Messages

5431

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: June 07, 2012, 02:37:48 AM »

Hi Dray,

Have you tried changing you Step Active state (High or Low) in Ports & Pins : Motor Outputs. ??

Tweakie.

5432

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cnc code for laser switching

« on: June 07, 2012, 02:32:11 AM »

Hi Andre,

Ok, i have looked at the sample you attatched. It makes sense. I suppose Cambam cannot or does not have the ability to insert these codes automatically as it was made mainly for a rotating chuck with cutter, so its a manual process with notepad or a cnc code editor of trial and error if i`m going this route.

One route you could try is to load your completed DXF into LazyCam and use the attached post processor (unzip and place Laser.pst into the Mach3 folder then select it within the LazyCam, posting options) this will put the M11P1 / M10P1 commands in the right places.

My next question is the laser speed/intensity. I have changed my laser to work with 0-5volt with the "DC-03 DigiSpeed GX V3 (DC-03)" from Homanndesigns.com.
Before it was using the "H" & "L" inputs on the laser power supply. I believe its part of the pulley speed setup, but i dont understand  how it works. I know one must use the "S word" for adjusting the laser speed/intensity. One can make adjustments in % like 30% , 60% etc, so 90% will cut right through the wood and 30% will be good for engraving letters/text. So as you can see i have an idea, but to set it all up in Mach3 and the cnc code file is where i fall out the bus.

The PWM speed control is well documented on the forum so a search should provide all the details you need.

(Mainly because I use Art’s ‘Impact / Laser engraving plugin’ quite a lot – the Mach3 PWM output and the plugin don’t play nicely together so I have reverted to splitting my jobs into ‘engraving’ and ‘profiling’ toolpaths and then adjusting the power setting manually, treating it as a ‘tool change’).


Tweakie.

5433

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cnc code for laser switching

« on: June 06, 2012, 12:39:15 PM »

Hi Andre,

Just to keep it as simple as possible the GCode to cut a 100mm dia. hole would be something like the attached.

The purpose of the M11 / M10 code set is to switch the laser on and off coincident with axis movement so they must always be followed by an axis move.
(In my example code, I am using Output #1 so M11P1 switches the laser on and M10P1 switches it off).

Tweakie.

5434

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z-Axis zero help!

« on: June 06, 2012, 11:54:19 AM »

Hi  lxapilot,

If you zip and post (as attachment) a copy of the code you are having troubles with I can run it here. This should prove that it either is or is not a GCode / Mach3 issue.

(I never actually use offsets / machine co-ordinates as each job or fixture is generally always positioned in a slightly different place on the work table but there have been reported cases in the past where certain subroutines and offsets can cause conflicts).

Tweakie.

5435

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z-Axis zero help!

« on: June 05, 2012, 08:06:11 AM »

Hi lxapilot,

No offence intended but are you certain that you are using a 'genuine' licensed version of Mach3 ??

Tweakie.

5436

FAQs / Re: Non-integrated Video Card with 32MB RAM?

« on: June 03, 2012, 03:57:43 AM »

Hi tomlombardi,

A separate video card. 

(Some PC's work OK with the on-board video and some don't so a separate video card is a more reliable option).

Tweakie.

5437

Tangent Corner / A Silly Idea ??

« on: June 02, 2012, 05:08:21 AM »

This is a really stupid project for a very, very rainy day.

Many of the old mobile phones, like this ancient Nokia, will dial the first number stored in their directory with just 3 presses of one button so program in your best mobile phone number as name AAAA.

Making a holder for the old phone and mounting an RC servo and a bit of electronics (pic processor) it is then connected to a spare Mach output.

When the currently running GCode program finishes, it switches off the output and the old phone dials your best mobile phone to alert you that the machine has finished. The pic processor is also programmed to wait a pre-determined time then hang-up.

With this little gizmo you can be just about anywhere in the world and know exactly when your CNC machine has finished it’s job.

Seriously though, this was the prototype for a number of units, I built some years back, to alert of site problems in a remote location without phone lines. I came across it last week, whilst tidying up, and took a picture for posterity.

Tweakie.

5438

General Mach Discussion / Re: We all make mistakes.

« on: June 02, 2012, 01:14:46 AM »

Wow - now that is a wreck. ( I could use some of that timber  )

Tweakie.

5439

General Mach Discussion / Re: We all make mistakes.

« on: June 01, 2012, 08:47:24 AM »

 

In many ways it was extremely fortunate (for me) that I found this problem whilst profiling engraving laminate just 2mm deep. It could have been a whole lot worse if it had happened whilst VCarving an expensive piece of Teak. 

Tweakie.

5440

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Constructing a Low Profile Tool Height Setter.

« on: May 31, 2012, 07:14:00 AM »

So you may want to try a number of locations along the rotation and take an average.

Good point Rich. 

Tweakie.