Messages

1101

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motors stalling /growling

« on: May 22, 2019, 01:44:13 AM »

As Russ has mentioned, if your drivers require 5 Volt TTL signals and your Parallel Port is only outputting 3.3 Volt TTL then your CNC machine will never work correctly.

You could perhaps add a PCI Parallel Port card which outputs the required 5 Volt TTL – there is a guide here;  https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=34848.0

Or

AsCraig has suggested, buy and use a suitable motion controller.

(there are BoB's and converters that will transform a 3.3V TTL to 5V TTL but they are more of a patch than a solution).

Tweakie.

1102

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: May 20, 2019, 05:11:30 AM »

My friend has just loaded XP pro in to his cnc but cant get Mach 3 to work is he missing something??

Obviously he has missed something. 

May I suggest that he reads the Mach3 Manual which contains quite detailed installation and setting-up instructions.  https://www.machsupport.com/help-learning/product-manuals/ 


Tweakie.

1103

General Mach Discussion / Re: Do you use a Charge Pump?

« on: May 18, 2019, 11:09:35 AM »

The difference between EStop and AllStop can perhaps be likened to 'turning off the switch' and 'pulling the plug'.

1104

General Mach Discussion / Re: Do you use a Charge Pump?

« on: May 18, 2019, 10:45:08 AM »

A related question is whether people have an E-Stop circuit that breaks power to motors and lasers rather than just the control wiring?

I have both.
The software polled EStop and a contactor controlled AllStop which disconnects power to everything except the PC, associated motion controller and screen. Although it is there and always available for an emergency AllStop has not been used in years.

1105

Forum suggestions and report forum problems. / Re: Registering to forum Captcha sucks

« on: May 15, 2019, 03:39:15 AM »

 

1106

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Fusion 360 for plasma cutting

« on: May 15, 2019, 01:41:11 AM »

Try using the later Post Processor which you can download from here;  https://cam.autodesk.com/hsmposts

Tweakie.

1107

General Mach Discussion / Re: Losing Config's After Computer Re-Starts

« on: May 15, 2019, 01:27:21 AM »

Just throwing in ideas...

The on-screen shortcut to Mach3 may be calling a different profile to the one you were last using.
Go into the Mach3 folder and double click the Mach3 application – this should bring up a list of current profiles – if there is more than one then try each until you find the correct one – note the profile name that works and change your desktop shortcut properties to the new profile name (note there is a space between the /p and the name).

Tweakie.

1108

Tangent Corner / Re: It's a Dog thing.

« on: May 14, 2019, 07:38:10 AM »

 

1109

General Mach Discussion / Re: HELP g-code command lines and coordinates not synchronized

« on: May 14, 2019, 04:38:22 AM »

If it’ any help…

This video https://youtu.be/8fUg6ebWut0  is Mach4 but it demonstrates just how an unused Axis Direction Pin can be used to switch the laser ON/OFF and a PWM signal to control laser power for a combined engraving and cutting toolpath.

The attached pic was laser produced on some scrap plywood using the Pokeys 57CNC controller.

The Mach3 motion controller I use on a daily basis is the Warp9 ESS.

Tweakie.

1110

Tangent Corner / It's a Dog thing.

« on: May 14, 2019, 02:27:55 AM »

I think it's a trait pretty unique to dogs ?