Messages

4601

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Improving a cheap 4th axis

« on: July 29, 2013, 05:16:50 AM »

Nice work with the 4th axis Nick 

(You need a little shelf, a bit higher up, to prevent the machining chips getting into your Beer  )

Tweakie.

4602

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting started help.

« on: July 29, 2013, 05:07:42 AM »

Hi Tree,

Welcome to the forum.

If I understand correctly, you are getting no output signals from the parallel port ?

What Windows OS are you using ?

Tweakie.

4603

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: July 28, 2013, 07:44:07 AM »

Well, after a bit of experimentation, I think I can now safely say that the Mach3 Impact / Laser plugin can be used with low power diode lasers.

My design criteria was for a 1 Watt, blue-ray diode laser using a feed-rate of 1000mm/min but as I only have a 100mW, 655nm diode laser available for my tests I scaled back the feed-rate and the following work was produced at just 100mm/min. The results are, I think, acceptable and demonstrate that, in principle, it is possible and that the system works but like my school reports always used to say – “could do better”.

I have used this particular .jpg image many times before (for testing purposes) as using the same image helps me with comparisons between different settings and methods etc. The .jpg has been dithered (using John’s excellent software PicDither), my diode laser was triggered using the TTL method and the total job time was around 3 hours for this 50mm x 50mm example.

The Mach3 plugin basically works by a system which has been termed ‘dot gain’ - firing individual dots on the digital trigger output at up to 12,500 times per second. A great many of these dots appear on top of one another (overlapping) and the more dots that occur in any one place the darker the work is burned.

The maximum duty-cycle for the digital trigger output from Mach3 is 50% (pulse on time / pulse off time) and although this is just fine for a higher powered CO2 laser it was necessary to increase this duty-cycle to around 90% for diode laser operation.

If there is any interest in this, I would be pleased to provide the details of just how it was accomplished.

Tweakie.

4604

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: FIRST TIME 3d relief

« on: July 26, 2013, 02:06:40 AM »

Nice work Bill. 

If it is of any help to you there are a lot of free relief's here http://hobbycncart.com/load/ingyenesen_letoltheto_reliefek/3

Tweakie.

4605

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Question

« on: July 24, 2013, 10:16:12 AM »

I am pleased that you got it sorted Pete. 

Tweakie.

4606

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Question

« on: July 24, 2013, 02:22:15 AM »

Hi Pete,

Welcome to the forum.

Does the Z axis motor 'lock' (as the X and Y axis motors do) when you apply power to the CNC machine ?

Tweakie.

4607

Tangent Corner / An unusual event.

« on: July 23, 2013, 03:54:18 PM »

Well, perhaps not unusual in the run of things but unusual for the south east of the UK.

Last evening, following a prolonged period of extremely hot weather, cooler air rolled in from the west causing a temperature inversion - the developing cumulus, at the lower level, cast it’s shadow onto the upper levels and is something I had not seen for many years.

These two pictures of the event were taken about 15 minutes apart and shortly before the start of the best thunder storm, which lasted for most of the night, I think I have ever heard and witnessed.

Tweakie.

4608

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine stops in the middle of a program run

« on: July 22, 2013, 12:56:48 PM »

Pete,

Firstly, if you are using mechanical limit switches it my be worth just tapping the side of each one lightly with a small screwdriver handle (or similar) and seeing if this causes the 'limit switch activated' - switches can sometimes have loose or bad internal contacts which could be activated by vibration. Also, it would be worth checking all your limit switch wiring, connectors etc. for damage or poor contact (I am assuming you are using 'shielded cables' for your limit switch wiring - if not then you should be).

Secondly, try increasing the Noise Filtering values in your SS Config Dialogue.

Tweakie.

4609

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine stops in the middle of a program run

« on: July 22, 2013, 02:21:43 AM »

Hi Pete,

Are you using an external motion controller (such as the SmoothStepper etc) with that laptop ?

Tweakie.

4610

General Mach Discussion / Re: DRO shows movement, but machine does not move.

« on: July 21, 2013, 12:28:55 PM »

Hi John,

With Mach3 running the axes should lock when power is applied to the machine.

Do your stepper motor drivers require an 'enable signal' ?
If so then check your 'Mach3 Config / Ports & Pins / Output signals' to see if it is set correctly. If you are using the parallel port for machine communication then also check the parallel port address 'Config / Ports & Pins / Port setup' to make sure that is correct.

If your stepper motor drivers do not require an 'enable signal' then the motors should lock when power is applied to the machine irrespective or Mach3 running or not - so the problem is most likely within your stepper motor drivers or their power supply. Perhaps checking all your wiring and associated connectors may reveal the problem also check your stepper motors power supply voltages.

Hope this helps.

Tweakie.