Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Mill Wizard Heights Question. Correct Forum??

« on: April 20, 2023, 04:57:24 PM »

The last message posted in the Mill Wizard subsection here seems to be from 2018; I'm not sure where the current discussions are hosted.

My question has to do with a Rapid Height error message.

My inputs in the Job Settings screen are as follows:

Rapid Height 15.00 (Z15)
Clearance Height 3.00 mm (Z height above work surface)

My inputs in the actual job (Bolt Hole Circle) are as follows:

Z Top 5.00 (Z 5)
Z Depth 1.00 (Z 1)

So far, so good. However, if I raise Z top to 6.00 I get an error message "Rapid Height below Top of Work".

How can the Rapid Height of Z15 be below the Top of Work Height of Z6? My clearance, which the manual says is a distance and NOT an absolute value, is at 3.00mm, or Z6 (top of work) + 3.00 (clearance distance) = Z9.

Joe

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Wizard not displaying: wxLua error

« on: December 29, 2022, 05:08:42 PM »

When I open the Rounding canned cycle on my Windows 10 laptop I find that after using the cycle several times I cannot open the wizard. I get an error message: "unable to show wizard 4: expected a "wxcolour" for parameter 2, but got a 'nil'.

I contacted ArtSoft and the response was that this is a rare Windows error and was told to download Mach4 Industrial in demo form and use the rounding cycle from there. I did that on another laptop (a Surface) but after a few days, I get the same error on that laptop too.

Shutting down and restarting doesn't make any difference. It is as the cycle code has been permanently corrupted.

Any suggestions?

Joe

3

Mach4 General Discussion / Physical home switches with linear encoders

« on: August 14, 2022, 09:30:51 AM »

I have a new Chicago Lathe Bridgemill with linear encoders for absolute positioning of the axes. If the encoder knows its absolute position do I need physical home switches to home the machine? If no, is there a way in Mach4 to set home using these encoders?

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Tool Table Import/Export redux

« on: June 08, 2021, 11:51:23 AM »

I was sure this topic was discussed before but I can't seem to find any reference to how I can either export or import tool tables in Mach4. In Mach3 I recall there was a macro, but I don't seem to find a macro folder in Mach4.

I want to create and maintain a tool table in only one place, either in Fusion 360 (my preference), or in Mach4. If the latter, then I would like to be able to import the table from Mach4 into my Fusion 360 CAM setup tab. If set up in Fusion 360, I would like to import it into Mach4. Either way would work, but I would obviously like to only maintain only one tool table.

Any suggestions?

Joe

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Using multiple drill Z offsets in one drill chuck

« on: January 29, 2021, 03:23:15 PM »

I cannot afford to buy a tool holder for each drill bit that I use and so was hoping to use one drill chuck with its own T# and multiple drill bits. I would then swap out the drill bit for a different size for each drill canned cycle.

While the diameter of the drill doesn't matter (XOffset) the issue is the ZOffset. I obviously would have different tool length offsets for various drill bits. So, for a simple operation, I would use my reference tool T01 to set Part Z0. Then, after a turning operation, I would call for a drill tool (say, T12 with a center drill) from my tool table. Once I drill the center, I swap out to the required diameter drill mounted in the same chuck. I call T12 in my GCode, but how do I account for the now changed Z offset? I cannot hold stick-out of the drill from the chuck constant as each drill would have different effective lengths.

I searched the forum but couldn't find any suggestions.

Joe

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Allowing for Tool Numbers in Lathe Canned Cycles

« on: January 12, 2021, 10:39:21 AM »

I would like to specify the tool that I will be selecting from my tool library when using a lathe canned cycle. So, if I want to use T06 for a Rounding Canned Cycle is there a way I can add the tool # to the Input screen for the canned cycle? I, of course, can edit the GCode file and change the tool number, and then save the code. But, it would be nice to have the option to specify which tool I will be using, rather than have the default T01.

Joe

7

Mach4 General Discussion / K values in XY plane error for turning operation

« on: November 25, 2020, 05:18:47 PM »

I'm trying to turn a ball on the end of a motorcycle push rod. I used the Rounding Canned Cycle in Mach 4. However, when I run the code I get "K word given for arc in XY plane". When I search the net and this forum all the topics refer to milling operations, and not turning.

