Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / M3 and Dwell doesn't alway work

« on: February 08, 2015, 03:00:14 PM »

This problem just started, M3 for spindle on will not actually turn on the spindle and the dwell will not initialize either.  I have tried uninstalling and installing mach again.  I tried removing the extra characters in the M3.mts file.  Am I at a point of a clean install of Windows to clear this up? I have broken a lot of small bits now.  At least a couple hundred worth since this began.

2

General Mach Discussion / Hesitates with tabs in profile toolpath

« on: December 04, 2013, 10:41:20 PM »

I think I know the answer to this but I just want to make sure first.  I have the current Mach3 release.  I use Aspire for CAM.  I output toolpaths with the Mach2_3_ATC_Arcs_inch.pp.  Whenever I select add tabs to toolpath it adds extra points on each pass depth cut instead of the one that needs it.  This causes a jerking that is not noticeable until you get over 125 ipm.  Examples next and question below.

Example code with tabs
N190X0.0000Y0.0000F100.0
N200G00X1.4486Y5.7766Z2.7500
N210G00X1.4486Y5.7766Z1.0000
N220G1X1.4486Y5.7766Z0.3750F20.0
N230G1X1.2878Y6.0577Z0.3750F100.0
N240G1X1.2111Y6.2003Z0.3750
N250G1X1.1344Y6.3430Z0.3750
N260G1X0.9887Y6.6322Z0.3750
N270G2X-0.2500Y12.0000I11.0113J5.3678
N280G2X12.0000Y24.2500I12.2500J0.0000
N290G2X20.6786Y20.6454I0.0000J-12.2500
N300G1X20.9065Y20.4105Z0.3750
N310G1X21.0172Y20.2901Z0.3750
N320G1X21.1280Y20.1696Z0.3750
N330G1X21.3429Y19.9229Z0.3750
N340G2X24.2500Y12.0000I-9.3429J-7.9229
N350G2X12.0000Y-0.2500I-12.2500J0.0000
N360G2X1.4486Y5.7766I0.0000J12.2500
N370G1X1.4486Y5.7766Z0.0000F20.0
N380G1X1.2878Y6.0577Z0.0667F100.0
N390G1X1.2111Y6.2003Z0.1000
N400G1X1.1344Y6.3430Z0.0667
N410G1X0.9887Y6.6322Z0.0000
N420G2X-0.2500Y12.0000I11.0113J5.3678
N430G2X12.0000Y24.2500I12.2500J0.0000
N440G2X20.6786Y20.6454I0.0000J-12.2500
N450G1X20.9065Y20.4105Z0.0667
N460G1X21.0172Y20.2901Z0.1000
N470G1X21.1280Y20.1696Z0.0667
N480G1X21.3429Y19.9229Z0.0000
N490G2X24.2500Y12.0000I-9.3429J-7.9229
N500G2X12.0000Y-0.2500I-12.2500J0.0000
N510G2X1.4486Y5.7766I0.0000J12.2500
N520G00X1.4486Y5.7766Z2.7500

Example code with without tabs
N190X0.0000Y0.0000F100.0
N200G00X12.0000Y-0.2500Z2.7500
N210G00X12.0000Y-0.2500Z1.0000
N220G1X12.0000Y-0.2500Z0.3750F20.0
N230G2X-0.2500Y12.0000I0.0000J12.2500F100.0
N240G2X12.0000Y24.2500I12.2500J0.0000
N250G2X24.2500Y12.0000I0.0000J-12.2500
N260G2X12.0000Y-0.2500I-12.2500J0.0000
N270G1X12.0000Y-0.2500Z0.0000F20.0
N280G2X-0.2500Y12.0000I0.0000J12.2500F100.0
N290G2X12.0000Y24.2500I12.2500J0.0000
N300G2X24.2500Y12.0000I0.0000J-12.2500
N310G2X12.0000Y-0.2500I-12.2500J0.0000
N320G00X12.0000Y-0.2500Z2.7500

First off, should it react this way with the hesitation? I thought it read the next point so it would be able to maintain constant velocity?  If this is normal operation, is there a way to minimize it or do I just have edit the gcode?  I don't understand why they have them on every pass depth that does not require a movement in the Z axis. 

3

General Mach Discussion / Gecko Drive and A axis indexer question

« on: June 15, 2013, 08:27:16 PM »

I want to get a Gecko 203V for the A axis I am building.  My question is how does Mach send the signals, would I need to get the CW\CCW drive rather than the standard Step\Dir?

Thanks in advance.

4

General Mach Discussion / Motor Tuning Troubleshooting

« on: April 27, 2013, 04:54:27 PM »

I noticed the other day in Motor Tuning something odd.  When I use the up or down arrow keys my axis is not moving smooth.  It instead is moving in jerks. It starts, stops, starts, stops.  It appears to be a repeatable pattern.  I did a search and saw another post and its final solution was to do a clean install of windows.   So I did that.  I figured it to be a good idea as I had automatic updates on before.  Now I have automatic updates off, a nothing else installed.  However, motor tuning is still doing the same thing.  The fresh install did clear up a problem I was having before with the steppers overdriving missing a lot of steps on certain programs.  The motors jog fine, sound fine, run fine with the gcode it is only motor tuning.
My os is WinXP
Mach version .57
Kernal Speed 45K tested to 60K listed as System Excellent
Using the same profile as before
So my questions for you all is "What can cause this problem?  Can a profile get corrupted?  Are there other settings that can cause problems with Motor Tuning?"
And most importantly,  Thanks for the help!

5

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 Bug? Causing overrun of drives

« on: March 16, 2013, 05:49:36 PM »

I have an interesting issue.  I have had this happen with three different programs.  When I load a complex 3d modelling program in Mach that has more than five toolpaths all in the same program, when I start the program the program starts as normal but when it moves in G00 rapid the steppers will overrun.  My cam program is Aspire 4 but this also happened with programs I made with 3 as well.  If I output single toolpaths or split the program in half ie. 3 toolpaths in each program, it will work fine.  I am at a loss but like I said only with certain programs.  I have run more than 100 programs. The programs range in number of lines from 300,000 to 600,000.  Any suggestions.

Pete