Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Simple Draw test??

« on: March 15, 2017, 06:09:45 PM »

I wrote an explanation of using the "WRITE" wizard under the Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards section of the forum. It is the 7th. line down, titled Mach3 Add-on 'WRITE"

It takes a little playing with, and you can see the letters on the screen after you exit the file. It will compose the G-code, and put it in the directory as the file name write.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 not Moving in any axis!! HELP PLEASE!!

« on: January 18, 2017, 04:12:47 PM »

You said in the first post, when you manually push the switch at the end of the axis, the light goes OUT. This is backwards. The led in mach3 should only come on when the limit switch is activated.  Mac3 thinks all the limits are active!

Nothing is going to move if any limit is ON.

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis PID

« on: November 22, 2016, 01:14:05 PM »

What you are talking about is not a trivial, or simple task. A long time member of this forum, "sinpson36" has spent a couple of years developing a 4th. axis system, and has abundant YouTube videos of the project. He now sells complete units. He also has numerous posts on this forum regarding this project.

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: want to put mach 3 on my journeyman tree mill

« on: October 19, 2016, 07:59:10 PM »

Yes, replacing the Delta 10 is possible.
Where do I start?   Right here!
Lots of help right here on the forum.
If you post the area you live, there may be someone close to assist.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: recommended 5-axis usb board for Mach3

« on: October 19, 2016, 03:59:13 PM »

The UC100 USB motion controller from CNC4PC is a simple solution stepper motor control that has very good reviews. It costs $114.00

http://cnc4pc.com/uc100-usb-motion-controller-954.html

A small breakout board that will do 5 axis is sold by Stepperonline, and cost all of $11.79. I have used this board, and it works as
advertised. Be sure to download the manual for the board. You will need a separate 12 or 24v supply to activate the 0-10v output if you use an inverter for spindle control.

http://www.omc-stepperonline.com/5-axis-cnc-breakout-board-interface-for-stepper-motor-driver-stv2-p-197.html

This will give you a very reliable set up.

The home and soft limits will work in Mach3 if you have home switches set up. Soft limits is a function in Mach3 that needs the motion limits/boundaries entered into the home/limits menu.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Stepper issues

« on: October 17, 2016, 11:01:56 PM »

The breakout board in the photo (reply #14) is a 5-axis CNC breakout board sold by StepperOnline. You can download the PDF manual from that site. The manual has the complete "Ports and Pins" settings, pin #'s, setting the Spindle 0-10v , Limit/Home switch setting pin #'s, and a very good pictorial schematic of all the connections.
It will work with a parallel port cable, or the UC100 USB / Parallel device.

I have assembled a 3-axis router package for a client, using the UC300 board (the big brother to the UC100), and followed the PDF manual. Everything works as described. There are some very specific Ports and Pin connections to get it all working correctly, so following the manual is advised.

You will need a 12 or 24 volt source for the 0-10v output for an inverter. It is a very compact, and simple board that works.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: what controls the A axis speed?

« on: October 03, 2016, 02:22:48 PM »

The A axis requires much different parameters to match with the X,Y and Z axis.
There are several settings to be checked as well;
General Config: check A axis is angular; check boxes in Rotational.

Tool Path Config: X - Axis of Rotation; check box Use radius for feedrate; check box A Rotation enabled.

The velocity settings for X,Y,Z are usually all the same, but the Velocity for A is much higher, as well as acceleration.

In my Analog Servo DSPMC milling machine, Steps per for X,Y,Z = 4096; Velocity = 180; Accel = 6
Steps per for A = 1536; Velocity = 1560; Accel = 270
In this setup, the Rotary table is 90:1, and I use this machine for commercial machine jobs, including many  jobs needing
the rotary axis.
---------------------------

In my stepping motor router: Steps per X,Y,Z = 10160; Velocity = 70; Accel = 30
Steps per for A axis = 2000; Velocity = 120; Accel = 40

------------------------------

These settings were arrived at by testing, and long term use.  The A axis speed with G0 or G1 is fully in sync with
the linear axis.
As you can see, the Velocity for the A axis is many times higher than the linear axis in both types of machine control.

Just experiment with the A axis settings, and keep raising values. At some point, the A axis motor will stall  so just back off the setting.  You can also write some simple combination moves using X,Y, and A using feedrate for a simple test.

               

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 or Mach4 MDI Serial Input

« on: October 03, 2016, 01:30:17 PM »

Why do you need tp do MDI (Manual Data Input) by Serial interface?

Mach3 was not designed to use a Serial input format.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3, Leadshine MX4660, UC100 CNC motion controller and problems with Auto Zero

« on: August 15, 2016, 12:37:58 AM »

The tool setting function uses an insulated "touchplate", as labeled in your macro. A probe
is a device with a movable tip that triggers an input signal when it is moved, as in touching
a surface in x, y, or z which then enters the axis position into the macro.

In your macro, there is setting for "touchplate height." You measure the thickness of
the plate, and enter this dimension into the macro.


The ground clip is attached to the tool. When to tool touches the "touchplate" a signal is
generated to carry out the instructions in the macro. It is always good procedure to touch
the "touchplate" two the tool before starting the too zero setting function to verify all is
working properly. When this is done, a screen led should light.

The macro, if functioning properly, will set the Z Zero position, calculating internally
using the touchplate thickness, and move to tool position to the retract value entered
in the macro.

There are better macro's available in the Mach3 toolbox.

You also must make sure that the ports and pins setting for the "probe" action is set properly
whether active Hi or Lo.

 

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: General Config “Charge Pump ON in Estop”

« on: July 26, 2016, 11:12:53 AM »

You are more than welcome. Many things in Mach3 are not "intuitive", and it take time to fully understand.