Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / G73, but not really G73

« on: November 02, 2016, 12:04:32 PM »

Hey I have this program running.  And I am wondering if Mach3 interprets G73 correctly.  Drill is a .015 diameter, Pecking depth is set at .005, Minimum pecking depth is .005, Accumulated pecking depth is .0375, CHIP BREAK distance is .003 and no dwell.  This issue is that it seems the chip break distance isn't being taken into account so then the spindle retracts about .1, pulling the bit out of the hole, almost like a G83.  Is there another parameter I can manually input to force the Chip break distance or is this program correct and Mach3 doesn't jive?  BTW, it works this way whether I am using a .010 drill bit or a 3/8" drill bit at any length of hole.  Chip break isn't chip break.

(450-01631 WIRE HOLES 1)
N330 M5
N335 M9
N340 M1
N345 T78 M6
N350 S5000 M3
N355 G54
N360 M8
N370 G0 X0.3335 Y-0.216
N375 G43 Z0.6 H78
N385 Z0.2
N390 G73 X0.3335 Y-0.216 Z-0.0765 R0.01 Q0.005 F1.
N395 X0.4335
N400 Y-0.079
N405 X0.3335
N470 G80
N475 Z0.6

2

General Mach Discussion / Laser control on and off using Z

« on: September 22, 2016, 06:03:39 PM »

Been searching the internet for anything about controlling a relay (which controls a laser on/off) by using the Z axis.  There is a lot of talk about -Z turning the laser on and +Z turning the laser off.  That is exactly what I want to do.  But there is nothing mentioned for my hardware configuration, which I figured is quite common.

I use Solidworks and HSMxpress to produce my G-code.  I don't want to edit my G-code at all.  And I don't want to have to change to another suite of software. 

I am using a USB BOB http://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/breakout-boards/3-axis-cnc-usb-card-mach3-200khz-breakout-board on my laser gantry. 

Anyway, I am not sure how to wire in a relay on the Z Axis outputs of this card.  Pulse+ and Direction+ are always 5V and so I am not exactly sure how to integrate the Pulse- and Direction- into the scheme of controlling a relay.  Even a circuit to latch the relay to itself may work.  Any ideas?

On a side note, will research setting up Mach3 as a plasma cutter, but even on this board there isn't much on that.  And I am not sure of its features and how it will operate the laser.   

3

General Mach Discussion / Move, give up sync

« on: January 05, 2016, 10:18:31 AM »

Hey all,

Keep getting a "move, give up sync" message in the status bar when auto tool zeroing, or attempting to get auto tool zero to work. 

What does this message mean?

4

General Mach Discussion / Tool Probing Issue

« on: January 04, 2016, 07:12:16 PM »

What in this script would cause Z to only move +0.25"  In Diagnostics, the Digitize LED turns on when touchplate is grounded and turn off when the touchplate is not.  It's like Mach3 is skipping down to the "FinalMove" line.

Was in the process of installing V.062 and this did not work.  So went back to V.066 and even though I transferred/saved the copied Mill.xml from and to the Mach folder, I still had to manually reconfigure and calibrate everything.  This is the last thing that I need to get working and not really sure why it isn't following the script.

FeedCurrent = GetOemDRO(818)    'Get the current settings, OEM DROs (818)=Feedrate DRO
ZCurrent = GetOemDro(802)   'OEM DROs (802)=Z DRO
GageH = GetOEMDRO(1001)   'OEMDRO(1001)=Gage Block Height
ZNew = ZCurrent - 20      'probe down 20 mm

Code "G90F20"         'slow feed rate to 20 MM/MIN
Rem Code "G4 P0.5"         'Pause 1 second to give time to position probe plate
Code "G31 Z" &ZNew
While IsMoving()
Sleep(10)
Wend
Call SetDro (2,GageH)      'DRO(2)=Z DRO

FinalMove = GageH + .25
Code  "G0 Z" &FinalMove
Code "F" &FeedCurrent        'restore starting feed rate       



Thanks, 

Pete

5

General Mach Discussion / Taig Mill Questions

« on: January 03, 2016, 05:56:48 PM »

Hey all,

In the process of fine tuning and working out some issues with my Taig mill.  Running a PC with a 3.16Ghz processor with 4Gig RAM, connected to a Leafboy77 (http://leafboy77.com/index.php/en/) USB motion board, connected to 3 each 2m542 stepper motor controllers, then connected to the 3 570oz/in stepper motors.  Also installed is a 48VDC power supply. 

