Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Mach Plot Screen not showing path trace

« on: October 08, 2009, 07:37:56 PM »

Hello,
I need to know why or how the plot tool trace can just quit working. I have been working with editing a complex program and periodically using the plot trace to check the paths and then now it just quit working and I can't find why or what changed. I have done a shut down and reboot several times and it just won't come back ! I am using version 42.029 on SS and like I said it was working just fine. This has happened before and then mysteriously just came back on its own ?

2

General Mach Discussion / new mach 3.042.029 punched me in the nose

« on: August 02, 2009, 03:03:30 AM »

I saw we have a new updated version of mach, down loaded it and did an install expecting perfection as is the usual. Well, much to my surprise nothing seemed to work any more. homing went to hell. It couldn't calculate wpo, tool, and when doing tool probing I got bogus numbers. I looked settings over and nothing changed. Machine took to slamming my limits, couldn't do the math and go to where it was told etc. That is when I quit with it, too dangerous for what I was seeing. I reloaded version 3.042.020 and it came right back to being a pussycat. What happened or was going on, I can't say. All I can say is that it did not work out as is the usual with lockdown upgrades and my machine became stroked out or stoned or whatever. I couldn't trust it at all ! I went right back to version .020 and all is well so far. Seems to be back to stable and smart. I suspect v.029 was eating bad mushrooms. Really got psychotic

today, 8/02 I tried version .029 again and so far it seems to be fine. I don't know what the deal is but it sure was screwy yesterday. I'd like to know what to look for, so I can avoid such instances.

3

VB and the development of wizards / tool probe macro

« on: July 17, 2009, 12:47:16 AM »

Hey
I got to making my m1s file today for auto tool probing and it works just like I have been wanting with one exception, the G10 L2 P command gives an error in respect with the P and won't post the new offset. Attached is the file pretty much as I have been trying it.
Tool = GetSelectedTool         'current tool
REM Context 10001
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code"G0g90Z" & 16.0
code"G0g90X" & 24.02 & "Y" & 1.985      'moves to above switch
code "g31 z0 f30"
While IsMoving()
Wend
code "g1g91z.1f30"
While IsMoving()
Wend
code "g31g90z0f5"
While IsMoving()
Wend
MachineZ = GetVar(2002)         'switch contact point
MachineZ = MachineZ - 2.0288      'calculates tool length offset
code "G10 L2 P" & Tool &"Z"&MachineZ   'inserts tool table                                     This seems to be the troublesome line
code "G43H"&Tool         'turns offset to on
code "g0g90z16.0"              
end if  

4

SmoothStepper USB / Homing "x" axis not working correctly

« on: May 29, 2009, 12:18:16 AM »

Every since I started using the SS I have had issues with the machine homing. The Z and the Y home properly but the X although it zero's and makes an attempt to back out like it should will stay in the limit trip zone by up to .0071" ! The best I could get from it is with the system set at 4khz it will clear most of the time, but at 2khz and under it will not and limit is trip faulted by varying amounts. The fact that it is of varying amounts then it tells me it isn't going to be repeatable till I get it to work as it should. I have tried and reviewed everything that I can think of to no avail. I don't know whatelse it could be or how to solve it. This was never an issue with PP and Yes I am using the up to date releases for mach 3.042.020. If I were to make a guess I'd have to say that the process is being interupted before it is done. I am leary of leaving it at 4khz and I need to know that the homing is repeating as it should. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will attach the smoothstepper xml as it is today and from the mach root directory.
Thanks
Don

5

SmoothStepper USB / Help ! From Incremental Jog to a runaway !

« on: April 08, 2009, 12:10:43 PM »

Hello,  I am using mach r3.043, SS beta 2 v.015 ogb, & FTDI d2xx 2.04.05 : What I've experienced is most distressing. I have numerous times been in incremental mode to touch off a tool, and turn to zero, or modify a readout, then tap another increment and the machine slowly starts to jog off in a direction. Sometimes with just one drive "z" and a few times it is "all" drives ! This is quite distressing and now I am reluctant to trust the system. I have slowed down my servo velocities and it seems to maybe help, but it is not a cure. I can't find any settings that help. I thought it might be the version of Mach I'm running.
I also experience occasional times when homing machine that a limit switch holds after homing is complete, but not always. easily cured but thought this might be related. I would really like to know what to try to fix these items.
While I'm here I also have the coolant coming on when I do a prg. simulation run or dry run. Before, this never happened, but now it is constant that the M8 & M9 trip, I'm surprised that the spindle does not !
These are the only real issues I've experienced worth reporting ! Otherwise I am very happy with the SS unit and operation. I have run several programs and can say that everything was quite smooth indeed when the code is good ! I have however had some issue when I suspect code problem and tab the "STOP" key and never know what to expect. Once, the machine did as it is supposed to and traveled to safe "Z" and some other times it just coasted down in "Z" where I didn't want it to go.
I have no way of knowing if this is something I can change with settings or what ?
I will attach my SS.XML as well in hopes of a remedy.
Thanks
Don

