Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !

« on: January 28, 2017, 11:56:52 PM »

It would be really nice if we could find someone to try this board.




http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-axis-CNC-USB-Card-Mach3-200KHz-windows2000-xp-vista-/260759887366?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item3cb6801e06#ht_8263wt_1139



Tweakie.

I own and use this card on my Seig X3 mill. If you have any questions about it, ask and I'll do my best to answer in detail.

This is an old thread, but have to comment on this board.  I use 3 of them, one on a Taig mill and two more on two different laser systems.  Been using them for about 2-3 years.  These are super easy to set up, just copy a plugin, BUT and a big BUT, there are two glitches with all three and it involves the Shift Key.  It seems the Shift Key doesn't disengage sometimes, causing the board to act as if the Shift Key was still pressed.  So, if you do a full speed jog with the Shift and Arrow key.  Let go, then press the arrow key to slowly jog (say jog set at 10%) then sometimes it will jog again at full speed and CRASH.  Or if you jog with the Shift and Arrow key, then let go.  Then start the spindle with F5, the relay will chatter, causing the spindle (or Laser) to chudder or flash.  You then have to tap the shift key a couple times and the spindle or laser will operate fine.  I have ruined several parts because of this glitch, and am looking for a replacement board, but am afraid of some other damn glitch.  Same thing, different flavor.  I like the USB, no messing around with a parallel (dinosaur) port.  No issues with noise, just the "Shift Key."     

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: G73, but not really G73

« on: November 05, 2016, 01:08:51 PM »

On another note, I just figured out I can force the mill to chip break if I input a Dwell time period (even .001 sec) before retract.  The result is that it doesn't use a canned cycle, so a program of 25 lines to drill 6 holes, turns into a program that is 221 lines long instead to drill the same holes.  BTW, using HSMxpress.  So either way, use the Mach3 setting above or inputting a dwell time results in the same thing. 

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: G73, but not really G73

« on: November 05, 2016, 12:49:46 PM »

THANKS TOTALLYRC!

It worked!  It should make a significant change in time required especially when drilling a few hundred holes at a time.  


Again thanks,

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: G73, but not really G73

« on: November 04, 2016, 10:00:27 AM »

Come on somebody!!  Anyone have an idea what's up with G73 and Mach3?

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General Mach Discussion / G73, but not really G73

« on: November 02, 2016, 12:04:32 PM »

Hey I have this program running.  And I am wondering if Mach3 interprets G73 correctly.  Drill is a .015 diameter, Pecking depth is set at .005, Minimum pecking depth is .005, Accumulated pecking depth is .0375, CHIP BREAK distance is .003 and no dwell.  This issue is that it seems the chip break distance isn't being taken into account so then the spindle retracts about .1, pulling the bit out of the hole, almost like a G83.  Is there another parameter I can manually input to force the Chip break distance or is this program correct and Mach3 doesn't jive?  BTW, it works this way whether I am using a .010 drill bit or a 3/8" drill bit at any length of hole.  Chip break isn't chip break.

(450-01631 WIRE HOLES 1)
N330 M5
N335 M9
N340 M1
N345 T78 M6
N350 S5000 M3
N355 G54
N360 M8
N370 G0 X0.3335 Y-0.216
N375 G43 Z0.6 H78
N385 Z0.2
N390 G73 X0.3335 Y-0.216 Z-0.0765 R0.01 Q0.005 F1.
N395 X0.4335
N400 Y-0.079
N405 X0.3335
N470 G80
N475 Z0.6

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Laser control on and off using Z

« on: September 23, 2016, 09:20:53 AM »

Thanks Tweakie for the info, I've got a stash of 5V optically coupled solid state relays that may fit the bill. 

7

General Mach Discussion / Laser control on and off using Z

« on: September 22, 2016, 06:03:39 PM »

Been searching the internet for anything about controlling a relay (which controls a laser on/off) by using the Z axis.  There is a lot of talk about -Z turning the laser on and +Z turning the laser off.  That is exactly what I want to do.  But there is nothing mentioned for my hardware configuration, which I figured is quite common.

I use Solidworks and HSMxpress to produce my G-code.  I don't want to edit my G-code at all.  And I don't want to have to change to another suite of software. 

I am using a USB BOB http://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/breakout-boards/3-axis-cnc-usb-card-mach3-200khz-breakout-board on my laser gantry. 

Anyway, I am not sure how to wire in a relay on the Z Axis outputs of this card.  Pulse+ and Direction+ are always 5V and so I am not exactly sure how to integrate the Pulse- and Direction- into the scheme of controlling a relay.  Even a circuit to latch the relay to itself may work.  Any ideas?

On a side note, will research setting up Mach3 as a plasma cutter, but even on this board there isn't much on that.  And I am not sure of its features and how it will operate the laser.   

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash correction not working?

« on: April 22, 2016, 10:36:30 AM »

TFT,

Keep working at it and let us know how it goes.  I have a Taig mill and a while back I was working on trying to get rid of .003" in the Y.  I played with every setting, tried the 50/50/50 rule and never could get the backlash compensation to work, the motors always seemed to be loosing steps.  Max speed is only 25in/min.  Ultimately I just replaced the Y screw and nut.  So far it has been working fine.  BUT, I still want to get the backlash compensation to work for it will help as these nuts and screws wear.  It may also be my motion controller, I might have to try another.  I may go that route anyway because this one has a shift button issue where it will think the shift button is still depressed when it is not.  I am using a USB, Leafboy77 board.

I like the USB setup, and don't really want to mess with a parallel, unless they are plug and play as this one pretty nearly is.  Ethernet is also a possibility. 

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: MDI glitches

« on: January 24, 2016, 12:04:11 AM »

Finally figured out the MDI not working issue, not fixed but an easy workaround. 

To elaborate again, sometimes when using the MDI screen, I would type in a command and press enter.  All I would get would be a ding from the PC and no movement.  Figured out that the issue is the shift key.  If I use MDI and only get a ding, I just have to tap the shift key and then the MDI command will work upon pressing enter.  Changed out keyboards and had no change.  But what I think is going on is when I am jogging, I press the shift key (for top speed) and an arrow key for the axis.  I think what I need to do is release the shift key first, then the arrow key when I want to stop. 

I'll give that a try Monday. 

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool Probing Issue

« on: January 05, 2016, 06:19:43 PM »

Pretty much just gave up and did a Windows Restore back to the 21st of December. 

Most things are back and working ok, still getting the fairly regular MDI issue I posted about before.