Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Serial port feedback from welding module. Help.

« on: January 06, 2020, 01:04:50 PM »

Hi guys.
I am running an automated fixture inside my laser cutting machine using the AXBB-E controller on the Ethernet port. I advance a metal strip through a weld stage and then the part is cut out with the laser. Occasionally the weld fails, on a bad weld the weld module has the ability to output a signal via a serial to usb cable which should make it possible to re-issue the weld command and try again rather than produce parts without the welded bit.

I think this can be achieved using modbus but I am clueless here. How can this external signal tell mach3 to repeat the last line of G code (weld command macro).

Any help please !

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 13, 2015, 01:57:15 PM »

My only concern with using a device like that is the slight movement you get on powering up/down a stepper.
It wont affect my welding stage use for it as i could put a spring behind the weld electrode to take up any errors,
There is another axis on my machine i`m tempted to try use the same device, all it does it rotate from zero to 180 degrees
and back to zero again on command, but it must be in the correct place on machine start up.  easy enough with a homing sequence of a mach3 axis
but i`m not sure how to acheive that with the stepper movement driver device.
any thoughts ?

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 13, 2015, 07:27:27 AM »

I tried to model it and I dont think 4 pins is possible due to the scallop cut away of the boss on the drive. This cut away boss keeps the wheel in it`s stopped position.
I do love mechanical devices and the Geneva is brilliant, i`m sure we could get this work as described with switches etc,
and a simple brain i wrote seemed to work ok (keyboard simuation mode)

Russ
The Gecko unit looks amazing, it would seem a hell of a waste to have most of it`s potential never used on my rig.

But have a look at this little beauty i found  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYG8SlrwGHM
at around £30 looks like just the job. Direct drive - one rotation.

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 12, 2015, 05:13:19 PM »

yikes
I just realized to rotate a 4 lobed plate one revolution, the motor drive has to rotate 4 times !
it would now also need a 4 to 1 gear train

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 12, 2015, 03:22:08 PM »

in this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VDG7C5R5XQ he has attached an led via microswitch
I could do similar to activate the micro spot welder

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 12, 2015, 01:37:05 PM »

Russ, thanks a lot. That sounds exactly what,s needed, but i have had trouble finding a Parker OEM 10, if you have a link that will be appreciated.

I actually do like the Geneva plan from Ray, only thing i`m not getting is how to short the contacts breifly ? is that with a timer ?
Would it be possible to do it with a mach3 brain ? can you change a pin from high to low from a brain ?

The other thing with the Geneva thats getting me going, is i should be able to mount 4 cut off discs, driven off a central motor, and rotate them one at a time to do the cut off opp.
4 times the wheel life. those discs are only 0.030" thick.

I was considering going with Kflop for the 8 axis, but you guys have again showed me how knowledgeable you are and will find a solution to any issue.
Thanks again.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 12, 2015, 09:28:07 AM »

cheers for that. I hadn`t seen them before.
I`d still need to control the motor position tho as it could stop mid cycle.
There could be as much as a minute or 2 between weld cycles while the rest of the machine does its thing. sorry I should have mentioned that.

8

General Mach Discussion / Need a 7th Axis.

« on: January 12, 2015, 08:40:09 AM »

Hi guys
All 6 axes in mach will be utilised but I also need to precisely control a worm screw to advance the pin tree 1.85 mm each time into a weld stage.
After welding, a cut off disc detaches the 2mm dia pin onto the welded component and preps the next weld face ready to advance.


I tried a timer which turns off the motor supply after the set amount of millisecs, but it never repeated well enough.
I guess maybe an electromechanical brake attached to a dc motor with gearbox ? and possibly have a sensor underneath the welded part to activate the brake on contact ?

any suggestions please.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Temperature Control via Mach3

« on: December 06, 2009, 02:25:54 PM »

I want to use Mach3 because I will be controlling stepper motors and other relays.
I was hoping to create a dedicated Mach screenset for the different functions, and basically want to
have one single software/control system running the whole process.
A G-code program will start/stop and hopefully interact with the sensors to adjust working parameters.
They are selling real neat little USB thermometers which can log the data. if I could somehow use a vb or a brain script
to read and report the contents of the log file

Hi Ray, that sparkfun product looks great and talking about forming Plexiglas, would it be possible to create a 180 degree u bend
using 3 inch clear polycarb tubing ?

@KTM  thanks mate I will have a look a modbus cause if I remember right there is a modbus 3rd party add on.

10

General Mach Discussion / Temperature Control via Mach3

« on: December 06, 2009, 01:20:12 PM »

Hi guys.
Has anyone managed to get Mach3 to control a heating device ?
I`m trying to design and build a simple water heating system.

Tank 1 - the liquid is heated to 70 deg Celsius and held there for an adjustable time period, around 1-2 hours.
            I`d like the 70 deg to be held within a 2 degree variation.

Tank 2 - the liquid is brought to the boil and then maintains a slow boil for around 1 hr.

I know how to use Mach to switch on relays which could turn on heater elements, or even use a stepper motor
to control an analogue rotary switch to set a specific temperature, but is there any way to get realtime sensor probes
to report back into Mach3 which in turn will switch on/off the heating elements.

thanks for any help.