Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / homing

« on: October 18, 2016, 12:45:01 PM »

I am use to homing the machine by hitting Home and then the axis will go to the home switch, stop, go backwards slowly, then go forwards slowly to hit switch again.  This makes an accurate home limit.  

My question:  is this function controlled by Mach3 or by the machine board?  In other words, does Mach3 give the board commands to do this (move fwd, move backward, move fwd again) or is it automatically done by the board when Mach3 gives it the home command?

2

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

« on: October 18, 2016, 01:56:20 AM »

What is an affordable but decent quality control board to drive 5 stepper motors (XYZAB) using Mach3 and a USB cable? Doesn't have to have any fancy features but needs to be able to use soft limits and go to home where it slows down at the last little bit and then zeros (my current board it will replace just slams into home and then I have to reset the machine).

No ESS, etc. , just a usb cable from the computer to the board.

Thanks folks.

3

General Mach Discussion / foam cutting screenset gcode input

« on: June 24, 2016, 12:19:29 PM »

How do I enter individual Gcode commands with this screenset?

http://devcad.forumfree.it/?t=67621349

And if it wont' let me then what can I add to allow me to put in individual codes so I can move the axis, etc without writing a program each time?

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing/adding function code vs writing macro script

« on: June 03, 2016, 01:31:39 PM »

Is there any way to get this to work?

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing/adding function code vs writing macro script

« on: April 19, 2016, 06:09:43 PM »

Darn, that's what I was afraid would be the case. 

I have a e-Cut 4-axis USB motion control board.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attachments/4/7/1/5/0/6/426584.attach

It doesn't even need you to set the pin numbers for the axis, somehow it automatically knows which axis you're moving.  But it apparently only does XYZA.

Anyway to get this to work with code?

One other idea I had- is it possible to electrically connect the outputs from one axis to another in parallel?  So I flip a switch and the X&A are ganged (and both controlled by X) and Y&Z are ganged (and both controlled by Y)?  Or will this cause other problems?

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: changing/adding function code vs writing macro script

« on: April 19, 2016, 12:31:24 PM »

Can someone help me here?  How do I get the Y & Z to jog together fro the foam cutter screenset?

This is the screenset:

http://devcad.forumfree.it/?t=67621349

Thanks guys.



 

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: z-axis only goes one direction

« on: April 19, 2016, 12:26:52 PM »

Ok, I'll keep an eye on this, thanks.

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: z-axis only goes one direction

« on: April 15, 2016, 02:28:03 PM »

Ok, for my own education- how exactly does the XML file get corrupted?  IOW how do you prevent this from happening? 

And is it just with the SmoothStepper because this machine doesn't have a smoothstepper and had the problem.

But my other machine does have smoothstepper and also has the problem.

Thanks.

9

General Mach Discussion / changing/adding function code vs writing macro script

« on: April 14, 2016, 04:51:13 PM »

I am trying to run a foam cutter and my board won't accept a XYAB axis, only XYZA.  So I need to change the foam screenset to jog Y & Z together (not Y and B per function codes 354 and 355).

So can I modify an existing function code?

Or can I add another function code and use an existing one as a template (like add function codes 356, 357)?

Or do I have to write a script and call that out for the button?

If the latter what would the scripts say to accomplish:
 
Jog Together Y & Z ++
Jog Together Y & Z – 

Thanks guys.

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: z-axis only goes one direction

« on: April 14, 2016, 01:45:41 PM »

Ok, I switched XML profiles and for some reason it's working but still doesn't work on the original profile.  It bugs me that I can't figure out why the one profile would make it only move one direction.  Ideas?