Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Write Wizard

« on: January 22, 2008, 06:34:07 PM »

I got it!

I had a few problems that I did not realize I had. I re-watched the video tutorial on coordinates and that got me headed in the right direction. I also figured out how to edit the g-code once it is in Mach3. There is a cool button called "edit G-code" that was practically in front of me. LOL.

Here is where I went wrong:

I did not regenerate the tool path once I moved the part in position.
The g-code that the wizard generated needed a little tweaking. I took out all the g00 lines and the program then ran fine.

I got it so that I could engrave a whole name. I had my wife come down and watch it run. She thought it was pretty cool. Especially since it was her name being engraved.

Thanks for the help!
Mike

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Write Wizard

« on: January 22, 2008, 09:01:15 AM »

Thanks. That does help. I know how to read the g-code somewhat. I did a quick check with table movement using a machinist rule and a center punch chucked into the spindle. I told the X axis to move 2" and it appears to be right on. I did the same with the Y and it looked good. I'll check them with a dial indicator later and see how many thousandths I am within.

I *think* my probllem is setting the home location. Once the program starts, it seems to be following the letters just fine and dandy. I'll go down and mess with it some more. I knew this "home" location was going to give me the fits when I first started.

The g-code is generated automatically through the Write wizard in Mach3. I've tried to go in to edit the code and I cannot make any changes to it.

The feedrate seems to be slow enough that if something goes wrong, it should not mess anything up. The spindle speed is set by the stock turning knob on the mill. Mach3 does not control it.

I'll go back and try to figure out the home location and go from there again.

Mike

3

General Mach Discussion / Write Wizard

« on: January 21, 2008, 10:40:10 PM »

Hey All,
Brand new to the world of CNC. I just got my X2 converted over to CNC this weekend in fact. I post over on the cnczone boards as BrassBuillder too. I was looking for something just to test the system out and I thought I would try to engrave some text into a 1/8" x 1" chunk of aluminum. I thought that should be easy enough. Right.

It does not matter what I put in for values. Approximately eight lines into the g-code that is generated is this code:

G00 X0.21375 Y0.4998

It moves the table those directions every time (and off the workzone). Is there a way to tell the program to start at the "0" location?

Here are the values that I am entering into the program:
X0 Star "0" (I need to manually zero this out)
Y0 Star "0" (I need to manually zero this out too)
Tool N "0"
FeedRat (2.00)
RPM (0.00)
I am using the "0" degrees for the orientation
% Separation "0" (using the Script font)
Height ".750"
Rapid Height "0.0010" (I had no idea what this did)
Z top "-0.0025" (No idea on this one either)
Depth "0.0025" (Depth of cut???)

I also zero the X, Y, and Z axis on the left side of the screen.

When I generate the g-code and the wizard kicks me back to the run screen, the X,Y, and Z axis have numbers filled in. These change each time. I think the Y axis has something like 10.425 inserted. My Y axis only has about 4" of movement. 10 would be a problem. I zero these axis out too.

Any ideas???

Mike