Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 21, 2011, 06:02:25 AM »

Thanks again mate,

Regards,

Demenicis

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 21, 2011, 05:34:25 AM »

Hi,

That is a quick one now:

Can I make my stepmotor wires a bit longer welding other wires to the existing ones?
Do I have another way to do that like opening the motors and conneting whole new longer wires to it (I haven't ever opened a step motor so I don't want to take the risk before asking)

Thanks

Demenicis

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 19, 2011, 12:40:45 PM »

You have given GREAT answers, thanks.

I'm also aware about the reduced torque....


Thanks a lot again.

Demenicis

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 19, 2011, 08:45:42 AM »

Hi Hood,
I didn't get that "...Mach to move X Y and Z in a helical path so spindle doesnt need any sync at all".
As far as I can figure out, the rotation of the work piece has to be controlled.

I also forgot to say that my motor (set to 500-600mm/min) gives me 600rpm and it still seems really powerfull (I can't stop the shaft holding it with my fingers). Therefore I was thinking about connecting it to the spindle with about 1:5 ratio which will give me a powerfull 3000rpm which is more than I can get from my real convetional milling machine.

When you mention the spiral it means that mach3 CAN interpolate 3 axis then. Is that right?

SNOUT, I got that hand control for about 26 pounds (45 dollares) which I think was a great waste of money. Initially I used it to test the control board and motors without connecting the system to any computer. But the max. speed is so low that I'd rather adapting a manual handle in case I need to positon the xy manually somewhere (I'got double shaft motors exactly for that reason).
Also, this hand control has a really dodge looking and I think It was the responsible for "Burnning" my first 3 axis control board (70 dollares more of waste!).
Now the seller disappered, and I can tell you this jostick will never get close to any CNC controllers I have since it is already in the "bin".
I think when you have your mach3 up and running, it is such a plesure to move the motors through the keybord arrows that I don't really think anyone needs a hand control (thats is my opinion now)

PS: does anyone know which keyboard keys I have to press to move the Z, A, B, C, etc (at least the Z please)?

Regards,

Demenicis

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 19, 2011, 07:07:29 AM »

Hi,

Because I bought a 4 axis controller, I'd like to install a step motor on the spindle, so now I'got two questions about that:

1- can I program 1 of my motors (lets say the "A" axis) to turn indefinitely, being the spindle?
2- can my system interpolate 3 axis at once so I can machine a thread/spiral, for example, where I need 3 axis synchronised (spindle, vertical "z", and the cutting tool "x"or "y"?
If the interpolation is fine, my idea is to use the milling machine as a vertical lathe where the work piece would be grabbed by the chuck and the cutting tool fixed on the xy table.
My system consists in one of those basic 4 axis TB6560, Mach3&LazyCam softwares. I don't know if either the control driver or the softwares would have any limitation to interpolate 3 axis at once.

Thanks for any info given,

Regards,

Demenicis
 

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 17, 2011, 06:21:28 PM »

Hi,

finaly done.

I installed win XP32 bit in another partition on the same hard drive where my C drive was.
Now I have both XPs (32 and 64 bit).

No mistery at all. Mach3 installed fine and the "no driver sensed" message never came. It said "driver installed succefully"!!!

Now I got the hang of it and the steps I found out myself are:
1-After restarting the computer straight after mach3 installation, I plugged the parallel cable into the stepmotors control board (TB6560 4 axis 3A). But the power supply is still OFF.
2- now the power supply can be connected to feed power into the control board. I did that several times and I never "burnt" the control board (YET!!)
3- Run Mach 3
4- set the pins and ports according the the control board PDF instructions supplied together with the board.
5- for a stepmotor type NEMA 23/part code 51BYGH56-401B/2.8Amps/12.6KG.cm (a bit over designed just in case!), I'm using haf step. In "motor turning" (in mach3) then, I'm using 400ateps/turn, 500mm/min (just as a test, I think It would go even faster if I need), 11 for the acceleration.

There are some links for the videos of my first try.

basic movements through the keyboard arrows
http://www.4shared.com/video/r44YHEFH/XY_basics.html

machine doing a 40mm circle path with a pen attached (badly attached) representing the future milling head
http://www.4shared.com/video/118EIFQX/milling_circle_40mmdiam.html

Best regards

Demenicis
___________

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 11, 2011, 09:28:38 AM »

Thank one more time,

I think now I know everything I need so I shouldn't bother you again with such basic questions.

I will let you know once I'm succeful (hopefuly)

Best regards and happy new year!

Demenicis

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 11, 2011, 08:26:06 AM »

Hi thanks again for the repply,

I think I have a final question.

which are and in which order should I put my hardware together?

1- computer USB port -> smothstepper -> (through parallel port) -> rubish chinese stepmotor controller -> step motors

2- computer USB port -> smothstepper -> (through parallel port?) -> breakout board -> step motors

3- computer USB port -> smothstepper -> step motors

I went to the first link you sent me and they mention the break out board but they don't sell it, am I wrong?

Regards,

Demenicis

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 11, 2011, 05:39:42 AM »

Hi, Thanks for the interest,

there is a zoomed (on the picture) view of the cross block which holds the "Y" axis in place. It is actually holding it really well, nearly rigid, and I hope I'll be able to machine aluminium on it (not steel though, it would take ages milling 0,1mm at time).

I based this design on that little "toy" unimat 1, which has more or less some "plastic" blocks with same dimensions (50x50) and if you are VERY careful you can machine something. Then I thought if the parts were made out of solid aluminium I would have a much better rigidity and stability, lets see......I'm very close to do the first experiments......
I also based my design on my reall micro milling machine (axmister SIEG X1) where the Y axis is centered therfore it never takes any "cantilever" loads since the milling head is always on its center.
Some quick static calculations (on SolidWorks/cosmos 3D) gave me about 18kgf to deform 0.3 the Y axis (on its extreme), and 22kgf to bend the vertical colum about 0.3mm (if that was welded though).
Those preliminary calculations gave confidence enough that is is going to work with reasonable precision. This is also a prototype, and some improvements are already written down to be implemented on the next model....

I could be talking about what I did to eliminate the backlash on the screws (cheap threaded bar) and motor coupling.....but this post is already too big. Feel free to ask anything if you want.

Changing the subject a bit, could anyone give me a link of an external motion controller (smothstepper or similar) that is the cheapest the money can buy and which still works well.
As we agreed yesterday, the 64bit parallel port DOESN'T work with mach3. I'm sorry but I had to fell in my skin the "no driver sensed" message, I had all the system ready to go so I didn't spend more than 1 hour anyway. Thats all part of my slow "learning path" and I had to experice it myself......(bloody stubborn I was, LOL)

Regards

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach under Windows 7 64 bit- XP Emulation-Again-Help

« on: January 10, 2011, 11:05:35 AM »

Thanks a lot for you guys clarification.

As you would have noticed, my english is a bit crap.
When I said a "NEW" computer I meant to say "another second hand and chepo old one"

But anyway, I think our point of view is more or less the same and I will now (at least) give up of this 64 bit idea and do the job I have to do so I can test my DIY machine I've made in my garage.

There is a picture for you guys so I can intruduce my work a bit better.

Best Regards to all of you and thanks again for the advices.