Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Getting New Installation Going

« on: March 12, 2006, 07:30:09 PM »

I had Mach3 Turn running quite well last weekend, but the motherboard on that machine fried. 

I got a new motherboard, processor, memory, hard drive, and got Windows XP Professional, just to make sure that the Windows XP Professional System Optimization Guide was 100% relevant.

I have gone through the Optimization Guide and did everything suggested, except for one thing.  On Step 9, when I tried to Update Driver on Computer to Standard PC, the DriverTest would not run.  Changing the driver back to Uniprocessor PC allows DriverTest to run to completion.  I had in Step 0 disabled ACPI in the BIOS Power Management Setup, so this shouldn't matter. 

When I connect up to the lathe, velocity values that previously were fine now result in motor stalling.  I used to get 1450, now I can't get 1000.  I have tried both 25000 and 35000 kernal speeds, and there doesn't seem to be a difference except what the motor tuning dialog reports as the possible maximum. 

When I slow the motor way down just to get it to work, the axes move, but I can hear a thudding on both axes that occurs roughly 3 times per second.  The frequency of the thudding noise does not change when I change the motor speed. 

I am using Version 1.90.017. 

Any advice on how to debug this would be appreciated.  Thanks. 

2

General Mach Discussion / Problem with Cycles?

« on: March 07, 2006, 01:32:25 AM »

I've been using Mach3 Turn.  I was having problems with the G83 cycle when the cycle completed, just before the last retract; there was an audible "thud" with no Z axis movement while the Z DRO indicated Z movement as if stuck at the bottom of the hole (though this was in air), then the X axis would move with the drill still inside the virtual workpiece.  (Well ... the first time this ever happened, the workpiece was aluminum; the 1/4" cobalt drill bit snapped off.)  Installing Version 1.90.015 seemed to solve this problem, and resulted in much faster rapid speeds.  However, I noticed that there was now a "thud" at the beginning of each threading pass of a G76 cycle, with accumulating loss of Z motion.  Slowing down the Z acceleration solved this problem. 

The PC I was using then went belly up, so I've temporarily replaced it with a PC that I'm not free to optimize.  The "thud"/Z stuck problem with the G83 cycle returned, but finally went away when I slowed down the X and Z velocity and acceleration to a relative crawl.  However, I now have a problem with a G76 cycle.  There's now a "thud"/Z stuck problem at the end of this cycle.  Perhaps a very, very slow velocity and acceleration would solve this problem, but this is unreasonable for the production I must undertake. 

It seems an odd coincidence that these problems are occurring at the very last rapid movement at the end of these canned cycles, as if there is some fundamental problem with returning from a canned cycle that happens to be clearly exhibited by a poorly tuned PC.  Is this possible? 

3

General Mach Discussion / Recommended PC Configuration

« on: March 05, 2006, 07:10:02 PM »

I had been having problems running Mach3Turn on a 3GHz HP P4 machine.  Under Art's guidance, I finally switched the kernal speed down from 45000 to 25000, and that solved the remaining problems, though had to lower Z acceleration to do reliable threading.  At 25000, the tool changer is too sluggish, even at maximum speed, so it seems I really need different hardware. 

Unfortunately, that machine somehow fried when I inserted some USB memory (USB power surge, hub power limit exceeded), and it then refused to boot.  (Currently in for repair.)  I switched over to the kids' machine, and even at 25000, had to really cut Z acceleration to the point I can clearly hear it speeding up and down, or risk losing Z motion.   

The previous machine should have been enough, but apparently wasn't.  The current machine isn't enough, but there are no doubt background processes that I should kill, but I don't want to completely disable the kids' software. 

The question is: what is a PC configuration (by brand, model number, etc.) that can run Mach3 at 45000 with utter reliability?  I would buy a new machine if I knew it would work.  I would prefer something small on a MicroATX motherboard if possible, but the main thing is reliability.  I'd prefer staying away from HP, Compaq, and Dell and all of the desktop junk and unnecessary processes that come with their machines. 

4

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / G83 Mystery

« on: February 19, 2006, 01:49:04 PM »

I have the following code, which I'm entering manually to test:

G97 S1500
G95 F.008
G00 X0 Z0
G83 Z-2.2 Q.2

If the spindle is off, the G83 works fine.  If the spindle is on, the Z axis starts moving positive until I have to Stop it; I'm not sure where it's trying to go. 

What am I misunderstanding?  Thanks. 

5

General Mach Discussion / Infeed Type Values

« on: February 18, 2006, 03:04:40 PM »

What are the possible values for the InFeed Type field in the Config / Ports and Pins / Turn Options (tab) dialog? 

Thanks. 

6

General Mach Discussion / Setting Rapid (G00) Rate?

« on: February 05, 2006, 03:57:58 PM »

I'm getting much faster rapids when jogging than when programming G00.  Is there some setting that I haven't been able to find that controls this?

Thanks.