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1

General Mach Discussion / crazy circles from an ARC PP on one machine, OK on another!

« on: October 30, 2008, 04:12:50 PM »

Hi Gang!

I've got a perplexing problem with Vectric's V-carve.   I had it generate some Gcode using the G-code (ARCS) PP in Vcarve.   The gcode loads in my CNC machine showing huge concentric circles on most of the movements- circles that are far larger than my machine.

BUT!  When I loaded the job on my laptop to examine the G-code, it shows a nice normal toolpath.   Is there some setting in Mach that would affect the way it interprets arcs?

I discovered this because I've been having issues with the Gcode that Vcarve produces:  The cutter gradually climbs out of the job, apparantly by tiny fractions of an inch, until eventually the cutter isn't even in the material any more.   It has the appearance of lost steps, but Cut3d and PhotoVcarve don't have any issues, and slowing the Z axis way way down doesn't seem to solve it.  I tried encoding the part in each of the PPs that are compatible with mach and when I saw the ARC style PPs whirling circles all over the place I almost lost my mind!

I'm running on a Joe 2x4 hybrid using Keling 4030 drivers and 425oz motors.

Thanks gang!

2

General Mach Discussion / Greetings and..I need help with DROS that won't zero and DROs in bold...

« on: October 19, 2008, 02:01:05 PM »

Hello Gang,

I am working the kinks out of my freshly constructed "Joe Hybrid" style CNC router and came to the Mach forum for help, both giving and taking as necessary.   A little about me: I'm a jack of all trades and a master of nothing.  I work as an audiovisual engineer for the Gov.  For fun I play guitar, throw boomerangs, dabble in CNC, and keep a variety of exotic animals.  I used to keep and breed octopuses, but there's no room for the aquaria in our current house, partly because we converted one bedroom of our house to a Tanzanian Rainforest for keeping and breeding old world chameleons. http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Free-Range-Habitat-for-Mellers-and-other-Large-/.   My wife is a pet portrait artist who can be found on http://www.gibbonsrock.com.   I'm not here to advertise- I need help, please!

Specifically, I registered today because I'm stuck trying to figure two things out:

Very often after homing the machine (it's got switches) I can't zero any of the axis' any more.   After homing, I move to where I want to cut the part, and then I can't zero the DROs.  I have to shut mach down (and it always asks for a "Fixture Save") and restart it.   Then I can zero the axis' and go from there, but it's lame having to "reboot" mach just to zero my axis'

I tried making a new profile, but for whatever reason the Y axis is in bold print and the others are normal.

I can't find any other mention of such phenomena in the forums.   Can anyone help?

Thanks!  -Jim