Topics

1

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / strange display on curves

« on: September 21, 2007, 10:14:03 AM »

I have recently been using more gcode with curves rather than lots of straight segments..
I have noticed that when the toolpath display shows these toolpaths, instead of drawing a curved radius where a curve should be, it draws a massive circle on the same trajectory of the curve extending out from the correct start and end point and leaves out the segment where the curve would be as if its travelling from the start to end point round the center point the wrong way, the program still seems to follow the correct path, leaving the little white dots behind in the right place.
 Also when i make a toolpath with straight lines making up curves, the machine runs smooth and continuous on paths in xy plane but is jumpy (starts and stops) in yz and xz plane.
any ideas
regards
Benergy   

2

General Mach Discussion / CNC Printing part numbers on routed parts

« on: July 31, 2007, 02:38:11 PM »

This has been in the back of my mind for a while...

I have programmed PICs to control old bubblejet printer heads a long time ago, and thought about the possibility of putting the print head on the side of a router head, and as the x axis moved across (after finished routing) , it lowers to print a rudimentary part number or label on routed out parts, good for tagging large numbers of parts from sheets of stock. I know existing hardware exists for production lines (often plywood or plasterboard comes with these kind of markings)but dread to find out costs. Has anyone put any thought into such a thing for mach, made out of cheap n cheerful (or free) and plentiful supply of obsolete hardware (like printers)?. How would i go about outputting a simple line of gcode that sent a number over serial to be recieved by the pic( Programable Integrated Circuit for anyone confused) that then dumps the number to the print head? I thought of just using trigger outs, with the pic incrementing every time, but would be way more fancy if a part program could dictate the word or number.

xx
Benergy   

3

General Mach Discussion / Analog joystick control...

« on: July 31, 2007, 02:11:55 PM »

I have the plugins for the usb joystick control,
both downloaded from the website.
what is the difference between the 2?

How does the incremental nature of a dynamic joystick control Mach jiogging If it goes through this keygrabber thing (isnt keygrabber basically a software version of ipac, as in keystroke emulation), im missing something here. I have some good sturdy industrial control joysticks (0-5volt positioning) I have an analog to usb coverter (Maplin Electronics in UK) that should plug and play so PC thinks its normal USB joystick

(http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=23256&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=ANALOG%20JOYSTICK&doy=31m7

and i have mach3...
could someone shed a little light on my darkness...
benergy

4

General Mach Discussion / hello every one, im new, i got a question

« on: July 15, 2007, 05:18:11 PM »

Hiya All.....

Could someone explain the look ahead feature to me..
also when i have the feed speed cranked up, the follow line the machine takes is no longer true to the gcode, it seem to cut corners and swerve out before taking a corner...

regards

Benergy