I am curious as to the speed at which other owners have their Taig mills running.  With backlash enabled, I am pretty much limited to 12in/min.  Without backlash enabled I can jog at 25.  I really would like to be able to machine close to that speed with backlash enabled.  I only have backlash compensation enabled for Y at .003".  Is backlash compensation a inhibiting factor?

Questions are, I have tried to follow the 50/50/50 rule talked about before with regard to backlash compensation.  Took the middle of the two extremes of .050 and .005 for a setting of .0275 for the shuttle speed.  Backlash speed set at 50%, and motor speed set at 15ipm.  Again, the mill without backlash compensation enabled and speed set higher can traverse at about 23-25ipm.  Again, I would like to be able to approach that with the backlash enabled. Assumed that with these motors, they would have the torque to do nearly anything I needed. 

Also dealing with another abnormality.  20% of the time when jogging X and Y, X will sometimes slow and chatter, as if losing steps.  I can let go of the Y arrow key and X will still chatter.  I can also toggle off and on the Y arrow keys and stop and start Y at will all the while X is still chattering.  Sometimes the roles are reversed, so it doesn't only affect X.  I can run X and Y separately and never have a problem.  Why does it happen when they are operated together sometimes?  It can be a real pain especially when the part is zeroed and I am just moving the spindle out of the way or changing tools or moving to begin a tool touch.  If I hear the steps being lost, I have to backtrack, waste time and reinstall the edge finder and rezero. 

Would running CV help the issue?  Also what effect does the kernel speed have on mill operation?

Ultimately, I would like to get rid of the stepping issue, and increase my machining speed. 

Let me know what you all think. 

Pete

6

General Mach Discussion / MDI glitches

« on: January 02, 2016, 02:04:10 PM »

Hey all.

Having an intermittent issue.  When using the MDI screen I will often move the 3 axis' for various reasons, I use this screen a lot.  For example, I will touch off the tool on the top of rough stock, 0 Z and then jog up and off the top of the stock to the side, type in Z-.020, start the spindle and face top of said stock.  Move off the end, type Z-.040 and face again.  Or another thing I like to do before hitting "start" when running a program is to type G0 X0 Y0 Z0 and the tool moves to the origin, just want to double check everything first.  Then I will jog Z up and then click start. 

In both common situations, I will type in the command and hit enter.  The computer will ding, (meaning to me the computer has registered the command), but nothing happens.  I then have to close Mach3, reopen and then MDI will then work, sometimes 10 times, sometimes only 1 or 2 times, then it will lock up and I again have to restart Mach3. 

I don't believe it to be a keyboard issue.  Typing the code and hitting enter all work, confirmed by the MDI line and the enter key "ding". 
Rerouted all the cables for the mouse, keyboard and USB cable away from the steppers, controller box, power supply etc. 
Grounded the PC to the controller box. 
Using version .066 (considering installing a previous version)

Let me know what you think

Pete

7

General Mach Discussion / Backlash when enabled, kills everything.

« on: October 24, 2015, 03:07:58 PM »

Hello all.  I've been noticing some egg-ish pockets when they are supposed to be round.  I have a Taig mill and am wanting to apply backlash compensation.  Following bits and pieces on various posts here and there have been doing the following steps. 

Going into General Config and deselecting CV Dist Tolerances and Stop CV on Angles.  Then Selected CV instead of Exact Stop and then set shuttle Accel. speed to .05.  Click OK and then Config>save settings. 

Then go into Config>backlash.  Input for X .0012 and Y .0035, set backlash comp speed to 50% and then enable>OK then close out of Mach 3 and restart.

After restart, I got back to General Settings and set CV Distance tolerance to 180 (was the default amount) and set Stop CV on angles >90 (will need to see how the values effect things).  Then OK and then Config> save settings. 

After doing all that, no axis will move.  The DRO will change but there is no movement of any of the 3 steppers. 

