Topics

21

General Mach Discussion / Xylotex to Gecko G540

« on: October 26, 2008, 08:41:01 PM »

After a long run with no issues with a Xylotex controller the power supply blew and fried the board.  So I decide to try the new G540 module from Gecko.  So far I got it installed with no issues.  But now I have a few questions.

I am using two PACSCI Powermax II P22nrxd-ldf-ns-00 motors rated at 1.25A and 65V on the X and Y axis. My questions are:

1) There is very low torque on the motors.  When I used the Xylotex these had a LOT more torque when they were not moving then now with the G540.  I assume the only way to increase the torque is to increase the size of the resistor from 1.2k to something higher?

2) In the tuning window with the Xylotex the "steps per" was set to 8000 with the G540 I had to change it to 800, I used a indicator to figure this out.  That does no make sense to me since I did not change the motors.  But I could not find any information either way.  Just does not seem correct to me.

All help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Dan

22

Screen designer tips and tutorials / stupid question

« on: April 20, 2008, 10:19:43 AM »

screen4.

I can click and edit objects.  If I add a button or other object I can no longer edit objects.  It seems like it goes into emulation mode I can click objects but not edit them.  I searched for a way to revert back to the edit mode but without exiting the program and restarting I cannot find a way.

Dan

23

General Mach Discussion / Tool Probe XY Positioning

« on: April 19, 2008, 10:46:14 PM »

I got the probe from Zarzul.  I works great. I downloaded the tool touch off routine from the video.  It also works well but i would like to make one change.

I would like to "record" the XY location of the probe relative to the part XY zero.  I modified the code to get the XY locations if the tool is Tool 0.  Then if the tool is some other tool then Zero it would load the XY coordinates and position the cutter over the probe.

It seems like the Variables that i am using get zeroed out when I run the program for Tool 0 and then for some other Tool Number.  This actually makes sense to me.

So my question is how do I store this XY location?  Do I use a work offset or is there another way to store a variable so that it can be used when the program is run again?

Here is the code: (Xpostion and Yposition are the variables)


Zmove = 1.5
Zpos = GetDRO(2)
Tool = GetDRO (24)
Dim Xposition As Integer
Dim Yposition As Integer
ZOffset = GetVar (1000)

If Tool = 0 Then
   Response = MsgBox ("Is the X and Y Located over the probe?", 4 , "Set up offset")
   If (Response = 6) Then ' Yes

   Response = MsgBox ("Did you zero off the part First?", 4 , "Set up offset")
   If (Response = 6) Then ' Yes
   
   Xposition = GetVar(2000)
   Yposition = GetVar(2001)
   
   ZPos = Zpos - ZMove
   Code "G31 Z" & ZPos & " F20.0"
   While IsMoving()
   Wend
   Zpos = GetVar(2002)
   Call SetVar (1000,ZPos)
   
   Else
   MsgBox "Set zero on the top of the part and run again"
   End If
   
   Else
   MsgBox "Position X and Y over probe"
   End If
   
Else
   Response = MsgBox ("Is there enough Z height to move to probe?", 4 , "Set up offset")
   If (Response = 6) Then ' Yes
   
   Else
   Code "G00 Z" & (Zpos + 2.0)
   End If
   
   Code "G00 X" & Xposition
   Code "G00 Y" & Yposition
   
   OldZpos = Zpos
   ZPos = Zpos - ZMove
   Code "G31 Z" & ZPos & " F20.0"
   While IsMoving()
   Wend
   Zpos = GetVar (2002)
   Code "G00 Z" & Zpos

TIA

Dan

24

LazyCam (Beta) / Curves come in as lines

« on: January 14, 2008, 10:09:26 AM »

I updated to the latest version of lazycam (yeah, I know) and it seems I may have something set incorrectly.

This was from an older version, nice curve.



And this is from the lastest 3.00.02 version, not a nice curve but lines!



Any help would be great!

Dan

25

General Mach Discussion / Upgraded to 2.6

« on: November 22, 2007, 10:00:37 PM »

from 1.9 and I have a few questions.

1) I need to use backlash. Should I not use CV and if I should not what is the proper way to turn it off.

2) When I use the proper (or any size) rotational diameters the tool path does not display correctly.  I have the A axis enabled is there something else I need to adjust?  The part is displayed with to large a diameter in 2.6 and it looks fine in older versions.

Thanks

Dan

26

Tangent Corner / Wax vacuum recovey system

« on: August 19, 2007, 09:53:57 PM »

When I cut wax models I can easily vacuum the chips as I cut for really long runs.



Dan

27

General Mach Discussion / and, or ,xor

« on: July 26, 2007, 11:20:42 PM »

I read in the manual that you can use and, or, xor in equations. 

Has anyone done this and can you give an example?

Thanks

Dan

28

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Traveler Pen

« on: July 07, 2007, 09:49:08 PM »

This is a final "release" of the Traveler Pen.  Almost everything I did on this pen was a first for me, threading, modeling, cutting wax with complex toolpaths, Having the wax cast, finishing the sterling silver and a whole lot of time fitting and finishing.

This is a long pen with 112 sterling silver inlay dots, custom made solid sterling silver clip and band, Pomele Bubinga Sapwood on the body and African Blackwood on the cap. Ebonite nib assembly holder along with the top finial and bottom cap.  I purchased the London Stanley compass inset in the very top of the finial and the nib and nib assembly.  Everything else was fabricated, fit and assembled by me.



Close up of the cap front side.  I engraved a sterling silver disk with the compass and then made a fixture so when I heated the disk I could bend it into the proper radius.  I then enameled the engraving with black enamel. I finished with 0000 steel wool.



This is a photo of the pen clip on the rear of the cap.  The clip was machined in wax and sent out for casting in sterling silver.  Once I got the clip back I finished the clip mostly by tumbling and some buffing.  I then used Liver of Sulfur to blacken the clip. 



Shot with the cap and pen together.  On the bottom of the clip in the oval is my trademark df.



Why is the pen so long?  Well I wanted to make it so that a converter would fit in the body.  Again the part I purchased was the nib, holder and converter that you see outside the pen.  I made the threaded black ebonite on the pen.  Outside threads for the cap inside threads for the nib assembly.



But why does putting a converter on the assembly make the pen long?  Well like any good traveler you always travel prepared.   The bottom cap unscrews and you can store a refill cartridge in the back of the pen.  I made a separate storage compartment that is separate from the rest of the pen body. A place to store that special contraband.



Thanks for looking.

Dan

29

General Mach Discussion / Rapid movements

« on: June 20, 2007, 08:15:20 AM »

Any ideas why the machine rapid moves are all of a sudden so fast the machine loses position?  Works great for months and now the G00 moves are incredibly fast.  I checked the tuning and the profiles are what they always have been since I set up the machine.

Dan

30

Tangent Corner / Outlook duplicate mail

« on: June 13, 2007, 09:54:25 AM »

Free remover:

http://www.anti-dupe.com/

This one is better:

http://www.vaita.com/ODIR.asp

dan