Messages

5511

General Mach Discussion / Re: Unwanted Step Pulses

« on: April 29, 2012, 08:48:43 AM »

Hi Rich
I have already tried this and am certain that this is not a mechanical issue as the Z axis only moves up never down , only by a small amount but always up , if I watch the DRO for Z then where as it should be cutting at depth of say 5mm then it will alternate from the 5mm that it is supposed to cut to 4.9650 and then back to 5mm , as I say not a great amount , the other thing is that if I remove the stepper motor from the "Z" axis and just hold it in my hand you can see and feel the motor run down to where it would be machining at the required depth and then you can see and feel the motor move a small amount so I am convinced that this is an electrical problem and not mechanical
Thanks
Alan

Hi Alan,

If your Mach3 DRO's are showing the incorrect Z axis movement then the problem is either in you GCode or within Mach3. I trust you are using the fully licensed versions of both Mach3 and Vectric Aspire ??

Tweakie.

5512

*****VIDEOS***** / Re: Vbit carving using home made cnc router and mach software

« on: April 25, 2012, 02:07:04 AM »

Excellent work Valmet.

Tweakie.

5513

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Dixie Duke - A machine in the making.

« on: April 24, 2012, 01:48:09 AM »

 

Tweakie.

5514

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Dixie Duke - A machine in the making.

« on: April 23, 2012, 01:27:43 AM »

Nice work Sam. Truly a machine to be proud of.

Tweakie.

5515

Tangent Corner / Re: Everyone is a winner.

« on: April 21, 2012, 04:55:10 AM »

 

Sorry to hear about the chuck though 

Tweakie.

5516

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Impact Engraving.

« on: April 16, 2012, 03:40:42 AM »

My pleasure sir.

Please let us know how you get on and what, if any, problems you encounter.

Tweakie.

5517

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Impact Engraving.

« on: April 16, 2012, 01:56:15 AM »

Hi Flamuria,

There are a number of different ways in which it can be done.
The method pioneered by Robotmar is perhaps a good place to start  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,16446.0.html

Tweakie.

5518

Tangent Corner / Everyone is a winner.

« on: April 13, 2012, 03:14:37 AM »

Hi Guys,

Friday the 13th has not been unlucky for me – I have just received an email to say that I have won the Nigerian Lottery. 

Tweakie.

5519

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

« on: April 11, 2012, 06:20:34 AM »

 

Most of the beer coolers I have seen have multiple circuits so it could be 'laser by day' and 'cold beer by day' (sort of multi-tasking).

Tweakie.

5520

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

« on: April 11, 2012, 03:16:50 AM »

Hi Josh,

As you have seen I am using a ‘closed loop’ water cooling system with a forced air radiator as the heat exchange element. This type of system will only cool the tube to ambient air temperature but, for me, works just fine within the UK where our (ambient air) temperature rarely exceeds 25 deg.C.
From tests carried out (with a glass tube CO2 laser) the maximum efficiency is achieved with a tube temperature of  around 7 to 8 deg.C so in some circumstances it may be an advantage to consider active cooling with a refrigerated device such as a ‘beer chiller’ or purpose built cooling unit. The down side to this is that relative humidity has to be taken into account because condensation forming on the output coupler lens can cause premature failure just as condensation on the outside of the glass tube could compromise the electrical insulation of the high voltage electrode connection (as an example - the condensation that forms on the outside of glass of a cold beer).

In reality, it should never be necessary to drive a CO2 laser at it’s absolute maximum power output but I think you should be aiming to maintain a nominal water temperature between 10 to 20 deg.C during operation.

Hope this helps.

Tweakie.