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Sieg Machines / Help with controlling coolant pump on KX3 w/ Mach 3

« on: January 20, 2011, 07:23:29 PM »

I am going to add a flood coolant pump to my KX3 and I have some questions I hope someone can help me with:

1. To see how it works, I plugged a small lamp into the 120 volt "coolant pump receptacle" in the back of the machine. The lamp worked in reverse - when supposed to be off it was on. So I looked and found the "motor outputs" had output #3 active low. I set it to high and now the lamp works as it should when hitting the manual coolant button on the front page. Did I correct the problem the way I should have, or (like usual)did I screw something else up I'll be sorry for later? And can you tell me what output #1 is for?

2. When the KX3 is energized, the lamp is energized for about a second, and then goes off. Is this right, and is there an easy way to not allow it to do that without adding a separate "on delay" timer or even power switch? I wouldn't want the coolant flowing each time I turn the mill on.

3. Is M8 (turns on) and M9 (off) the right codes to use in a program to turn it on and off.

Thanks!

Don

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Sieg Machines / Brand new KX3 owner - I have some (hopefully) basic questions

« on: January 06, 2011, 08:45:15 PM »

I just received my KX3 and I have some problems trying to run the Mach3 software.
1. The mill will not work at all if I chose the Mach3Mill profile, but it works when I open the SIEG KX3 3500 US or the SIEG KX3 US profiles. Is this normal?

2. Isn't there an easy way to make the machine work in inches? I read another post and tried the motor tuning and that got it close, but other problems arose - when I went through the calibration process of telling it to move .1 inch, it moved .039", so I told it and it did the calculations. Then, when I jog it to move .1", it moves .1003". Then I tell it to move several more .1" and they come up .2003, .3003, .4003, etc. This is after zeroing it several times over and over. Odd, the Y and Z axis both move .0003 too. So it's not reassuring at all. I have the box checked in the GENERAL LOGIC SETTINGS screen that says "G20,G21 Control - lock DRO's to setup units" and the box on the SETTINGS screen set to INCHES. I've toggled and tried everything I can think of.

By the way I'm brand new to CNC and this is my first post, so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!