I've attached a file showing my inputs for the Rounding Cycle.

I've also copied the output code below.

Finally, I've attached my profile.

Why is it looking for the XY plane? What is the K value for? I though I and J control arcs.

Joe



N0 (Machine type - MachMotion Lathe Canned Cycles)
N5 (Filename: C:\Mach4Hobby\GcodeFiles\Parting Cycle.tap)
N10 (Generated on 11/25/20 at 16:58:52)
N15 G00 G40 G54 G64 G80 G90.1 G99 G17 G21 (Safe Start Block)
N20 %


N25 %
N30 (Starting Gcode for Rounding Cycle: RoundingCycle-0)
N35 ([Xi, Zi] = [7.04, 23.46]; [Xf, Zf] = [0.0, 30.5]; Radius = 14.08; Z- Direction; OD)
N40 G50 S2750 (Spindle Speed Cap)
N45 (Roughing)
N50 G00 G40 G54 G64 G80 G90.1 G99 G17 G21 (Safe Start Block)
N55 %


N60 %
N65 T0101 (Tool Change)
N70 G99 (Feed per Revolution)
N75 G97 S600 (Constant Speed)
N80 M03 (Spindle Forward)
N85 M09
N90 G00 X7.240 Z30.615  (Rapid move to Clearance Height)
N95 G01 X6.540 F0.250  (Cut in on X-Axis)
N100 G01 Z26.474 F0.250  (Cut in on Z-Axis)
N105 G03 X7.040 Z25.362 I-3.451 K12.190 F0.250  (Spring Pass Sweep)
N110 G00 X7.240 Z26.574  (Pull out to Retreat)
N115

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Fusion 360 simultaneous machining on the A axis

« on: May 14, 2020, 12:14:32 PM »

Fusion 360 just released 4th axis simultaneous machining, which is free until the end of May. I modeled the machining of a camshaft lobe where the lobe rotates on the A axis. However, the post processor file fails as "this post configuration has not been customized for 5-axis simultaneous toolpath". I'm not sure why it asks for a 5 axis tool path, but I'll try to track that down in F360. My question is whether Mach4 is capable of simultaneous A axis (a rotary table on the X axis in my case) machining?  I've attached a file showing the error output.

Joe

9

Mach4 General Discussion / M6 not updating Current Tool info.

« on: April 26, 2020, 04:10:40 PM »

This topic has been beaten to death, but for the life of me I can't seem to fix this problem. On T5 M6 (where T on M6 line is tool to use), the tool number in the Current Tool Information box does not change. Actually, it doesn't change either if I switch T to be next tool. The problem persists whether I use upper or lower case M. Here's the standard script from the editor.

When I enter a G43 H5 command, the H offset changes correctly to Tool #5's, but the tool number is stuck at my touch off tool.

What's missing?

Joe



function m6()

   local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()
   local selectedtool = mc.mcToolGetSelected(inst)
   local currenttool = mc.mcToolGetCurrent(inst)
   
   if selectedtool == currenttool then
      mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "Current tool == Selected tool so there is nothing to do")
   else
      --Remove this line if you would not like the Z axis to move
      --mc.mcCntlGcodeExecute(inst, "G90 G53 G0 Z0.0");--Move the Z axis all the way up
      mc.mcCntlToolChangeManual(inst, true);
      mc.mcCntlSetLastError(inst, "Current tool == " .. tostring(selectedtool) .. "   Previous Tool == " .. tostring(currenttool))
      mc.mcToolSetCurrent(inst, selectedtool)
   end
end

if (mc.mcInEditor() == 1) then
 m6()

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 in Fusion 360 Post Processor

« on: April 14, 2020, 11:39:31 AM »

I create my design in Fusion360 and then use the Manufacture environment to specify the machining operations. Once done, I click the Post Process tab in Fusion 360 Manufacture. In the Post Configuration pull down, Under Vendors I select Artsoft, and Milling. However, the pull down options then available are only Mach2 Mill and Mach 3 Mill. I have to go to the Autodesk HSM Library and download a Mach4 post processor into my local drive, and then upload into Fusion360's post processor. Why is Mach4 not an available option in the pull down menu?

Joe