Ill keep hunting for clearing directions on setting this up, in the meantime I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thanks, Pete

8

VB and the development of wizards / Auto Tool Zero Keyboard shortcut

« on: September 01, 2015, 03:10:43 PM »

Hey all,

Any one know how to set up a keyboard shortcut for starting the auto tool zero?  Holding the touch off plate with my right hand and running the mouse to click the auto zero button is a pain.  Would like to just be able to click Alt>L or Alt>Num Pad 1 or pretty much anything similar with my left hand. 

Here is the current script for the button:

Rem   

FeedCurrent = GetOemDRO(818)    'Get the current settings, OEM DROs (818)=Feedrate DRO
ZCurrent = GetOemDro(802)   'OEM DROs (802)=Z DRO
GageH = GetOEMDRO(1001)   'OEMDRO(1001)=Gage Block Height
ZNew = ZCurrent - 20      'probe down 20

Code "G90F10"         'slow feed rate to 10 IN/MIN
Rem Code "G4 P0.5"         'Pause 1 second to give time to position probe plate
Code "G31 Z" &ZNew
While IsMoving()
Sleep(10)
Wend
Call SetDro (2,GageH)      'DRO(2)=Z DRO

FinalMove = GageH + .25
Code  "G0 Z" &FinalMove
Code "F" &FeedCurrent        'restore starting feed rate   

Thanks, for any input.

9

General Mach Discussion / Art Code 8877

« on: May 24, 2015, 08:46:39 PM »

Hey everyone,

This Art Code 8877 has been brought up before, have looked at the other posts, but some are quite old and wondering if anyone can shed some more light on the subject. 

Got a new PC, Windows 7, 64-bit, just downloaded latest Mach3 today.  Hooked via USB to a XHC-MK4 breakout board (with power supplied as well) purchased from Automation Technologies.  That is as far as I have gotten building a setup for a Taig.  Promise was made by them that following the instructions, this would be plug and play.  Only thing plug and play these days is maybe a cell phone charger plugged into the USB port.

Instructions (Chinglish) were to copy NCusbPod.dll into the plugins folder.  Easy.  Once that was done, open Mach 3 Loader, select Mill or Mach3Mill (what's the difference?) select NCusbPod-XHC-Mach3-USB-Motion Card, "don't as me this again" button and OK.  Count to 10 and the "Error Found, Art Code 8877" message appears.  Happens every time. 

Have renamed plugins folder and made a new plugins folder with only the NCusbPod.dll file in it.  Made no difference.  Tried another computer, (Windows 7 32-bit), and get exactly the same result. 

Emailed their tech support, hopefully will get an answer.  Was going to go with the Leafboy77 board, I already have one running the laser with absolutely no issues except for the usual annoying Mach3 quirks that you have to overlook, not related to the card at all.  Wanted to buy the card but was convinced by the sales guy that the MX4 card had more capabilities.  Whatever. 

Considered Mach4, but seems hardware is very limited and wary of having to cram and learn Mach4 and want to stick with what I know now.

Please let me know what you all think.   

10

General Mach Discussion / Shift key "sticking" but not stuck during jog.

« on: April 14, 2015, 04:24:06 PM »

Hey everyone. 

Having an issue with shift key unpredictability.  We use a laser cutting/ablating PCB's and the table is controlled by Mach3.  Often times I will slow the jog down to say >5% as in the attached pic.  I can then use then use the keyboard to jog around slowly and do some very minor cleanup.  Hitting the shift key + arrow allows 100% jog as we all know, allowing me to get to another position.  Simultaneously, the yellow "LED" beside the Jog Mode button will light.  Then after getting into position, just pressing an arrow key will allow to return to slow jog and allow us to again, trim with the laser.   THE PROBLEM....sometimes, say 5% of the time, the shift function does not disengage and 100% speed is still engaged even when only pressing an arrow key.  Is this a known issue with a fix for this shift key issue?  This "feature" has destroyed several parts, and shouldn't warrant having to look at the LED beside the Jog Mode button to confirm that the shift key is disengaged when it isn't being pressed.  This is not a windows sticky key function, nor is it the key sticking on the keyboard.  Two shift keys on two different keyboards and they never stick when doing regular typing as it hasn't typing this note.  Thanks for your help.