Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 05:13:48 PM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - pchumphry

Pages: 1 2 »
1
General Mach Discussion / Re: March3 Directory structure question
« on: October 07, 2010, 04:24:59 AM »
Thank you gentlemen for the info regarding Mach3 remembering where to get files from after being pointed to a new location the first time you want to use a new  location. I will try it out on my system

2
General Mach Discussion / Re: March3 Directory structure question
« on: October 06, 2010, 05:28:07 AM »
Gents,
Thank you for your comments but you are missing the point of my inquiry. I keep my master Gcode files NOT in my workshop where I have a separate computer which directly operates my machinery, but on my general purpose "office "computer. I  load my worKshop computer with Gcode via a memory stick transfer as needed. I do all my CNC preparation work using Lcam and Mach3  on this "office" computer in comfortable, quiet surroundings which I find a considerable advantage. This office computer I have recently fitted with additional RAIDED drives for long term  data security purposes.  I would like to move my existing Gcode folder to these new more secure drives leaving the Mach 3 software where it is on the existing drive,  but I cannot find how in Mach3 you can redirect the software to look elsewhere for the  Mach3 Gcode folder  other than the drive the Mach3 software is installed on. On most modern software products it is simple matter to relocate data folders via a setup option which directs the software where to actually look for data files. So far I can find no such option on Mach3.

3
General Mach Discussion / March3 Directory structure question
« on: October 05, 2010, 05:58:39 AM »
Is it possible to store GCode and other Mach directories on a different drive under XP from that used to hold the software.

I want to move my critical data files only (such as those stored in Gcode) to a secure mirrored drive which I have recently added to my computer set up.
I could find no option in the drop down menu's to be able to do this in M3mill.

4
General Mach Discussion / Re: LCAM Processing of polylines from DXF
« on: June 20, 2008, 08:08:03 AM »
Dave,

My drawing program (Turbocad 12v5) checks and will not let you create a polyline if segments overlap/don't join in its view. (I do not know to what precision it does this check.)

However I have found the solution!

LCAM autocean/loading options were set to a connecting line tolerance of .001 units (Which are mm in my case). This is well above any practical machining precision of my equipment. Setting this figure to .01 units meant Lcam saw the polyline as single chain at last. Will save a bit of wear and tear on the Z axis.

Best  regards

Pete

5
General Mach Discussion / LCAM Processing of polylines from DXF
« on: June 19, 2008, 03:11:38 PM »
Sometime LCAM generates quite  efficient  G code when processing a polyline (Only a single Z movement at the start/end of the polyline- the Polyline is treated as a single chain.)
Other times the G code generated is very inefficient, The Z axis goes up and down like  a Yo-yo back  to the release plane between every component part of the  polyline, and the polyline  is treated as multiple ( often tens of) separate chains.

As in each cast the polyline consists only of arcs and straight line segments, what then is the difference that triggers the different behaviour by LCAM?

Is there anyway of ensuring LCAM treats a polyline as a single chain? is it a function of the complexity of the polyline?

6
yes it is loco wheel and the Mill/drill is a Warco one  I converted to CNC!.

Thw wheel was simply draw in a 2D cad program, the cutter path was draw in a separate layer spaced a cutter radius from the desired wheel/spoke outline . Any fillets would be automatically produced by the cutter radius.  The DXF file was passed through to Lazycam, the cutting parameters entered layer by layer and the g code auto generated from there. It is in no way a sophisticated or polished program, I can see lots of ways of improving the efficiency of the code,  but the above was quick and easy to do and adequate for cutting out the the few examples I needed .

I don't have  3D CAM software so this was a 2.5D example with straight sides and flat top. Any spoke rounding etc needed  would be done using fine sandpaper on the foam prior to casting, which is very easy to do. ( A lot easier than rounding cast iron!)

7
Thank you gentlemen for your help. I now appreciate why Mach 3  tries to smooth off the corner and why it might be generally useful (Although not in this case).

My machine is not a lightweight machine , it is a mill drill of about 200kgs mass, but as I was cutting a foam pattern for a spoked wheel for casting purposes, I had set the feed rate near to the  maximum allowed in the machine set up! I was surprised to see a corner radius of around 0.125" on some of the spoke  intercept points  with the rim andr centre( Not all the intercepts were in error-some were correct/cutter  radius), when using a cutter of  0.09375" radius . As it is a symetrical pattern , the radius errors really stand out.

8
I have a gcode file which specifies two straight cuts intersecting (and ending) at a point. This is correctly  shown as two straight lines intersecting at a point in blue in  the Mach3 tool path display. After a failed part, ( Corner radius too large) and subsequent detailed investigation I discovered that  Mach3  appears to round off the angle between the two straight cuts with a small radius not giving the effect I required.  On close inspection this is shown by the dotted green line  showing actual tool motion  in the tool path  display. Effectively this corner/intersection  now has a cut radius greater than the cutting tool radius. I had deliberately chosen the tool radius to equal the corner radius I was seeking.
Why does this happen and how can I get Mach3 configured to follow the G code  lines exactly?


 :'(

9
Continued #5 reply finger trouble!
Select "Advanced " box

MAKE SURE you have normal size fonts (96 DPI) selected.
I had the large size (120DPI) selected hence they overflowed the space allowed in Mach3

10
I have found the cause of the problem- It is a Windows XP setting

Check the following

Right Click on blank area of Display
In Display Properties window  select "Settings " tab

Pages: 1 2 »