Topics

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General Mach Discussion / New pc not working

« on: January 05, 2020, 03:58:45 AM »

My computer died. I bought another, same computer running windows xp and parallel port. Loaded mach 3, and my mach liscence. My Syil x5 has a file on the cd x5spn that should have everything set up exactly for my machine. I load mach, i press tab and manually jog the machine. It works perfect. I load a program, zero everything press start. Machine moves right and a axis spins the rod the the beginning of the project. Then the machine just sits there, the dro is moving spindle slinning but nothing happening. I know my code is good, i cut it a hundred times.
    I think i know the issue but i dont really know. What i think is happening is the machine is cutting from the inside of the rod instead of on top of the rod. My toolpath display on one screen shows the rod and a cut line across the bottom. On the other toolpath display shows the rod and the image and cut line through the center.

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General Mach Discussion / Cuts are flipped

« on: February 28, 2015, 12:01:55 PM »

I bought a Chinese hy 3040 column 4 axis mill. It only works with manual spindle control.
  I loaded in my Mach 3, i keyed in the inputs given to me in the machine documentation.
I am running 4 axis so I also did tool path set to radius .3525.
When I hit tab key, the jog screen, z was correct up and down. Hard to remember for sure but I believe all 3 x,y and a, ran in reverse. So if it hit x left button in jog the machine goes right.
I did a bunch of online searches, best I came up with was toggle home limits to reversed. In doing that, machine jogs correct in all directions.
I installed a bit, took machine to beginning, set my zeros and ran a g code that I know works, because I have a Syil x5 I use every day with these codes.
 After 2 hrs, the part was finished and looked perfect. I removed it and then....oh my!! It's cut in reverse, the bottom is still the bottom but the left to right is flipped or mirrored!   Image the word "BIG". It is cut as GIB, and each letter is backwards...so the letter B should be straight line left but the straight line is right and the arcs on left, a backwards B.

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Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Flaming Brass Dragon pen

« on: November 07, 2011, 02:03:52 PM »

Here's a little something I kicked out thanks to my new cnc mill. It's the first real success I've had with 4 axis cutting. I had a ton of failures, but thanks to the people here, I now have mostly success!

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General Mach Discussion / tool not clearing top

« on: October 23, 2011, 09:42:03 AM »

I am having a problem where the tool goes crazy. It was working, but I've been playing a bit with the settings because I could not physically see the depth, the Z was not showing it even though it was there.  Now the Z is showing the depth and it is the correct depth on the first pass at least.  I have 4 passes to do.  The machine ran the entire first pass perfect. When it started over at the beginning, the first pocket went perfect. Then it jumped to second pocket and it went deeper than in the first pocket..that's where the trouble began. Then it came up but did not come up high enough, probably because it was extra deep in second pocket, it shot over to 3 pocket scoring across the top of the piece ruining it and tried to go triple deep, busting the bit.  I know for sure, the programming is good. I have had a successful cutting. I know for sure the a axis is tuned and the z axis is tuned and the x axis is tuned perfect.

My guesses of the problem might lay in one or both of these areas.

Safe Z setting perhaps.

Says allow safe z, no
safe z machine coordinates yes
safe z work coordinates no
safe z incremental rise no
safe z is zero
go safe z when stop button hit, no

Toolpath settings

Yes, 3d compass
Machine boundries yes
tool position yes  <<<since checking this box is when the z axis reading started to display I think
Axis rotation is checked X axis
A rotations enabled is yes
use radius feedrate is yes, and in settings page the radius of the rod is entered correctly.

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General Mach Discussion / Now I am into a new pickle!

« on: October 20, 2011, 11:53:31 AM »

Darn if it isn't one issue after another!  I thought the 4 axis was set up right now having taken the steps to switch to using radius for control and entering the radius of the rod. That made a major improvement to the performance of the machine. When I did the test cut, it was amazing, but the test cut went too deep. I thought nothing of it, as the hole in that test rod was just a hair too big to begin with. Well now I am cutting a piece of aluminum rod. The hole in the rod is perfect. I drilled it, and then I stuck it between centers and cleaned up the rod on my metal lathe so it is perfectly parallel with the hole. The 4 axis and tail stock in my mill is lined up perfect. The rod is situated dead straight in all directions.  I have 3 passes around the rod set up. First pass is .025, then .05 and ends at .0625.  The Z on the screen says I am at .025.  I am not at .025, not even close! I have to bet that I am about .045 ..a pretty good guess as I used a ruler on a side wall that is cut. But..to make things worse...The pocket area is 2 inches long, it is making cut .045 on one side, but the cut tapers toward the tail stock where I'd say it is about .015 deep.  You'd think the whole table is tilted, but it is not.  By switching to A axis radius control, the Z has gone nuts somehow. Did I miss a step somewhere setting this up?  I'm going to let it run through it's full first rotation before stopping the machine so I can recheck all the physical setup like re verify the rod is parrallel with hole and the head and tail stock on the mill is aligned, but I since I have already done that, I don't think that's the issue at all.  I notice a couple spots where the bit did not fully raise too, just grazed the surface running from one pocket to another. It's driving me bonkers.

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General Mach Discussion / controlling my speeds

« on: October 17, 2011, 12:29:50 PM »

I am having issues figuring out how to control my speeds.  I am using a Syil x5 speedmaster.  I have an A axis running, and it's max speed is 23.5 inches per minute. I don't know what my other servo speeds are, I can only assume they are the same?  My problem is that the x is moving far faster than the A.  I don't mind the speed the A is running at. I'd like to bump it up some, but then the x will move even faster. The problem I have is only when X runs in a straight line. I'm cutting some letters right now, so take the letter M for example. The a will turn to put the bit in position. Then only the x needs move the straight line on each side of the m. It takes off like a rabbit and breaks the bit.  When A and X move together, like the v inside the M, there is no issues, they move nice and easy. I want to bump up my speed, it's taking too long to cut the letters, and the bit is capable of more travel speed, but not the kind of speed it's running in x only mode. If I boost the speed, it boosts both a and x, so that's not good. I want to boost A and slow down x. I am not sure how to do this. I tried going into the motor tuning and dropping the speeds for x, but then i get a pwm error.

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General Mach Discussion / user manual hardcopy?

« on: August 13, 2011, 09:27:10 AM »

I downloaded the users manual and it is enormous. I can't see myself printing that baby out, but I sure want it as a hardcopy. Is there an actual user manual in book form somewhere that I can just purchase? I'd really like to have it as a book that I can just flip to the page I need as a reference.

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General Mach Discussion / keyboard shortcuts

« on: August 07, 2011, 11:52:45 AM »

I'm very new, so I know nothing. I was working on phone with a friend and he was discussing short cuts on keyboard. He said hit esc, that's same as reset. I hit escape nothing happens. He also said arrow keys, or page up down will control the mill head, but I try that and nothing happens. I did however get the pendant to come on screen by hitting the tab button. I guess I need the pendant to locate the machine zero, but by using the mouse and the pendant controls, I can't control the machine very well, like it moves down too fast and he says with the keyboard I should be able to be lowering the machine head a thousands or 2 at a time. Is the keyboard shortcuts something I have to configure somewhere? btw, the machine is Syil X5. Thank you.