Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Working with 6axis breakout board

« on: May 10, 2017, 05:14:47 AM »

Thank you for your reply joeaverage

It is much appreciated. Yes, we have done the driver test within the mach3 folder and the system came back as excellent up to 75,000 KHz. I am then assuming that there are no problems there. OK, I will configure the Estop on mach3 using the conifguration menu on ports and pins but I think we have already done that, we enabled it and set the relevant settings. Thats the real problem we are having, access to the actual manual I have tried to get in touch with the suppliers many times and always I get the same response, everything you need is on the website. There's only a wiring diagram and a rar file for the mach3 setup which am not even sure is 100 percent correct. Two blue lights come on the breakout board so I am assuming that means good connection.

Can anyone think of any other reasons why the mach3 may not be communicating well with our circuit.

2

General Mach Discussion / Working with 6axis breakout board

« on: May 09, 2017, 11:41:05 AM »

Hello,

I apologise immediately as am such this is a very common question. We are very inexperienced in mach3 and we are trying to get our motors moving for the first time. We gave taken the rar file from our supplier and tried to use the settings they gave us to test one motor.
We have two nema 23s geared motors on the z axis then four nema34 geared motors on x axes and y axes.
We are just basically struggling to get our motors to move. All the wires are connected.

Here are links for the breakout board and stepper motors:
http://omc-stepperonline.kancart.com/item_detail/282-Gear-Ratio-47-1-Planetary-Gearbox-High-Torque-Nema-23-Stepper-23HS30-2804S-PG47#!detail
http://omc-stepperonline.kancart.com/item_detail/196-Gear-Ratio-13-1-Spur-Gearbox-High-Torque-Nema-34-Stepper-Motor-34HS38-4004D-SG13#!detail
https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/breakout-boards/cnc-6-axis-interface-breakout/

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Dual spindle control on mach3

« on: February 23, 2017, 10:02:12 AM »

Sorry ger21 for the late reply, I understand the motion of x,y and z axes but what I am trying to ask is whether the settings for both spindles can be done on mach3? It only allow the change in settings for one spindle at the moment. It depends, sometimes both of the spindles will be used at the same time but sometimes they may be used separately.
One process: Both of the spindles mirror each other. 
Second process: The spindles are offset.
Third process: One spindle moves along and then the other moves to a position.
We are also thinking of controlling our spindles through a frequency variable drive inverter (a kind of speed governor).

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Dual spindle control on mach3

« on: February 14, 2017, 06:20:23 PM »

Thank you ger21

We have stepper motors on the z axis as well, so calling the spindle the z axis may not be possible. Where on the interface will you find the tool change macro option because it sounds like the best option for us will be the first option you mentioned?

Also, do you reckon if bamcam or fusion 360 autodesk are the best in terms of cam software?

5

General Mach Discussion / Dual spindle control on mach3

« on: February 14, 2017, 10:02:17 AM »

I understand how to control my x, y and z stepper motors on mach3 but I am unsure as to how to control 2 spindles. My project requires the control of two spindles within a dual spindle cnc machine. These will be located top and bottom. As a design team we would much appreciate useful responses to this question. Mach3 only currently allows the control of one spindle in the menu, how can we adjust the programme so that 2 spindles can be controlled independently as the two spindles will have to move at different speeds?

Thank you

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 beginner wanting to know how to get 6 axis on the software

« on: February 11, 2017, 07:24:54 AM »

Also is it ok to call the spindle as the z axis? As we have 2 spindles, what is the best way of mirroring two spindles on mach3? Or activating two spindles?

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 beginner wanting to know how to get 6 axis on the software

« on: February 11, 2017, 07:22:26 AM »

Yes thank you very much joeaverage,

I had a feeling it was something around that area but I just thought to confirm it with an expert in the field thank you.
So does that mean if I create g code for example g00xoyozo then it will also be g00a0b0co, actually a better example would be g02 x10 y15 z11 then it will also be g02 a10 b15 c11? If so then that's great.

Most of the time we would like our z axis to move together.
There are three processes the machine needs to be able to demonstrate. All three processes require the movement of x and y axes definitely.
One can be demonstrated by mirroring which is what you have just explained, the second is a local support process which requires a slight tool offset between the z axes tools. This means that the top tool needs to be slightly ahead of the bottom tool but going to the same velocity. Its a deformation process. How would you set this offset?

The final process require  the movement of both z tools but then one tool stays at the side of the bed while the top tool deforms the material.

I hope I have explained this well enough and that you understand, if not please feel free to correct me on terminology or ask more questions.

8

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 beginner wanting to know how to get 6 axis on the software

« on: February 10, 2017, 12:24:57 PM »

Hey guys!!

I am new to the whole mach3 software so I am making my way through the videos and I am learning as I go along. I just wanted to know how I can adapt the programme to get 6 linear axis, what I mean is +/- x, y and z. Is there a way to mirror the x, y,z axes on mach 3 and if so how? Also, as it is a double sided cnc machine I would like the top and bottom axes to mirror each other as it goes along. Any ideas or suggestions would be kindly appreciated thank you.