Messages

3641

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 Controlled embroidery Machine

« on: January 14, 2016, 02:14:01 AM »

That is just brilliant  (my best was 240 stitches per minute, with a 300 stitches per minute target, and painfully slow compared to Kiefer's video).

I am most interested in learning more about your software and the machine configuration.

Tweakie.

3642

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and Windows 7

« on: January 13, 2016, 06:44:49 AM »

It is always best to have a dedicated PC (not connected to the net and without any other software) for operating your CNC.

Mach3 will work just fine with Win7 32bit

Backup the following:-
XML(Profile) – This stores you’re settings for Mach3, if you lose it you will need to re-setup you’re ports and pins, motor tuning, etc.
Screensets
Macros/Brains
Mach1Lic.dat license file

Or perhaps make a backup copy of your complete Mach3 folder.

Install Mach 3 then copy (into the new Mach3 folder) your original .xml file and your Mach1Lic.dat license file. If you have any special screensets or brains then they need to be copied over as well (not forgetting the bitmap folder for the screensets).

Tweakie.

3643

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 g code trouble

« on: January 13, 2016, 06:30:30 AM »

A curious issue which I have not heard of before, my first thoughts are that you need to re-install Mach3.

Could you perhaps zip and post one of your Gcode files that has this problem ?

Tweakie.

3644

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: How can i use Mach3 to control a robotic arm?

« on: January 13, 2016, 02:58:03 AM »

I think that there are probably lots of commercial, 6 axis, alternatives available but I suspect that you would need an extremely healthy financial budget to be able to purchase the CAD software, the CAM software together with the associated controller and it's software. (Perhaps LinuxCNC may be the way to go  ).

Regarding CopyCat, assuming it would not be infringing the copyright, it would be relatively easy to modify this wizard to operate with all 6 axes.

Tweakie.

3645

General Mach Discussion / Re: Switching X with Y axis?

« on: January 13, 2016, 01:56:28 AM »

As a general rule, the axes are arranged to where the operator stands in relation to the machine. This makes the left/right axis the X axis and the front/back axis the Y axis  - the main reason for this is that is the way many CAD/CAM softwares display/produce their image/Gcode. But it does not have to be this way and you are free to choose whatever orientation suits you best.

To change the axes, either way you mention is OK but I would just swap the cables (you may also need to make changes to the way your limit switches are configured, depending on how they are wired).

Tweakie.

3646

General Mach Discussion / Re: Modifying a post processor

« on: January 13, 2016, 01:44:13 AM »

Save it as ----.txt then rename it to ----.pst

Tweakie.

3647

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creating G-Code

« on: January 13, 2016, 01:34:06 AM »

 

Tweakie.

3648

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creating G-Code

« on: January 12, 2016, 07:25:44 AM »

5 Stars - wow! 

Tweakie

3649

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running Mach3 in Windows 10 (Registered)

« on: January 12, 2016, 07:23:03 AM »

I have no idea which is the best or the easiest to set-up external motion controller but I use a Warp9, Ethernet, SmoothStepper. They have excellent back-up and after sales (bit slow on releasing plugin software updates  ) supported by their own forum http://warp9td.com/

Tweakie.

3650

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creating G-Code

« on: January 12, 2016, 05:04:46 AM »

I am not sure if this answers your question but for such things as control panels etc. I would use a CAD/CAM program to create the design and automatically produce the appropriate Gcode using it's post-processor. Actually writing the Gcode manually would, I think, soon become a bit tiresome.

One of the (in my opinion) best, and easily learnt, CAD/CAM is Vectric  http://www.vectric.com/

Tweakie.