Messages

4001

*****VIDEOS***** / Re: New works from Japan : YouTube Videos

« on: August 12, 2015, 02:26:48 AM »

Yet more excellent work Myoshii - my congratulations sir.

Tweakie.

4002

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: XHC Mach3 control card manufacturer 3/4/6 Axis are all available.

« on: August 12, 2015, 02:19:00 AM »

Hi Alex He,

Welcome to the forum.

Any back-up or support for Chinese manufactured, Mach3 related products is most welcome here.

Tweakie.

4003

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 12, 2015, 02:07:42 AM »

Hi Vogavt,

Thanks for reporting back on you progress with this. Interesting about the -2.7 volts output from the C10 - I have absolutely no idea what is going on there.

I think it is just fine to continue using this thread for the discussion.



Just some basic notes regarding driving an electromagnet from a stepper driver which may help others that follow to grasp the principle being discussed here...

1) If an appropriate a.c. voltage is applied to an electromagnet it will be energized.

2) If the frequency of that a.c. voltage is progressively increased there will come a point when the magnet is no longer energized - it will drop-out or stall (in exactly the  same manner as a stepper motor stalls). This principle was used by Andrea to drive his magnet and initially paved the way for us all to follow.

3) The set-up is arranged so that the work is only impacted when the magnet stalls.

4) In operation the plugin scans an image and outputs a series of short (40mS) pulses, the repetition rate or frequency of these pulses varies in proportion with the individual pixel value of the image being processed. The greater the repetition rate the more often the magnet stalls and the more it impacts the work.


Hope this helps,

Tweakie.

4004

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Tangential CAM program

« on: August 11, 2015, 10:47:32 AM »

I think everybody each has their own preference.

If it's any help, I use R3.043.056

Tweakie.

4005

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Tangential CAM program

« on: August 10, 2015, 10:31:09 AM »

Where might I be able to get a copy of the older version? I found some links in old threads, but they don't work anymore.

If you look in FTP Downloads / FTP Server - Main Menu / Mach3  you can find all the available versions.    http://www.machsupport.com/software/downloads-updates/

Tweakie.

4006

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 10, 2015, 04:09:58 AM »

I was wondering since I'd purchased the driver board listed earlier if I could simply connect a laser like this one from jtechphotonics up to the board and simply use a toggle switch to control either the laser or the impact engraver.

You could use either a magnet or a laser with the plugin but the device drive requirements would be different for each. For example, the diode laser would require it's own, dedicated, current controlled power supply.

Tweakie.

4007

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine gets wacky after tool change.

« on: August 09, 2015, 12:59:01 AM »

How do i install other versions of mach3. Is there a place on the mach 3 site to douwnload older versions.

If you look in FTP Downloads / FTP Server - Main Menu / Mach3  you can find all the available versions.    http://www.machsupport.com/software/downloads-updates/

Tweakie.

4008

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: August 08, 2015, 01:10:34 AM »

Just to clarify, if using DotG, then the Gcode it produces (with the modified post processor for Mach3), I don't need to use the impact engraver plugin at all. Just load the gcode and run in Mach3. Correct?

That is correct.

However, there are subtle differences between the end results produced by each method. Dot-G relies on dot-dithering (a one bit process) to produce the 'illusion of shade' whereas the plugin uses an 8 bit process to produce 'shade' without the necessity for a dot-dithering algorithm.

Tweakie.

4009

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Tangential CAM program

« on: August 07, 2015, 08:35:22 AM »

So, my question is: Does anyone know of a good CAM program that will generate the A Axis inputs for a tangential toolpath (including lifts between angle adjustments) and still allow me to assign individial lines from a single layer DXF to their own toolpaths?

Vectric Aspire (v. 4.0 onwards) has the 'drag knife' equivalent of a tangential toolpath Gcode generator which basically overcomes the problems you mention but it costs $$.  

Tweakie.

addition...

Its a 'plug-in' so should be usable with other Vectric products.


Edit -  Correction made to my description, in the light of experience 

4010

Building or Buying a Wood routing table.. Beginnners guide.. / Re: Future upgrade of first build

« on: August 07, 2015, 08:30:39 AM »

Another thing I forgot to mention is the fact that the driver is only capable of either full or half step, and I am not going to attempt to try and get it to half step as it means soldering a +5vdc supply onto the drive boards themselves as I said these boards were built originally for a labeling machine and not for a CNC!!!!!!, but they were free. So with just full step available when it is running and say going in a circle the noise from the Y axis stepper as it slows down at the base of the circle is awful to say the least so my thinking is if I can micro step that should remove the noise from the steppers?

Sorry if I ask to many dumb questions.

Stewart

Hi Stewart,

Unfortunately you are stuck with the full or half step that your drivers provide (micro-stepping is only provided by the actual stepper driver chips so you will need to change them to get it ). Gecko G540 comes to mind 

Tweakie.