Messages

1

FAQs / Re: Incomplete path OR maybe XY motion starting before Z motion is complete.

« on: April 25, 2022, 10:37:41 AM »

Thanks, I'll give that a try!

2

FAQs / Re: Incomplete path OR maybe XY motion starting before Z motion is complete.

« on: April 23, 2022, 07:58:28 PM »

Bad form to reply to my own post, I know, but I have a bit more info.

If I manually add a delay to each Z down, the problem goes away.

That is, if

  G01 Z-0.0300

becomes

  G01 Z-0.0300
   G4 P.03

the paths are cut completely.  I have no idea why this is happening, but it's completely repeatable.

I SUPPOSE I can post process my GCode through a text editor, but it's really not supposed to work this way ...

3

FAQs / Incomplete path OR maybe XY motion starting before Z motion is complete.

« on: April 23, 2022, 07:26:55 PM »

I am using Mach3 (licensed, for sure) with a T-Tech PCB milling machine and a homebrew controller.

The T-Tech is basically a 12" x 12" x 1" milling machine, with steppers and ball screws.  VERY precise, certainly capable of milling within .001".

I create my PCB in the editor, export the geometry as Gerber files, then convert the Gerber to GCode using FlatCAM.  I mount a piece of PCB with double-sided tape, install a .015" endmill and start "isolating" traces.

The whole setup has worked fine for years; I've made dozens and dozens of little (and not so little) circuit boards.   Worked fine until recently, that is, when it's started to do something weird.

It's most obvious when asked to mill a circular path, say, for a mounting hole.  Rather than milling the whole 360 degrees, it only mills about 350 degrees.  In fact, just about every path ends a wee bit short.

The fix is to place the "finished" board under a microscope with a sharp knife and scratch out the last few thou of copper from just about every trace.  Crazy.

It seems worse when doing arcs, although this could be my imagination; just about every outline has an arc in it, and FlatCAM always starts on a curve.

And FlatCAM doesn't actually do arcs (G02/G03)  Rather, it does zillions of short segments.
 
Attached is a bit of GCode created by FlatCAM to cut (outline) a single circle. 

This code seems to simulate properly, and just looking at the code, circles do end where they start.

And I don't think it's missing steps, because the boards always come out fine, save for these uncut bits here and there.

My best guess is that the machine is starting the horizontal motion before cutter is fully down, before the vertical motion is complete.

Is it POSSIBLE that there's something weird going on in Mach3?  Some setting I've inadvertently changed?

Thanks for any thoughts.



Alan

4

General Mach Discussion / Keyboard only screenset

« on: April 07, 2022, 08:02:50 PM »

I'm still using the original 1024 screenset that came with Mach3; it works, I know how to do what I need to do and (until now), that's all that's important to me.

However, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to use a mouse, and there's just SO MANY functions on the default screenset that require a mouse.

Has someone created a screenset that uses the keyboard for just about everything?

5

VB and the development of wizards / Surface grinder programming (aka, just getting started).

« on: April 13, 2017, 09:25:21 PM »

I have a small, entirely manual surface grinder.  It's a delightful thing to have, but a person can sure spend a lot of time standing there turning cranks.  As a CNC kinda guy, this seems nuts.

So I mounted some steppers on the Y and Z axis, and a small servo on the X.  I built a stand alone controller using a PIC microcontroller, a four line LCD and a bunch of pushbuttons to set the various parameters; y distance, y increment, z distance, z increment, x distance, x passes before y change and so on.

It works ok .. but barely.  A whole lot more programming work will probably (maybe .. hopefully) get it working well.

I also have Mach3 installed on a couple of milling machines, and started thinking that it sure would be nice to use Mach3 to move things on my surface grinder, rather than my little PIC.  (The motion portion is what needs the most work.)

