Messages

11

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Allowing for Tool Numbers in Lathe Canned Cycles

« on: January 15, 2021, 02:13:24 AM »

So the way Mach Motion Tools work is the first number is the position on the lathe turret and the second number is the actual tool in the tool holder. So for my Mori Seiki Lathe I have 8 Tool positions, but I use way more than 8 tools. So I have, let's say, 14 tools, well when I switch out one of tool holder with a different tool, let's say tool 11, in to position, let's say, 6 I have to tell the machine it's position 6, but it's tool 11, therefore T0611. Make sure you set all the offsets off for each tool or you'll get a crash. I think I made a pretty extensive post here about setting up tools on a lathe.

The way I do it is tool T0101 Never changes and how i set everything else up, this is the way makes offsets, off tool 01. Then setup each tool you're going to use. I manually input the numbers to set the tool offset. Again I think I made a detailed post here. If you can't find it let me know and I'll run it down for you.

Also, before running any lathe program using the Mach Motion I open the POSTED G Code and make sure it's correct. I get consistent, but massive lathe crashing errors. Now, I posted that and the people from mach motion couldn't replicate them. Even after installing the latest, this was a few years ago and I never upgrade mach once it works, mach version I still get the errors so maybe it's a problem with my CPU.

My errors are with certain operations where it doesn't put the correct tool number, incorrect RPM and aspects of threading. But since it's the same every time for certain OPS it doesn't bother me, but it makes me check the gcode every time which you should to make sure you are doing what you wanted to do. Crashing in lathe is way worse than a mill.

12

Mach4 General Discussion / CNC Plasma NOT Working Error Code Please Help.

« on: January 14, 2021, 06:39:34 PM »

Ok i've never got this CNC plasma running correctly. I built it from scratch 3 or so years ago. And it runs, but not consistently. Most of the time the torch moves to the start position, turns on, start the arc and then does nothing and gives me the error MACRO ALARM: 3 MERROR_TIMED_OUT. I usually have to restart mach or the computer or both to get it to cut.

I'm using a brand new Hypertherm 85 Plasma Cutter, Pokeys57CNC (which I'm very good at using, I have this motion controller on 3 of my machines with no problems.), Pokeys Plasma Sens THC Module (thought it might be that as I started with the Proma THC 150, but that didn't change anything).

The main problem I've always had is the THC doesn't follow the contours of the metal. I've tried everything and all the equipment works, but it never seems to move the torch head. I've never had good luck with laptops and cnc, but the plasma is outside in a pop up sealed tent thing so I used it for that. I just changed to a desktop to see if that made a difference, but it was an old PC I pulled from work as it was running slow. I reinstalled windows 10, re-setup the entire system. When I cut the torched finally moved, but I couldn't always get it to actually run as after it started the arc I'd get this error MACRO ALARM: 3 MERROR_TIMED_OUT. So I bought a new old computer from amazon, re-setup everything and tried again. Now it won't run even after restarting mach or anything. Arc starts and then I get this error. I'm at my wits end.

Any help would be appreciated.

13

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fanuc 6 Axis Robot Arm Help with Concept

« on: January 11, 2021, 03:54:43 AM »

Hmmm I missed the bar tender suggestion. Funny you should mention that, I do actually own a bar and it would certainly do better than my employees. Luckily they don't frequent this forum LOL. It could be an interesting gimmick...until it become sentient and starts killing customers.

P.S. Well have a bar, but not open right now. Some kind of virus going around I hear.

14

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fanuc 6 Axis Robot Arm Help with Concept

« on: January 11, 2021, 03:30:30 AM »

HAAA Something like that. Actually I'll take suggestions. CNC Router option was just an idea, but I already have a CNC of every type of machine. Just thought it'd be cool to mess with.

Tool Changer for a mill would be cool if it wasn't so big. I couldn't use this any of my current shops. I was thinking of pouring a cubic yard cement pad for it with casters, but don't think that would work as far stability while it's running.

So suggestions? So far, Mill tool changer, cnc router, part changer for cnc lathe, have it grind the bevels on my knives, use it to polish parts (both knife and polishing though work only for repetitive parts of the exact same thing which I never do.).

Automated welder would be cool, although I'm a very good welder and everything I make is one off, but this robot arm was made for the welding industry. The payload this robot arm can handle is massive, 350 lbs!!!

