Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 and the use of a CMM as an engraver

« on: August 02, 2010, 03:42:57 AM »

Does anyone know is CMM's us ball screws.  I would like to scrap the controls on an old CMM, and retrofit it with Mach3 for use as a cnc engraver/router.  Is this plausible?

Thanks

2

VB and the development of wizards / M98 and M99 VBScript

« on: July 18, 2010, 03:34:54 AM »

Does anyone know how to access the VBScript for the M98 and M99 macros?  They are not found in the Macros Folder.  I don't want to change them, I would just like to see how Mach3 Find the M98 O word when the M98 P word is called, and how Mach3 exits the subroutine with the M99 comand.

3

VB and the development of wizards / How to get the current subroutine file name?

« on: July 15, 2010, 11:42:06 PM »

In VBscript, how can I find out what subroutine is currently open.
Example:
(c:Mach3/subroutines/99999.nc) is the current subroutine opened with a M98 command.

GetCurrentSubroutinefile = linestring 'gets the name of the current subroutine that is open
setuserlabel (1,linestring)  'inserts 99999.nc into userlabel 1

Is there an led that signals when a subroutine is open?

Thanks

George

4

VB and the development of wizards / Would like Mach3 to find the next tool number during tool change

« on: July 12, 2010, 09:19:17 PM »

What I mean is that I would like to place a custom userDRO on the screen that would display what tool number is next in line to run after the current tool finishes.  This way while tool A is running, I can look on the screen and find which tool to get ready for the next manual tool change.  I figure when the tool change macro is ran,  I'll use some script to scan ahead and find which tool is next.

So far, I have been able to get the macro to find the line the next tool change is on and post the entire line of code to the message bar, but I'm not sure how to post just the T number (word) to a DRO.  I want it posted to the DRO because any messages are immediately replaced in the history file.


Dim currentfile As String
Dim filesys, filetxt, lastline, oldline As String
Dim currentLine As String
Const ForReading = 1, ForWriting = 2, ForAppending = 8
Set filesys = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
currentLine = GetOEMDRO(816)
Found = False
currentfile = FileName
Set filetxt = filesys.OpenTextFile(currentfile, ForReading, True)
Dim i As Integer
i = 0
Do While filetxt.AtEndOfStream <> true
linestring = UCase(filetxt.ReadLine()) & " "
If linestring <> " " Then
i = i+1
If i > currentLine Then
If ((InStr(linestring,"M6" ) >0 Or InStr(linestring,"M06" )>0)) Then  
Message "()" & linestring 'post the entire line of code to the history folder
Found = True
MsgBox " Your next toolchange position is at line "& i
Exit Do
End If
End If
End If
Loop
If Found = False Then
MsgBox "No M6/M06 Found after LINE:"& currentLine
End If
filetxt.Close
Set filesys = Nothing
Set filetxt = Nothing

My question is, how can I get the tool number (T word) set to a user dro.

5

General Mach Discussion / Problem with Feed rate after tool change

« on: July 11, 2010, 03:49:02 AM »

I'm suddenly having problems with mach 3 acting weird immediately after a tool change.

Program conditions are:
Tool change is set to Mach 3 default (stop and wait for cycle start)
The tool height offset  is -2.916
G28 home position is x.1 y.1 z-.1 (machine coordinates)
Post processor is SheetCAM

Here is the part of the code I'm having issues with

N0000 (Filename: Side A step 2.nc)
N0010 (Post processor: Mach2.scpost)
N0020 (Date: 3/15/2010)
N0030 G20 (Units: Inches)
N0040 G40 G90
N0050 F1
N0060 (Part: Sportser  91-03 Rev. view layout for cam)
N0070 (Process: Drill, thru holes, T26: #3 center drill, 0.25 in Deep)
N0080 G28
N0090 (#3 center drill)
N0100 T26 M06  G43 H26
N0110 G0 z.375
N0120 M1 (check dro's and z offset)
N0130 G00
N0140 M08 (Flood coolant on)
N0150 M03 S3000
N0160 X-0.1180 Y0.5899
N0170 Z0.0197

Here's what happens:

1. Press cycle start and Mach 3 rapids to the home coordinates.
2. Program  stops and wait for cycle start after manual Tool change.
3. Press cycle start and the z axis RAPIDS down to z=0 in WORK COORDINATES?
4. Then feeds at 1 ipm down to z=-2.916 (height offset) IN MACHINE COORDINATES?
5. The the z axis rapids back up to Z=.375 IN WORK COORDINATES
6. Then the rest of the program runs flawlessly.

Here is what should happen:

1. Press cycle start and the machine rapids to home position.
2. It stops and waits for cycle start after manual tool change.
3. Press cycle start and the tool rapids down to z=.375 (work coordinates) and the continues with the rest of the program

I had this problem 3 or 4 years ago and can't  remember how I fixed it. I've spent the last two days  trying to figure this out, If anyone could help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

George
 

6

VB and the development of wizards / HELP!! I'm about to pull my hair out

« on: January 30, 2010, 02:33:58 AM »

I made a touch pad to auto zero tools.  I found this script in this forum, but it does not appear to be working properly.

When the auto tool zero button is pushed, the tool comes down and touches the touch off pad  (led lights up) but does not stop, it continues to probe the entire specified distance (.100") , comes to a momentary stop, then continues moving the Z axis down until it triggers the z axis limit switch, instead of going back up the specified retract distance.  It also does not zero the tool when it contacts the touch pad.  Can someone please help?  I attached  my screen set.

ProbeOffset= GetUserDRO(1151) 'probe offset DRO

If  GetOemLed (825)=0 Then 'Check to see if the probe  is already grounded or faulty
DoOEMButton (1010) 'zero the Z axis so the probe move will start from here
Code  "G4
Code "G31Z-.1 F5"  'probing move, can set the feed rate here as  well as how far to move
While IsMoving() 'wait  while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)  'get the axact point the probe was hit
Code  "G0 Z" &ZProbePos 'go back to that point,  always a very small amount of overrun
While IsMoving  ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, ProbeOffset) 'set  the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as probe offset
Code  "G4 P0.25" 'Pause for Dro to update.
Code  "G0 .1" 'put the Z retract height you want  here
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts  this message in the status bar
Else
Code "(Z-Plate  is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this  goes in the status bar if aplicable
Exit Sub
End  If

7

Mach Screens / Problem with opening files in Screen4

« on: January 24, 2010, 07:23:55 PM »

I can't seem to open any of the screen files with screen 4.  Every time I try to open a file (1024.set) I get an error message (blank box with exclamation point in tringle).  If I click OK, the computer just beeps and won't do anything, so I have to ctrl-alt-del and forcibly end screen4.  Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

8

General Mach Discussion / What is the purpose of the to go button?

« on: December 26, 2009, 02:34:05 AM »

What does the to go button do?

9

General Mach Discussion / What is verify?

« on: December 24, 2009, 12:48:33 AM »

What is the purpose of the verify button?  How does it work?

Thanks

10

Feature Requests / Find tool command for running gcode.

« on: December 21, 2009, 06:07:54 PM »

On some cnc machines I have ran,  there was an option called find tool.  This command would search the gcode for the tool you specify, thus giving you the option of run the program from that point.  It saves a lot of time if you need to start from a specific tool change point when the program have 40,000 lines of code.