Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Zero and TLOs - please help

« on: November 24, 2006, 02:36:34 PM »

ok, problem was solved after lots and lots of trial and error an ex-machinist friend of mine figured it out.

It turns out that I had a G91 (incrimental) instead of a G90 (absolute), this is what threw off the offsets.
If I actually knew mastercam x and could read g code better, I might have caught it myself :-)

Thank god for smart friends. Thanks for all the help.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Zero and TLOs - please help

« on: November 21, 2006, 10:55:29 PM »

so run the program and then click feedhold. What should I look for, i haven't used feedhold before.

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Zero and TLOs - please help

« on: November 21, 2006, 05:47:19 PM »

sorry, i only used tool 1,2,3,4 for the message, i did set them as the correct tool number in mach3.

today i tried using the spindle face (no bit) as Z Zero and then setting TLOs. still doesn't work.....

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Zero and TLOs - please help

« on: November 20, 2006, 09:05:42 PM »

whoops..

could it make a difference that i'm using version 1.84 and not 2.0?

5

General Mach Discussion / Z Zero and TLOs - please help

« on: November 20, 2006, 08:17:07 PM »

OK, please don't crucify me if this was posted recently, I tried to search for it and nothing has worked so far.

I'm running MACH 3 with a BOB Controller hooked up to a Bridgeport Series 1 CNC and am posting with Mastercam X.

I'm having trouble setting TLOs. I can set X and Y Zeros fine.

I read the Mach3 manual, and followed the proceedure they layout.

- bring tool to gauge block (i'm using a piece of paper)
-set Z Zero
- insert tool 1, type 1 in tool setting, hit enter, jog down, hit set tool offset, click tool offset toggle on.
- ref home, goto Z, all is good for tool 1
- insert tool 2, type 2 in tool setting, hit enter, jog down, hit tooloffset, click tool offset toggle on.
- ref home, goto Z, all is good for tool 2.

The manual says that the offset toggle on "LED" should go on an off, mine goes ON as soon as I hit enter on the tool number. Nots ure if this is part of the problem.

now i can jog and swap tools and everything is at the correct offset.

as soon as i run the program, the second tool, is always at the first tool height, if shorter no problem, if longer, i plung into the table (which right now is a wood block for safety)

Attached is a copy of the program. It is a 36 tooth sprocket.

I can run the part fine if I only use one tool, but I want to be able to run at least 2 - 4 tools, instead of 1 at a time.

All cuts are negative, datum is center of part, top of material.

any ideas? thanks

brian