Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Constant pulse generation?

« on: April 21, 2016, 08:36:46 AM »

I've been doing some work with my 4th axis and rounding my stock takes forever via indexing. Is there a way to manually set a pulse stream so I can run my 4th axis constantly like a lathe and then run a normal program?

2

General Mach Discussion / Quick slaved axis question

« on: November 06, 2015, 03:17:35 PM »

Can I have 2 different steps per inch between the slave and master axis? Or will Mach 3 only duplicate the steps for the slaved axis?

3

General Mach Discussion / Ebay 4 Axis USB CNC Controller?

« on: January 07, 2013, 11:53:43 AM »

Anyone used one of these cards with Mach 3 yet?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251191119120

I'm looking to add a rotary axis to my router. Being I'm using all the outputs on my G540 right now figure this may be a cheaper router to control another axis.

4

General Mach Discussion / Has anyone here used screw mapping?

« on: November 05, 2012, 03:08:54 PM »

Has anyone here used the screw mapping function and provide some feedback? I've searched but came up with very little info on this feature.

I believe I have some error in my rack and tried to use the screw mapping function in mach 3. I bought a 35" DRO to measure the actual movement and mapped my X axis. Once mapped I tried to run a program and it resulted in missed steps and the X axis double backing on itself in a straight line move along the X axis. So I then turned off the screw mapping and ran the same program and everything ran fine.

The screw length defaulted to 1300 (I'm unsure what unit of measure this is I tried entering my screw length in an inches value first being that's what I use defaulted in mach 3 and then I also used a value in mm) I can't figure out how to save the screw length. I've tried multiple times and it always defaults back to 1300. Does mach 3 pull this value from somewhere else? If so where and can I change that?

The second problem I believe is self induced where I entered the wrong value and saved it as a data point but then I corrected it with the correct one after that. (hey entering 200 points your bound to make a mistake) It was easy to see if I entered it wrong usually because I was an inch off of the correct measurement and the screw map went sideways, once i entered the correct number the map leveled out.

5

General Mach Discussion / Screw mapping a slaved axis?

« on: October 24, 2012, 09:51:52 PM »

I have a 4'x4' router with the gantry driven on both sides via rack and pinion. I'm thinking about mapping my rack and was wondering if there is a way to map my slaved axis? All I see in the screw mapping is for XYZ axes only. My guess is that being its a slaved axis that mach 3 would not compensate for it anyway.

6

General Mach Discussion / Homing question

« on: October 20, 2012, 05:41:43 PM »

I have a router with a motor on each side of the gantry (Y axis on the left and A axis on the right) and want to use 2 home switches to auto square the gantry. My question is lets say I find that my gantry is not square and I want to adjust the Y by .005 is there away I can adjust that in mach 3 to do a move instead of moving my Y axis home sensor? I was trying to use the distance off switch but any number I put in there just changes the DRO and does not actually move the axis.

7

General Mach Discussion / Spindle start

« on: October 20, 2012, 05:13:37 PM »

Is there a way to have mach pause for say 5 seconds for the spindle to start before it moves to its first cut location? I'm finding its plunging down before the spindle is up to speed.

8

General Mach Discussion / PS3 controller help

« on: April 11, 2012, 11:12:55 AM »

I set up a PS3 controller and it works great, but it will only work if I open up keygrabber first and then load mach 3. Is there something in mach 3 I need to configure so I don't have to open keygrabber every time?

9

General Mach Discussion / New user couple problems

« on: October 02, 2011, 03:42:32 PM »

1. I have limit switches wired in series on all axis and use them has home switches as well. When I'm homing sometimes I will get a limit switch error when it hits??? Currently its doing this every time on my X axis.

2. I'm trying to cut some lettering and its shifting down in the y direction??? on every cut any ideas?

10

General Mach Discussion / Changing jog buttons

« on: September 24, 2011, 10:17:17 PM »

My Y axis runs opposite of the normal configuration. Is there a way to flip flop the y jog buttons?