Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / 2 Different auto zeros

« on: March 27, 2023, 02:26:01 PM »

I have the need for 2 different Z auto zeros. 1 for my regular XYZ profile and 1 for my rotary axis profile. I thought having 2 different profiles would keep them seperate. I know now that doesn't work. Is there a simple way to do this or do I have to edit the button each time.The difference is plate thickness and retract distance. thanks

2

General Mach Discussion / ROTARY AXIS AS B

« on: March 04, 2023, 10:11:29 AM »

I am adding a rotary axis to my cnc. The A axis is slaved to the X axis so I want to use the B axis as my rotary axis. Where should I look to find how to configure this. I think I am missing something simple. Thanks for any help.

3

General Mach Discussion / Spindle won't run with MDI or G-code

« on: July 16, 2012, 11:25:52 AM »

I just connected my VFD to mach3. It works fine with the spindle button and the spindle speed input,but wont't respond to M3 or S in the MDI input window or G-code from V-carve pro. I am using PMDX107.PMDX125 and ethernet smooth stepper. I have attached my xml file. Thanks,Tommy

4

General Mach Discussion / NEED AUTO ZERO HELP

« on: June 02, 2012, 09:49:17 AM »

Hey, My auto zero use to work and now it doesn't . Below is the  script I am uesing. The changes I have made are; I went from USB SS to ESS ,Windows xp to Windows 7, And upgraded to the latest ver. of Mach3. The status bar message reads " Scripter Compile Error.in: " .I'm probably missing something simple.  Thanks,Tommy



CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness = .375 'You could put your z-plate thickness here instead
ProbeFeed = 5 'You could put a probing feedrate here instead.


Code "G90 F" &ProbeFeed

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
Code "G4 P5" 'Time to get to the z-plate
Code "G31Z-5 F" &ProbeFeed
While IsMoving()
Wend
Code "G4 P0.25"
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Code "G4 P0.5" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code "G0 Z2.0" 'Change the Z retract height here
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)"
Code "F" &CurrentFeed
Else

5

SmoothStepper USB / COMMUNICATION PROBLEM

« on: April 21, 2012, 06:48:29 PM »

Everything was working as it should,then my ESS quit communicating in the middle of the job.I can shut down and start up again and it will stop again.May be a coincidence but the last two times it stop on the same line, 332. A couple of times I ended up getting a blue screen. When I start up windows kept telling me I had new hardware to install,I checked the box that says don't show this again,I think that's when the problem started.  I do not think this is an ESS issue,but me having something configured wrong.It's almost like I run out of memory? I am running XP.
Mach ver. R3.043.062,ESS ver. v10da5.  Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong? Thanks,Tommy

6

SmoothStepper USB / ESS HOMING ISSUE

« on: April 13, 2012, 07:37:40 PM »

I just replaced my USB SS (because of noise issues) with an ESS. I configured the ESS just like the USB SS was. Every thing works fine ,except when I home the machine Z is fine, Y is fine ,but X does the following:       X=master axis and XA=slave axis

        1st try- both homed and pulled off fine then X came back and hit the home switch again (everything works fine after this it's just not squared)
        2nd try-both homed and pulled off fine then XA came back and hit the home switch again (everything works fine after this it's just not squared  
        3rd try -both homed and pulled off fine then X came back and hit the home switch again (everything works fine after this it's just not squared

   This pattern continues,I even cut everything off and when I tried it again it picked up the pattern where it left off. I never had homing issues before.
        Thanks for any help on this  . Tommy  

7

General Mach Discussion / E-Stop from high pitch?

« on: December 12, 2011, 10:12:04 AM »

When I try to cut with a 1/4" bit it makes a loud high pitch sound and mach goes into e-stop.I can hit the reset and every thing works fine again until the bit touches the wood to cut.I just cut with a 1/2" bit with no problem. any thoughts??

8

General Mach Discussion / MACHINE STOPS

« on: November 08, 2011, 03:23:54 PM »

At first my  machine would loose communication with the smooth stepper and still does from time to time. Now i am having a new problem,the machine will stop moving for no apparent reason.I can hit reset and cycle start and it will start back up run a couple of inches then stop,this is happening very randomly . I would appreciate any thoughts.  Thanks,Tommy

9

SmoothStepper USB / MACH CAN NOT COMMUMICATE WITH SS

« on: September 04, 2011, 07:56:32 PM »

Everything was working fine.After doing some electrical upgrades (hard wire,plugs and better grounding,instead fo a bunch of extension cords)  to my machine I am getting error messages when I start mach.I did have a short with a pinched 110v to ground during the proccess.Sure hope i didn,t fry anything?
 These are the different messages I get after unplugging ss and restarting mach several times.When I cut on the ss i have the red and blue leds then when i start up mach i get the green and blue.

-UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH CRYPTO MEMORY ON THE SMOOTHSTEPPER

-TIME OUT ERROR GETTING DATA

-UNABLE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FPGA

-NO SS DEVICES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING USB PORT SCAN

-CALL TO PURGE FAILED IN VERYFY CRYPT MEMORY().ERRORCODE:4

thanks for any help,Tommy

10

General Mach Discussion / ENTERING USER INFO INTO CODES

« on: August 30, 2011, 05:26:36 PM »

I am setting up my auto tool zero button and got the code from the forum but don't know how to modify to my specs. I obviously don't know anything about writing codes.
 
for example;


PlateThickness = GetUserDRO(1151) 'Z-plate thickness DRO

  ?should this read?
      ? PlateThickness = .375 'Z-plate thickness DRO ?

                             OR

      ? PlateThickness = .375(1151) 'Z-plate thickness DRO ?


If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then 'Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty

? Is this my machine zero,can I jog close to plate ?
DoOEMButton (1010) 'zero the Z axis so the probe move will start from here

           
Code "G4 P5" ' this delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place

  ? what distance does .75 represent  ?
Code "G31Z-.75 F10" 'probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move

While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) 'get the axact point the probe was hit
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos 'go back to that point, always a very small amount of overrun
While IsMoving ()
Wend


  ? should I enter plate thickness here or does it know from line 1 ?
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness) 'set the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as plate thickness


Code "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.


  ? is this set for 1" now?
Code "G0 Z1." 'put the Z retract height you want here


Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts this message in the status bar
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
End If
 
Thanks,Tommy