Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Losing zero ref - related to feed rate changes?

« on: September 25, 2006, 02:57:44 PM »

So, INcreasing acceleration could help?!?

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Losing zero ref - related to feed rate changes?

« on: September 25, 2006, 01:01:29 PM »

Interestingly it seemd to happen at (or near) the same place in the toolpath.  This is about 1 hour into a 1.5 hour run. Cold be a coincidence.

I checked my settings, perhaps someone can review them...


units are setup in inches ( the toolpath is in mm)

Velocity
x =  .4090 in/sec
y = .4031
z = .196

Accel
x = 1.936
y = 3.133
z = 3.304

backlash
x = .007
y = .007
z = 0
Backlash speed % max = 10

min pulse is 1 uS
steps/unit is 32000
y and z axis are reversed (had to do this for some reason to get toolpath to turn out right)

OCX driver test
I get a message "No OCX found in directory" at startup, but it runs ok:
pulse/sec is betwen 25598 and 26000
CPU speed 2590
Apic is present, timing constant 3892

Computer:
2.6 GHz celeron
.5 G ram (.3 G available before running Mach 2)
XP pro SP2

Note i did load a CD rom emulator recently and it was running in the background.  Is this an issue? Anyway i removed it.


Any hints would be welcomed...

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Losing zero ref - related to feed rate changes?

« on: September 25, 2006, 02:15:15 AM »

I usually write the code to move pretty fast (20 mm/sec) and slow it down at the start.  Actually I had another go at it, and this time I didn't even change the feed rate.  Similar result, after an hour or so of milling using a fine point, it missed some steps or something.  Anyway it got missreferenced by about 7 mm in the x axis.  I was running at 80% of 20 mm/sec.  I will check my driver etc., but it was working fine a few weeks ago.  The way it happened, i suspect that the error occured when the tool was picked up and moved to another area of the toolpath.  Doesn't it move quicker then?

Aaaargh...

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Losing zero ref - related to feed rate changes?

« on: September 24, 2006, 04:59:22 PM »

No, actually its mach2.  I tried mach 3 but it didn't work so far...

5

General Mach Discussion / Losing zero ref - related to feed rate changes?

« on: September 24, 2006, 03:24:00 PM »

I have a question.  I am using mach2 and a taig mill.  I am cutting wax for jewelry.  So far I have set up the machine and it has worked reliably for several pieces.  On the last one though, it abruptly changed its zero reference during roughing.  I had one other time when it lost reference during milling.  The only thing that ties these two instances together is that I was chanigng the feed rate via the Mach2 feed rate control during the cut.  I tend to start at a slow rate and increase up to a higher rate.  Or if it is moving to a new location (at the safe z height) I speed it up briefly.  Is this a problem?

I have also noticed that sometimes when I zero out the z height, the x and y reference changes.  Why is this?