Messages

5531

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps

« on: July 04, 2011, 04:48:51 AM »

Thanks. I just hate having to ask tons of questions without offering some form of suggestion.

So, Your Z is physically short on dimension when coming back to zero and Mach is OK. I would guess at two possibilities;

1) Missed steps and the cause being that the motor does not have enough torque to raise the axis under all conditions. This could be stiffness in the axis (which you have already eliminated) or the motor drive electronics (drop in voltage from the PSU, insufficient current setting, etc).

2) Something physically loose (motor coupling, leadscrew nut, etc.)

Don't know if this helps.

Tweakie.

5532

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps

« on: July 04, 2011, 03:33:30 AM »

Sorry to keep plaguing you with questions.

What I have observed is that when Z comes up to "zero" on the crossover it does not get to "zero" but rather comes up 3mm short.

Is that 3mm short on the Mach screen Z Axis DRO  or 3mm short in physical distance when the DRO correctly reads 0.0000 ?

Tweakie.

5533

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps

« on: July 04, 2011, 02:47:12 AM »

OK, At what point during the crossover move do you suspect that the 'extra steps or lost steps' are being generated ?
Perhaps if we know when they are occurring a solution may be easier to find.

Tweakie.

5534

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps

« on: July 04, 2011, 02:14:07 AM »

Stefan,

Returning to the surfboard - when you move from one side of the board to the other (with Z raised clear of the work) does the Z axis 'tick' steps during this crossover move ?

Tweakie.

5535

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Autodesk 123D - Free 3D Design Software

« on: July 03, 2011, 11:56:42 AM »

Hi Sam,

Glad you are finding it interesting.
Others on the Phlatforum are exporting .stl or .dxf to convert to the GCode but they are sounding pretty pleased with their results.

Tweakie.

5536

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

« on: July 03, 2011, 11:07:51 AM »

Such a wonderful job you have made of this project Steve I hope you have many takers for the plans. (shame you can't sell the ability as well as the plans).

Tweakie.

5537

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and CAM

« on: July 03, 2011, 08:32:17 AM »

Croy,

The guys on the Phlatforum http://www.phlatforum.com/ use sketchup almost exclusively to produce GCode with their own Plugins etc but there are many easier and more accurate CAD/CAM solutions available. I know nothing about lathes so cannot offer any advice on the choice but there are many members of this forum who are lathe experts and they will know.

Tweakie.

5538

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

« on: July 03, 2011, 05:40:18 AM »

Another small update to the Impact / Laser Engraving plugin. Not necessary really but I have added a routine to round the Size of the X and Y pixel in steps to just 4 decimal places to prevent the display overflow and I have also made a small change to the formulae so the steps are calculated exactly.
These changes have no effect on the operation of the plugin, they are just cosmetic and because I cannot update the previously posted version I have put the latest version here http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/Engraving.dll

Tweakie.

5539

General Mach Discussion / Re: usb interface

« on: July 02, 2011, 12:18:12 PM »

Hi Tony,

I only have experience of one USB device and that is the Smooth Stepper.
For what I need it is brilliant, has good support and active forum discussions, what more could I need ?

Tweakie.

nb. Don't know anything about the mill.

5540

General Mach Discussion / Re: Touch probe to Point Cloud

« on: July 01, 2011, 11:15:26 AM »

 

Tweakie.