Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Who will be first to do this with Mach3

« on: August 16, 2011, 02:52:46 PM »

They say you learn something new every day, and today is no different.

I've never seen an Automatic Chuck Changer on a lathe....with sub spindle too !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOKK54gPST0&feature=related

Amazing !

ATB
Derek.

2

General Mach Discussion / Shuttle Pro

« on: March 12, 2011, 04:22:31 PM »

Hi,

I've bounced my shuttle pro a few times and it's more robust than you might imagine

However, the clear keycaps tend to pop off and being clear are perfectly camouflaged and hide in the swarf and other impossible places of the workshop and hence I have lost a few.
Does anyone know where I can get spares from please?

ATB
Derek

3

General Mach Discussion / Global feedrate variable

« on: January 22, 2011, 12:21:53 PM »

Hello,

Is it possible to have at the start of the code several feed rate variables-
So this will allow me to change the feed rate in one place rather than having to trawl throgh and change each line I need.

Would be usefull to me when using the sam prog but different materials.
i.e

Variable feed rate 1 = F200
Variable feed rate 2 = F75
Variable feed rate 2 = F120

then in the gcode

G01 X 20 y30 F(rate1)
G01 Z-10 F(rate2)
g01 X100 F(rate 3)

so wherever (rate*) appears I can chage it by altering 1 line in the headder of the code.

Thanks
Derek.

4

General Mach Discussion / Opto Isolator board

« on: September 25, 2010, 06:55:43 AM »

Hi All,

I'm at last working on getting a Duplomatic turret working and fitted to my Colchester CNC lathe.

I'll be using a PLC to handle the turret with a simple 6 wire handshake to Mach via a Pokeys I/O board.
4 BCD for tool number
2 back to mach for tool in position and error (maybe 1 or 2 more I/O depending on how things go), but is is a basic system using the KISS principle

So the question is, I'm looking for an opto isolator board to go between the 5vTTL (3.3v) of Pokeys and the 24v of the PLC
I've see the PMDX-105 (I'll need 2 of these) but are there any other options? I could do a DIY, but rather buy something off the shelf to speed things along.

ATB
Deker

5

General Mach Discussion / My 4th Axis

« on: July 03, 2010, 12:27:17 PM »

Hi All,

AT LAST ! my need for rotary is fulfilled  

The table uses a 5Nm stepper onto a 2:1 pully driving the worm.
I 'just' need to sort out the CAM and start some serious chomping.
Initially I will use the 4th Axis as a progamable trunion indexer - plan is to use a length of 50mm square mild steel to jig up 5 parts per side which will save a whole load of tool changes on the parts I make.
I'll upload a video to the Tube in a while.
The long term aim is to set it up to do some 'proper 4 axis work' but for now just glad its all working !!!

Mach is great !

Derek

6

General Mach Discussion / Lathe tool offsets / strange movement ?

« on: December 06, 2009, 04:33:38 PM »

Hello,
 
I'm running Mach3 version R3.42.32 and I am having difficulty with tool changes.
The issue is I'm seeing a 'spurious' motion in the X axis following a tool change command, say T0303 ( Other tool number selection do similar things)
 
For example -
The starting position for the tool is X0 Z15.
When the program is run the X axis moves 3.96mm towards in a minus direction ( the tool3 offset is x-3.96  Z 12.17)
 
If the X tool offset is positive the tool moves out in the positive direction. 
 
If I remove the G00 X0 command at line N40, so there is no reference to any X move in the program at all, the X axis still moves following the T0303 at line 20. And because there's now no X move, each time the program is run the X moves progressively in the same direction.
I would appreciate any insight as to what I'm doing wrong.
 
Cheers Derek,
 
 
%
N10 G00 G18 G21 G40 G50 G64 G80 G90 G94
N20 T0303
N30 M3 S750
N40 G00 X0
N50 G00 Z0
N60 M5
N70 G00 Z15
N80 M30
%
 

(Tool 3 x offset -3.96  Z 12.17 )

7

General Mach Discussion / Duplomatic turret for Colchester

« on: September 12, 2009, 05:03:27 AM »

Hi All,

Here is a photo of the 8 stn tool turret that will be fitted to my Colchester / Mach3 combo.
Turrethttp://img43.imageshack.us/img43/338/img6584s.jpg
Lathe http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9465/img6551.jpg
The intention is to control the turret function by a small PLC and command the PLC using descrete IO from a Pokeys IO expansion board.

ie 3 outputs from Pokeys to select the tool and an I/p to say tool in position + 1 or 2 fault signals.

The turret has a solenoid shot pin for " rough" positioning.
Clamp lock for holding the turret in accurate position.
Motor rotate CW
Motor rotate CCW
Motor brake
Motor over temp sensor
Solenoide position sensor
Clamp lock position sensor
Turret position sensor (4 binary ops)

So there is a fair bit going on.
More photos of the control build as and when
ATB
Derek

8

General Mach Discussion / Orac Lives

« on: July 11, 2009, 12:09:33 PM »

Hi all,

Some progress at last !!

Orac had been dead for about 9 months since I bought it, but recently with a bit of concentrated effort Im making progress....

1) Control Panel built
2) Frame / bench fitted with a 6mm steel top
3) Orac fitted with a new Z motor
4) The spindle motor was repositioned from behind the chuck to a more orthodox loaction of behind the headstock.
5) PC loaded with a clean install of Mach

Rapids are 2,000mm per min which is fast enough for a little machine.
Some work still to do with the position of the keyboard / monitor...this will be mounted at the tailstock end.
I'll fit coolant (main reason for moving tye spindle motor) and use the space under the maching vacated by the old controls for a small tank and pump
AND - get the tool changer working. There is some good info on the forum which will get me started.

I run a quick test, cutting a half sphere on the end of a 25mm dia ali bar - great to see it working at last.


Here is a photo of Orac > http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/2382/img6143.jpg
and a photo of the controls >http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7117/img6144.jpg

ATB
Derek

9

General Mach Discussion / Lathe spindle brake

« on: June 27, 2009, 04:03:35 PM »

Hi ll,
I am upgrading a Colchested CNC Lathe to Mach.
The sindle has a magnetic brake and I am wondering how I synchronise the brake with the M3.
i.e i would like the brake to be realease and the after a short time delay, give the M3.
on stop, I would like to send the M5 and after a time (say 0.5 sec) switch on the brake.

any pointers would be appreciated .

ATB

Derek

10

General Mach Discussion / Digispeed DC-06

« on: May 16, 2009, 08:28:15 AM »

Hi,

I have been using a home brew PWM to 0-10v converter for MACH3 to VFD spindle speed control for about 18mths,
the home brew works OK, the speed hunts a bit so decided to change to a Step - 0-10v Digispeed control.

I swaped over today, but I can only get the OP of the digispeed to vary 0.2 to 2v output.
As I change the speed via Mach, I can see the OP of Digispeed following but no more than 2v so I'm assuming the config is correct in mach. i.e swapped the PWM to step tick boxes and selected pin 14 in ports and pins as spindle.
The board has a solid 5v for the logic and a solid 10v from the VFD to power the analogue side.

I have adjusted the trim pot to max and fiddled with te spindle motor settings in te motor tuning page.
Also disconnected the analogue ip to the drive in case the VFD was dragging the analogue down, no change from the Digispeed though.

Bit stuck   (prob someting stupid I have done (good at that ) )

Anyone help please.

ATVB

Derek