Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting DROs to read MM or Inches

« on: February 28, 2007, 05:05:31 PM »

Many thanks for all your replies guys. I'll try them out in the morning...

Hugo

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting DROs to read MM or Inches

« on: February 28, 2007, 01:33:51 PM »

I'm using Mach3 version R2.0.037.

I would be horrified to find out that the rotary axes changed scale when I changed from inch to mm.

Please find attached my .XML file.  I have changed the native units to MM and re-tuned the motors.

Hugo

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting DROs to read MM or Inches

« on: February 28, 2007, 11:56:17 AM »

I'm using Mach 3.

My DROs seems to change too. But usually to something unexpected and wrong. Also, the A, B and C DROs change, which they should not.

Hugo

4

General Mach Discussion / Getting DROs to read MM or Inches

« on: February 28, 2007, 11:23:55 AM »

Hi all,

    I'm having trouble with the whole MM versus Inches problem.  Looking on the forums, there does seem to be a lot of confusion, but nothing seems to answer my questions.

The machine I have is:
    A 5 axis mill, with 3 axes in inches, and 2 in degrees.

What I want is:
    To tune the axes in their native units (inches) because they numbers will be exact.
    Everything else to be in MM (the programs and the DROs especially)

But it's like this:
    The axes are tuned in inches or degrees where appropriate 
    The Programs run in MM (with a G21 at the start)   
    The X, Y and Z DROs are still in inches.   
    The A and B DROs are not in degrees. Dunno what they think they are.   

The settings I have are:
    The Native Units (in the config menu) are set to Inches
    The Units (in the settings tab) are set to MM
    The A, B and C axes are set to Angular in the General Logic Config screen

I wish that:
    Everything was totally explicit.  I would be nice if everything shows its units. The DROs should say 0.513mm or 0.531º not just 0.531.  Then there could never be any question as to what they were.


Many thanks for any help you can give me.

Hugo Elias

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 11:56:33 AM »

I think I got it.  Somehow I had got axis B slaved to axis X.

I discovered this when I jogged the X axis, and found that both of them moved.

Thanks for yout time.

Hugo

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 11:46:45 AM »

No, nothing seems to move in offline mode.  None of the axes.
When I type G00A20B20, nothing moves at all.
When I turn off offline mode, then A works again, but not B.

Hugo

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 11:33:15 AM »

yes.

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 11:09:27 AM »

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about a hardware of software thing?

I'm pretty sure this is not a hardware problem. This is because by changing the pin numbers, I can make either motor move. So all of the hardware is working fine.

Or are you refering to an option within Mach 3?

Hugo

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 10:54:15 AM »

Hi Graham,

When I have pins  9 &  8 assigned to A, and 17 & 16 assigned to B, then A works, and B does not.
When I have pins 17 & 16 assigned to A, and  9 &  8 assigned to B, then A works, and B still does not.

I am using the 6 axis screens.  When I run the command G00A10B10,  the DRO for A changes on the
screen, but the DRO for B stays at 0.000.

The B axis is enabled in the "Ports and Pins" control. And I can tune the B axis. All the lights and controls give the impression that X, Y, Z, A and B are active, and C is inactive.

Is there somewhere else to enable this axis?

Many thanks

Hugo

10

General Mach Discussion / Can't get 5 axes to work

« on: February 23, 2007, 08:02:47 AM »

Hi all,

I'm trying to get 5 axes to work on Mach 3.
They are all on the same parallel port.
X, Y, Z and A work fine, B does nothing.
The motor definitely works, because, if I swap the A and B pin assignments, then I can get that motor to move.
I am using the 6 axis screen set.
As far as I can tell, the B axis is enabled.
I have set up hotkeys for the B axis, but it still won't go round.

Please help. Is there something I'm missing?

Many thanks

Hugo Elias  -  Shadow Robot Co Ltd