So I started to think about writing a G code generator, treating the grinder like another milling machine.  That would be better than what I have now, but still sub-optimal.  For example, it would be nice add a "spark watcher", so that once the grinding is no longer making sparks, the program can go on to the next stripe or next height (depth).

That calls for programming, and it surely SEEMS as if Mach3 can do this.

But I'm not quite sure where to start!  I'm fluent in a couple of languages and have certainly written some VB code over the years.

But I don't see how VB interfaces with Mach3.

Is there a good thread or site about just getting started?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Alan

6

General Mach Discussion / Turning wizard problem - "FilletRadius is too big"

« on: May 08, 2010, 05:43:15 PM »

For the record, I'm a new user to Mach3, using it in demo mode to try to get the hang of it.

I used the OD Turning wizard today to reduce some stock.  It worked fine as a test, leaving lots of material to finish the job.  

I manually ran a turning pass (i.e., used the handwheels), moved everything back, mic'd carefully and reset X and Z to 0.000  

I then reran the wizard with my now careful measurements, ran the program and found that the part was still too big.  Unexpected, but I decided to look into this later; for now, I just wanted the part.

So I went back to the wizard again and filled in some new values, clicked "Post Code" and got the message

"FilletRadius is too big"

and now that's all I get, no matter what I type in for values.  Typing 0 into the Fillet Radius field or -1 or 1 or anything at all results in the same message.  Quitting the program and restarting does not fix it.

Basically, this wizard is no longer useful!

Am I missing something?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Alan

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Generic" screenset with buttons to control an output pin - is there one?

« on: December 13, 2009, 08:59:40 PM »

Hey Mike, I may just have figured this out; you might be off the hook!

I've modified a screenset to add buttons and LEDS and some VB code.

It works in the Diagnostic screen!  After dinner, out to the shop and I'll see if it actually works.

Alan

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Generic" screenset with buttons to control an output pin - is there one?

« on: December 13, 2009, 05:05:22 PM »

OK Mike, here's the "Gentle Reminder" post (as I watch the snow come down here as well).

I'm actually at the point where I want to begin moving things using Mach3, but to do so, I have to figure out how to control the four output lines or else wire up a new PPort to Controller cable with the four lines broken out to switches (something I'd obviously rather not do).

I've been playing with Screen4 and Mach3Screen, but haven't made much progress.  I do know a bit about programming (old DOS assembly guy), so even a single button to control a pin and indicate state (toggle LED, change in button label, change in button bitmap, etc.)  would be an enormous help.  I'm sure I could modify an existing screenset from there.

Alan

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Generic" screenset with buttons to control an output pin - is there one?

« on: December 08, 2009, 12:23:56 PM »

Ahh, OK, if you insist!

 

Seriously, thank you very much.  If you have the time, such a thing would be a big help to me.  Even an extra screen with just four buttons to control four outputs (in my case, PPort pins 1,14,16,17) added on to the default Mach3 screen would be a help. 

(The buttons are X enable, Y enable, Z enable, and Reset, which resets the controller in the event of a Gecko fault).

I do plan to get into writing my own screens; this is one of the real attractions to Mach3.  But there's just so much to learn and tweak and configure first that it might be a fair time before I get to it.

Thanks again.


Alan

10

General Mach Discussion / "Generic" screenset with buttons to control an output pin - is there one?

« on: December 06, 2009, 06:38:44 PM »

I'm trying to get up and running with Mach3 after years of using CNCPro for DOS.

My machine is used manually on occasion (usually for initial positioning) and to facilitate this, I devote three PPort output pins to enable or disable an individual axis in the controller box.  With CNCPro, controlling these outputs is easy, as is labeling them appropriately.

From my reading, it looks like I can create my own screenset to do this in Mach3 (I have no need to computer-control the coolant or the spindle).  Frankly, though, I want to get started USING Mach3, not trying to learn how to create screensets for a program I don't know how to use in the first place.

Is there a generic screenset with buttons like Output1, Output2 and so on?


Thanks.


Alan