Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Program Stop

« on: October 24, 2015, 11:06:07 PM »

I was milling a part and was a good part of the way through it when the mill just shut down in reset mode.  There was nothing I could find that caused it to happen.  So, I gave it an M3 to start the cutter back up.  Now the cutter is spinning.  Then pushed the start from present position button (or whatever it says). The system went back into reset again.  Tried it several times and went into reset, staying at the same command location.  It was on a simple G1X0 command; nothing interesting.  So, I went back to zero and started the program over again.  This time it finished.  Has anyone seen this kind of behavior.  I figured it was some kind of noise problem or something, but it seemed like it some anomaly in the code shutting it down, since it was repeatable.  thanks

2

General Mach Discussion / Holes Not Round

« on: February 24, 2015, 06:19:46 PM »

I’m machining a plug panel that has assorted hole sizes for mounting plugs. Each of the holes that gets machined is eccentric (oblong). I thought at first that it was due to a backlash issue, but doesn’t seem to be the case. The holes are eccentric diagonally. If backlash, it seems they would be eccentric only in the x or y direction. This would indicate something to do with the software; a setting or such? Anyone seen this?
I’m running Mach 3/PMDX/Gecko/RF 45 rex

3

General Mach Discussion / Gecko Tuning Problems

« on: December 26, 2014, 09:02:53 AM »

I'm having trouble getting a Gecko 320 driver/motor to stabilize.  It worked fine before, but after doing some rewiring at the motor, I can't seem to get the vibration adjusted out of it.  I have the limit clear up as Gecko recommends and as usual for my setup.  I have 90V servo motors. 
The only position of the gain and damping pots that give me good performance with no chatter, etc, is with both of them fully counterclockwise.  BTW, the Gecko spec doesn't say which direction is full on.

I know that if you tune by ear, you turn the gain up until chatter, then turn damping up until it stops; then turn the gain up, then the damping until you're almost to the end of the damping pot.  Doesn't seem to work that way, both pots ccw seems to be the only working position.

I haven't dinked with the other two drivers since I set the system up months ago; scared to at this point.

4

General Mach Discussion / Joy Stick

« on: October 24, 2014, 02:20:18 PM »

I have arrived at the point where I need some kind of manual positioning mechanism (such as a joy stick) for my mill.  Trying to do it from the keyboard doesn't let me get close enough to eyeball what I'm doing.  I see a number of joy stick solutions on the web, but don't want to embark on one until I learn a little about them.  Best case would be an ArtSoft supported solution, but I don't see anything like that on the website.  Any advice for me?  thanks, rex

5

General Mach Discussion / Steel Selection

« on: August 12, 2014, 01:32:55 PM »

Let me know if I need to find another message board for this kind of question.  I've been playing around with cutting on a block of metal of unknown origin.  Even at very slow speeds, I'm ruining end mills.  I suspect that this steel is much harder than what I want to be playing with right now.
As I search the web, I find different kinds of steel; hot rolled, cold rolled, different machinability, etc.  Can someone give me a pointer as to what steel I should get to continue my experimentation?  thanks much

6

General Mach Discussion / Mill Wizards

« on: July 24, 2014, 11:15:07 PM »

I have my CNC mill up and running thanks to several of you who gave me advice recently.  I now want to start using it, but am not familiar with the array of CAD/CAM programs yet.  The first project I want to do is to make a front panel for the CNC control box.  This will involve cutting holes of different sizes in various locations in a flat piece of metal.  Is there a mill wizard that will simplify this operation for me?  I know I can do each hole individually with MillWizard, but I'm thinking there might be a library created by members of user groups somewhere.

thanks, rex

7

General Mach Discussion / More About Coordinate Systems

« on: May 11, 2014, 10:57:31 PM »

I'm going through the video tutorial about coordinate systems.  I can see that the narrator is presenting an older version of Mach 3.
I have the roadrunner code loaded, but I'm not seeing the same thing on the upper right display as I'm seeing in the tutorial.  One notable thing missing is the box showing the xy limits of the roadrunner tool path.  Another thing.  He has his machine coordinates set to 100mm x 100mm.  The roadrunner path is miniscule within these machine coordinates.  I have my machine coordinates set to 30" x 6", and the roadrunner path is 5 - 6" both directions.  I'm not sure why it's coming out so small in the tutorial.
Just trying to learn this stuff.  thanks

8

General Mach Discussion / Coordinate Systems

« on: May 10, 2014, 08:33:24 PM »

I have my mill running in all three axes.  I don't seem to be able to figure out even after watching the tutorials how to tell the mill where the bounds of the table are.  The video tutorial assumes a home switch.  I don't have one yet.  It seems like I should be able to teach the software where the table is and have some soft limits.  As it is, when I try to execute the roadrunner program, I eventually fault in the y-direction, mainly because I don't seem to be able to get the work-space positioned so that it's contained by the table.
Can someone give me a clue as to what I'm not understanding about this?  thanks, rex

9

General Mach Discussion / Can't Jog

« on: April 20, 2014, 10:20:32 AM »

I was on this forum a few weeks ago trying to get my mill up and running with Rutex and Campbell.  After discovering at least one bad board and probably two, I decided to punt that system and start over with new components.

I now have PMDX 126C, Gecko 320 (not x), and of course the latest version of Mach 3.  With some fiddling around, I was able to get all three axes working and ran some of the wizards successfully.

Then I decided to start hooking up the error stuff.  Wired up the y-axis according to PMDX faq sheet and then couldn't get the estop to turn off or the outputs to enable.  After a lot of fooling around, I decided to drop back and see if the original config still worked.  Took the error circuitry out, put the err/res jumper back on the Gecko module.  I still have the same situation.  Outputs won't enable.  I've check wiring multiple times and there's nothing amiss there.

I am able to jog all three axes when the switch register is configured to test mode, but that takes Mach 3 out of the loop.  For some reason, Mach 3 isn't allowing outputs to enable.

I did reload the xml file, bringing that back to the original config.

Suggestion for what to try next?  I don't think anything is actually broken; it's acting like some kind of user or config error.

thanks, rex

10

General Mach Discussion / Proximity Detectors

« on: March 29, 2014, 01:17:21 PM »

1. I'm planning to use proximity detectors for limit and home on my mill.  Any suggestions as to which ones to get?
2. I realize this is a Mach 3 forum and question #1 probably belongs somewhere else.  Please point me to your favorite forums for milling machines and controllers. 

thanks much, rex