

« on: May 31, 2012, 09:10:45 AM »

Hello,
I wanted to tell you guys that I will be at the CNC workshop (never
missed one so far    ) . We will be showing Mach4 at the show and we
will be doing a 2 hour talk on how it all works under the hood. This
talk will be technical but at the same time it will be very good for
learning how to use the software. Here are some of the features I would
like to cover:

1.) Cpu requirements
2.) Scripting
3.) Motion Devices and how they work
4.) Out of Band Axis
5.) How to setup the machine
6.) What is in each level of the software Lite, Pro and Expert
7.) How to make special functions like THC or tangental knife work (they
are no longer in the software)
8.) What needs to be done so we can release the Pro version.

Please tell me if you can think of any other features that you think you
need to know about. That will be more then I need to fill 2 hours   
Also we will my little table top router running on Mach4 at the show.


Thanks
Brian