Messages

3801

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 4 axis controller board

« on: January 11, 2015, 12:09:18 PM »

You could use the G540 as is with a PC which has a parallel port, running Windows XP up to Win7 (I think) or else you would need a Mach3 external motion controller such as the Smooth Stepper http://www.warp9td.com/ for Win8 and onwards.

The ESS already has basic compatibility with Mach4 (and this is currently being worked on by Warp9) so forward upgrades from Mach3 to Mach4 will be possible in the future.

(There are many other options - I have only mentioned the devices / products I have experience with).

Tweakie.

3802

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: ORAC Spindle Swarf Blaster®

« on: January 11, 2015, 11:33:41 AM »

Excellent solution - I like that idea.

Tweakie.

3803

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need a 4 axis controller board

« on: January 11, 2015, 11:23:36 AM »

Just my opinion but probably the best solution is the Gecko G540. http://www.geckodrive.com/geckodrive-step-motor-drives/g540.html
Many others have purchased the cheap Chinese boards via the bay and after one problem or another have had to replace them so if you can stretch to the extra cost of the Gecko you will only need to buy once (and the after sales support is second to none).

Tweakie.

3804

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Appears to not handle non-printable characters in Ascii files.

« on: January 11, 2015, 08:33:16 AM »

 

Tweakie.

3805

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Appears to not handle non-printable characters in Ascii files.

« on: January 11, 2015, 08:30:37 AM »

Sorry Reuben but this discussion is getting nowhere.
If you fail to listen to advice then I suggest you go elsewhere.

I do not represent Artsoft, I am just a moderator on their forum.

For my part I use non-standard Mcodes such as M10/M11 and M62/M63 and in all cases I have to modify the CAD / CAM post-processors that I use. It's no big deal - I don't have your years of experience, in fact I don't have your years, but post-processors are easy enough to modify if it solves the situation. Why don't you just do the same ??

Tweakie.

3806

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Appears to not handle non-printable characters in Ascii files.

« on: January 11, 2015, 08:07:35 AM »

Hi Reuben,

Mach4 has already been released http://www.machsupport.com/software/mach4/ and some of us are using it successfully despite the understandable delay in getting all the external motion controller software’s up to full functionality. It all takes time, and it is still early days yet, but it will get there in the end.

As for your particular problem of the non-recognizable characters – perhaps if you used a CAD / CAM software which has a Mach3 post –processor you would not have to resort to ‘cleaning’ the Gcode files before passing them to Mach3. Just a thought.

Tweakie.

3807

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Appears to not handle non-printable characters in Ascii files.

« on: January 11, 2015, 07:31:40 AM »

Hi Ruben,

I don’t disagree with anything you say but in reality this is the way Mach3 is and it is unlikely to be changed. Mach4 may be a different story but that’s something for the future.
All of us, are always free to vote with our ‘pocket book’ in fact some potential users of Mach3 choose LinuxCNC or other CAM software (which is free) the choice is ours to make but at the end of the day it all comes down to what we think works best for us.
Your approach, of using a Java ‘work around’ is, in my opinion, the way to go – it solves your problem and that is all that is important.

Tweakie.

3808

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Appears to not handle non-printable characters in Ascii files.

« on: January 11, 2015, 06:31:28 AM »

Hi Ruben,

So far I have not used any software that does not have it's own set of shortcomings. Perhaps that is the way with everything in life.
In real terms, if you want to use Mach3 / 4 then you have to be prepared to learn it's peculiarities and work within it's capabilities. All of us here probably moan about different things at one time or another, some of Mach3's problems get fixed whilst others don't, but that is just the way it is - take it or leave it.
For my part, I find (or others here on the forum, kindly, find for me) a suitable 'work around' to anything that causes me problems so it's on-wards and up-wards and never look back. 

Tweakie.

3809

General Mach Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: January 10, 2015, 01:39:32 AM »

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum.

Perhaps start a thread (in one of the Show'n'tell sections) then you should get constructive suggestions on any build ideas you are planning. Alternately just join in on any threads that are relevant to your ideas - the choice is all yours and the most important thing is just to have fun whilst building and learning.

Tweakie.

3810

General Mach Discussion / Re: No stepper response after Mach3 software update

« on: January 09, 2015, 03:30:21 AM »

Perhaps the first thing to check, assuming you are using the parallel port for communication, is within Mach3 Config / Ports & Pins that the Port#1 is enabled and set to the correct address for your parallel port (check it's address in Windows Device Manager).

Next check that the correct port and pins are allocated in Config / Ports & Pins / Motor Outputs. Also that any Enable signals (if required) are set in Output Signals.

Your previous .xml file (usually called Mach3Mill.xml) should have all the correct settings so transferring this file to your new set-up is usually all that is necessary to get things up and running again. 

Tweakie.