6

SmoothStepper USB / BETTER SET-UP INFO PLEASE !

« on: March 02, 2009, 08:52:08 PM »

 
I could really appreciate some more set-up info for the spindle blending with SS. There are so many things in the set-up that I feel I'm guessing at it and It is not working correctly.
What I am up against is that I can't tune my spindle into SS, I try, and I get a message that there was a lack of comm beyond time allowance and then it drops the driver and tells me it is not even there and I must reboot to get it to talk again with mach. I am not sure what is going on at this time and don't have enough info to develope a plan as to what it is and how to solve it. When I reboot system and get it on line I can then drive machine, home, and do all I want except start the spindle. It seems to fault out before the spindle even gets up to speed, I do have to take up to 6 sec to get to top speed and SS doesn't seem to like that. What do I look for ! I had the spindle working fine before but now No. I am using the latest of downloads as of yesterday and new puter with AMD phenum 3000 hz, xp striped, SS on pc power, All fresh set-up !

7

SmoothStepper USB / Smooth Stepper + Mach3 + Vista 64bit ? ? ?

« on: February 15, 2009, 12:55:05 PM »

I gathered that mach and vista64 didn't play together nicely, But, I recall seeing a comment somewhere that the SS might alleviate that as a problem since the driver wasn't going to be needed with SS system. So, my question pertains to this ! Will Mach3 and vista64 play nice under SS instead of PP setup ? I've been searching for this info but since this is so new maybe I'd have to just ask and see if anyone has tried it yet or if I have info incorrect. I am putting together a new PC and got the Vista64 yet still have an available copy of XP too. I am considering loading up a dual boot anyway, just in case.
Don

8

General Mach Discussion / Saving WPO file ?

« on: September 16, 2007, 11:49:21 AM »

I found that when I load up a new version of mach that everything but my WPO's are there. usually this is no problem but i lost a non recoverable WPO last time and realized that this could be an issue if you have a lot of them to save. I need to know where they are stored and how to save this file. It would be real handy if there was maybe a macro with hot key that would auto dump all critical files to a flash drive or at least a file folder that was protected. I looked for the storeage area for wpo's but didn't see it. i'm assuming it must be in .xml but then why isn't it saved ?

9

General Mach Discussion / GRAPHICS, TOOL PATH, TOOL OFFSET = OFFSET TOOL PATH ON GRAPHICS !

« on: July 02, 2007, 12:06:18 AM »

I find it quite perplexing that when i set up a complex path and i'm ready to start cutting and follow along in the graphics window, with the ghraphic rotated to show depth, so that i might know where it is in the program that the trace is above the graphic by the length of the tool offset amount. I've looked through mach many times looking for a setting to correct this and have as yet found nothing. If i leave the graphic flat of course its looks fine, but if i rotate it so that i can see it in depth that this takes effect. It corrects fine for the WPO why can't it correct for the tool length as well ? Am i missing something or what. I would certainly like the graphic and tool path coincide. I'm quite surprised that i've read nothing on this anywhere yet. does no one else use tool length. or what am i missing here ...... Thanks for an otherwise great system.

10

Mach Screens / NEED BETTER MACH 2 MILL SCREEN

« on: July 17, 2006, 08:41:33 AM »

Hello all,  I'm sorry but i don't like the screen that came with Mach two,  printing on buttons not easily read, and too cluttered ! I'd really like a better screen set and i don't have time to devote at this time for fixing one up. I'm just getting started with my IH mill and I think it'll keep me busy for a while. I'm sure that there are some fine screens that have been passed around before Mach 3 got popular. I'm holding off on Mach 3 for now. I'd really appreciate something easier to work with and thank you to anyone to help !
Cruiser