Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Wireless Xbox controller cautionary tale

« on: July 23, 2011, 11:07:17 PM »

Hi Guys

This might me something everyone knows but thought I'd post anyway....

Mach seems to latch the last keystroke given ie if you fast jog using the shift and arrow keys once the movement starts you don't need to hold the shift key any more and the speed will still remain fast untill the arrow is released..

Thats not aa big deal... however if you are jogging wilth the thumbsticks of a wireless controller and it decides to hibernate after the movement starts... Mach will continue to move as per the last command from the Xbox controller. This can be scary/dangerous/expensive if you were jogging down to set the Z or approaching a wall or cutting manually. 

I'm not sure how Mach nor the Xbox plugin handles the output from the controller (ie is it a constant stream of speed and directtion pulses/commands or polled).


Better safe than sorry so be carefull... especiall with low batteries.

Cheers

Mark

2

General Mach Discussion / Run from here... possible bug

« on: January 29, 2011, 04:24:54 PM »

Hi guys

Just came across this and wonder if its a Mach "feature" or something else.

When i start a program using the "run from here" command the set spindle speed is ignored. Everything else seems fine with the spindle starting etc but the spindle speed parameter is not set so it defaults to the lowest speed (S0) configured which in my case is 1000rpm.

I believe this is a Mach issue but would appreciate any feedback from others who have a differnt setup to mine.

Mach3 R3.043.022
Mach std mill Beta12 ver 0.4.3
Smooth Stepper Beta2 Ver 0.015 ogx
Huanyang VFD using usb plugin

Cheers

Mark

3

General Mach Discussion / Toolpath display.... Rotary

« on: December 20, 2010, 04:50:50 PM »

Hi guys

Tried to find answer but come up empty so far.

What defines the toolpath display origin and can it be changed so that it is in the center of the rotational axis.

Why can I rotate the toolpath display with a MDI command like G0A180 but using the hotkeys does not work for rotary (X,Y and Z all ok)

If the display had the origin at the center of the A axis then I assume left mouse key drag would work better.

Thanks

Mark

4

General Mach Discussion / M5 and external reset function

« on: May 30, 2010, 10:50:24 PM »

Hi guys

It appears that if I hit the s/w reset button within Mach it will issues a M5 to stop the spindle however if I trigger a real estop (which is seen by Mach and also sets the reset button) it does not... Any ideas?

I am using a plugin to control the VFD (Huanyang.dll by Matty) and it functions fine in every other respect. Believe this may be a Mach issue not actually a plugin one.

I want the spindle to remain powered but stopped via Mach control as this is faster than cuttting all power and letting it freewheel.

What does hitting the reset bbutton actually do? ie commands sent/stopped etc


Cheers

Mark

5

General Mach Discussion / immediate relay off before delay bug?

« on: January 26, 2010, 07:32:40 PM »

Found a Mach bug .... the spindle set "immediate relay off before delay"  does not work as stated. It always is opening spindle relay immediatly regardless of setting. I was thinking of using the relay to control the water pump and a post spin down delay would be nice.

6

Mach Screens / Spindle speed override LED

« on: January 24, 2010, 07:26:03 AM »

Does one exist like oem 17 for feedrate override? I'd like to have a flashing led if the spindle speed is overidden.

Can't see one in the OEM code list.

Cheers

Mark

7

General Mach Discussion / spindle toogle error

« on: November 12, 2009, 08:53:38 PM »

Hi Guys

Probably a bloody obvious problem but buggered if I can find it. I'm running Mach Version R3.042.032 and SS ver. 0.015 OGX .

I've rebuilt my xml from scratch and I still get a Terminating Scripts message everytime I try and start the spindle either on the main page or the diagnostics page. Mach will at first toggle the relay on then it turns it back off and reports Terminating Scripts in the status bar.

Not sure if this is a SS or Mach issue but more likely PEBKAC


Cheers

Mark

8

SmoothStepper USB / Corrupt Dll

« on: March 19, 2009, 08:39:54 AM »

Hi again

It's 3 steps forward 2 back with me

Found that I could not get the simple loop test as shown in the Mach manual to work using version 042.022 as it spits the dummy at the m99 saying its not in subroutine mode Anyway removed and reinstalled 020 and while this is fine now I am unable to get the SS DLL to install properly ....ARRRGH! It appears to work ok but when you start up MACH it says:

Plugin DLL Defective. Reload.
then
SmoothStepper_Beta2_v015ogb.dll - Defective Pligin Found... Ignoring.

Ive deleted and re-downloaded the DLL several times and still no go. Removed and reinstalled Mach everal times... again no go... Bloody thing was working this morning!! (except for the M99 under ver 022)


Is it possible the DLL on the link has been played with in the last day or so?

Hate to post silly questions... But I have searched both forums and can find no referance to either the M99 issue in ver 022 or the defective DLL.... Maybe its just me!

Am I missing something on how to properly remove and reinstall the DLL?

Any and all ideas welcomed

Cheers

MArk

9

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Video plugin crashing windows?

« on: April 11, 2008, 10:03:32 PM »

Hi all

Might not me the best place to post but it is related...sort of. Anyway i have a new you beaut laptop HP/Compaq 8710W and I now have a driver conflict somewhere when I run the same USB video interface (kworld  vs-usb2800D) and try and access the video thru Mach. Big blue screen of death... anyone else have a similar issue? Tried latest version of mach, the lockdown abd quantum.. all same result. Biggest difference between this laptop and the previous one is the video catrd is a Nvidia Quadro in th enew beast. 

Anyway i'll nut it out eventualy but thought I'd post the question incase someone has come across this in the past.

Cheers

Mark

10

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Functionality idea

« on: February 18, 2008, 09:15:49 PM »

Hi Guys

I've been watching this and other threads with great interest (now I really need to get my machine finished).

I had a bit of an idea last night which you may or may not have thought of as a functionality / feature for you plug in.

If you can set a pixel position of the laser line once you set tool height and save this as a tool offset you have a non contact material height sensor.
If you add edge detection you can find the material X,Y (0,0)

For the edge detection I would think you would want 2 laser lines at 90 degrees to each other or possibly a single one at 45 degrees to the workpiece. In the first instance (2 lasers) you would look for a drop in height of each, in the later (single beam), the line will get shorter and shorter until it drops off.

What ya think?

Cheers

Mark