15

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fanuc 6 Axis Robot Arm Help with Concept

« on: January 10, 2021, 11:43:34 PM »

LOL Thanks Joe. No, I got it at auction with controller for $350. So even if it can't get it working as a cnc it'll still be fun to mess around with. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow so everything I know is from what I can find online. Once i have it in hand I can start to look at the programming and controls. Maybe I can have it shake people's hands for me so I stay safe.

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Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fanuc 6 Axis Robot Arm Help with Concept

« on: January 10, 2021, 11:53:52 AM »

Ok thanks. I wonder what the people that have used them for CNC routers are using for software, CAM and controller?

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Mach4 General Discussion / Fanuc 6 Axis Robot Arm Help with Concept

« on: January 10, 2021, 03:51:59 AM »

Hi all. I just won at auction a full sized Fanuc S-420iw Robot Arm. I've been watching Lignum Videos on Youtube for years. For those how haven't seen it they have a robot arm CNC'd with a Router head. Pretty awesome. Big work envelope; well not so much big as versatile.

So I'd like to do the same. I guess the questions are when controlling a robot do I run all the programming, g-code, through the controller that it comes with? Or do I run mach 4 through it's controller or do I bypass it all together and wire it as I would any CNC machine I've built from scratch?

I guess that would be a good place to start for some help. I've never used a robot before so I have the most basic understanding of how they work.

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Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Threading Problem When Changing Motor Speed! WEIRD

« on: November 26, 2019, 07:17:02 PM »

So I'm not so concerned with the losing of steps, I mean I am, but it really, for the most part happens at the end of threading when it does a quick move from the starting position of the part to home which is where tool changed occur as it's an auto tool changer. I've tried figuring this out before years ago and got nowhere. I think one of the Mach Motion guys responded and couldn't figure it out.

I think the quick motion, acceleration?, is the culprit, not sure why. I should be changing my G-code so the rapids are a lot lower.

I only mention all of this to explain why I changed the speed of the motors.

Now having said that the threads are not the correct pitch I speciifed, but they are consistent.

What you said made sense, I lowered the speed of the motors and so the controller pushed them as fast as they could, but they couldn't go fast enough for the large threads I was cutting.

I'll try to re-run the threads at a lower RPM, I was doing 600 RPM because it was HDPE.

19

Mach4 General Discussion / Threading Problem When Changing Motor Speed! WEIRD

« on: November 26, 2019, 05:42:15 PM »

Ok so I've got a 1978 Mori Seiki Lathe that I rebuilt and redid all the electronics and programming. Works well. Now I usually only cut short thread, 1/2" - 3/4" long, and usually 1/4-20. Then over the last few days I've been making a lot of parts using the machine for like 12 hours a day. I've always had some weird quirks with this machine and the Mach Motion built in wizards, see other posts in you're interested.

To make a long story short sometimes I have missed steps, whatever you call in with servos, so using the machine a lot lately I'm running into the problem more frequently. The machine loses steps when moving short distances using rapid. So at the end of cut when the tool goes back to X.75 Z0 (the beginning of the part) then back to home. So I figured I never cut at full speed I'll slow the servos down. I went from 80 Velocity and 20 Acceleration to 40 Velocity and 5 Acceleration to see if that was the problem. Didn't completely work, but worked well enough. The motors, mind you, were still smooth running.

So then I went to cut some 1"-8 threads that I was cutting the day before and the thread pitch was WAY off. More like 1"-20. I have no idea of why this would change anything. I just changed the motor speeds not the steps per inch.

Can anyone tell me what the deal is and how to correct this. Looking back to a couple days ago I noticed that the first 1/2" of the 1"-8 threads were pretty dam close, but 1" further down the pitch was off. I figured it was my original ball screw which is execllent, but NOT perfect. So now I realize that the pitch being off was not the ball screw but the motor speeds. As a side note when cutting lengths on Z the measurements are alwasy accurate.

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Mach4 General Discussion / Router Profile vs. Mill Screen

« on: December 02, 2018, 08:51:18 PM »

Can someone tell me the difference between the Router Profile and Mill Profile? I notice a few differences, but nothing major. I use Mach 4 Mill for my CNC Router so I was wondering if maybe there was something different, something that would be really useful for my router?