Messages

5761

General Mach Discussion / Re: limit switch accuracy

« on: September 22, 2011, 12:31:32 PM »

The touch probe macro sounds like it should meed your needs then.

Tweakie.

5762

General Mach Discussion / Re: limit switch accuracy

« on: September 22, 2011, 11:59:47 AM »

Hi Doc,

Good question - bit like asking "how long is a piece of string ?"   

I suppose it all depends on how much you want to pay and the level of accuracy that you need.

I use ordinary Honeywell Microswitches but Baumer Electric produce a superior range and their mechanical push switches, in the My-Com range, have a repeat accuracy of better than 0.001 mm (constructed a bit like a touch probe).

Tweakie.

5763

General Mach Discussion / Re: first run with mach3

« on: September 22, 2011, 03:57:38 AM »

Hi Asen,

Welcome to the forum.

Do you have any details of your controller as that determines which pins are used for the step and direction of each axis. ??

Tweakie.

5764

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and a Roland PNC-2700

« on: September 21, 2011, 05:52:08 AM »

Ahh,

My best suggestion is you join the various Roland forums, there are 3 or 4 and post a few questions there. Maybee there are other softwares which are known to operate these machines or there may even be some post processors available.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Tweakie.

5765

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and a Roland PNC-2700

« on: September 21, 2011, 05:31:47 AM »

Just out of curiosity,
What software is the machine currently using ??,   I presume you don't have Modela.

Tweakie.

5766

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help ! Can't get mach3 to control coolant pump

« on: September 21, 2011, 05:14:36 AM »

Hi Ken,

Before shooting, establish which pin from your parallel port is actually connected to your coolant relay (Get in there and follow the wires).
If, for example, it is pin14 then make sure this is configured within Mach Ports and Pins / Spindle Setup to the M7 / M8 controls.

Tweakie.

5767

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and a Roland PNC-2700

« on: September 21, 2011, 02:56:32 AM »

Hi Jonny,

Thanks for the info, I had never heard of Modela before.

Roland don't really disclose the code system they use for driving their 3D machines but there is more than a good chance that it is based on the HPGL units system rather than a standard GCode.
The output from Mach is essentially multi axis Step and Direction signals and I doubt this would be compatible with your PNC-2700. Your best bet would probably be to obtain the Roland Modela software and use their system but if this was not possible for some reason then there is always the radical solution of replacing the machine's controller electronics with something that is Mach compatible. This would not be hard to do but it does involve a lot of work and some electrical / mechanical skill.

Hope this helps,

Tweakie.

5768

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 and a Roland PNC-2700

« on: September 20, 2011, 12:55:43 PM »

Hi Jonny,

Welcome to the forum.

I don’t think Mach3 will be of much use to you with this machines standard electronics because, as far as I can remember, the PNC-2700 is basically an engraving machine usually running the Roland software Dr.Engrave which is HPGL related.
I don't have any knowledge of Modella - could you provide more details of this please ??

Tweakie.

5769

General Mach Discussion / Re: change machine direction of arrow controls on keyboard

« on: September 18, 2011, 11:30:55 AM »

There sure is.

Config / System Hotkeys is the place to go to make your choices but remember that the usual convention is that jog is tool direction relative to the work not table direction.

Tweakie.

  Hood beat me to it 

5770

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

« on: September 18, 2011, 04:02:43 AM »

Another  ‘Papel Picado’.  http://www.internationalfolkart.org/eventsedu/education/muertos/papelpicado.html

Presumably relating to the different festivals, these paper cuts usually incorporate Skeletons, Birds and Flowers and although the Mexican tradition is century’s older it is in a strange way similar to the UK folk art of ‘canal boat decorative painting’ which almost always incorporates Roses and Castles.

Tweakie.