Messages

6221

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Scaling Problem

« on: July 13, 2011, 09:38:35 AM »

Hi Ukie,

Your Steps Per unit are probably set wrongly in Motor Tuning (perhaps you are using a reduction gearing on your motors or perhaps you are using Microsteps and  have not allowed for this ?)

As far as scale is concerned;
You can see the size of a loaded GCode program in the Toolpath page under Program Limits.
On the main page you can adjust the Scale DRO's (currently set to +1.000) and for example +2.000 (press return key after entry) for X Axis and Y Axis will produce double size and you can check this in the Toolpath page under Program Limits (you need to click the Regen.Toolpath button).

Hope this helps.

Tweakie.

6222

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help!! Auto Zero Problem

« on: July 13, 2011, 02:59:58 AM »

LameIII,

Try replacing the second G4 with a While...Wend as follows.

(these macro/scripts run at different speeds to Mach and under some circumstances everything gets screwed up but different PC's and different versions of Mach can all respond differently). 


CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate to return to later
PlateThickness = GetOemDRO(1151)

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then 'Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty
DoOEMButton (1010) 'zero the Z axis so the probe move will start from here
Code "G4 P2" ' this delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place
Code "G31Z-1 F4" 'probing move, can set the feed rate here as well as how far to move
While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) 'get the axact point the probe was hit
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos 'go back to that point, always a very small amount of overrun
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness) 'set the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as plate thickness
While IsMoving() 'wait while it happens
Wend
Code "G0 Z.5" 'put the Z retract height you want here
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" 'puts this message in the status bar
Code "F" &CurrentFeed 'Returns to prior feed rate
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
Exit Sub
End If


Tweakie.

6223

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC screw

« on: July 13, 2011, 02:15:16 AM »

Hi Gabe,

Mach3 has no problem with this.

If you click "Config" then "Motor Tuning" you will see where steps per unit are entered. Select the Axis concerned, enter the new steps then click Save Axis Settings.

Tweakie.

6224

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach Screen Question.

« on: July 13, 2011, 01:43:16 AM »

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that.

I don't think it is supposed to flash but perhaps it is indicating that there is some sort of bad code or something.

It occurred to me that if I knew why it was flashing It would give me a clue as to what I am doing wrong.

Tweakie.

6225

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach Screen Question.

« on: July 12, 2011, 11:51:04 AM »

Hi Hood,

Thanks for trying that.

Tweakie.

6226

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

« on: July 12, 2011, 11:34:53 AM »

Hi Sam,

I will try it but I am guessing that neat Bleach will destroy the dye in no time but there may be other alternatives.

Acrylic paint has been used successfully to fill the pores in laser'd glass so may work OK with glaze and if it does may resist a Bleach attack.
In a commercial process, low temperature glaze is applied over the top of screen printed ceramics and fired for a few hours this should work just as well with dye filled laser'd stuff.

There are also a few other things I need to try, just need more spare time. 

Tweakie.

6227

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

« on: July 12, 2011, 09:10:10 AM »

Good question Sir.

My machine is Class 4 radiation at a  wavelength of 10600nm and it only operates behind closed doors (there are no visitors). The workshop door is actually one of the interlocks which has to remain shut during use. I have a relatively high power, roof mounted, extraction system to remove toxic fumes and poison Bambi outdoors. I also have Halon (sales now banned in the UK, except for aircraft) fire extinguishers, just in case and my eye protection are goggles (intended for YAG) which are rated with a reduced OD of 7 at 10600nm but are adequate.

You can't take safety too seriously as it only takes one mistake. I have a number of friends in the woodworking industry and it seems to be a badge of office to have at least part of one finger missing - well I intend keeping all my fingers and eyes and etc.

In general CO2 lasers are a lot safer than lower powered diode lasers as far as eyes are concerned. A laser beam with a wavelength of 633nm when entering eyes will get focussed on to the retina and if any damage is caused it is permanent. A CO2 laser with a wavelength of 10600 will have to burn through the cornea first and this may be repairable damage but I would not want to put it to the test.

As a general statement to everybody and this applies to everything - If you have any doubts that you can keep yourself and others safe then don't do it.

Tweakie.

6228

General Mach Discussion / Mach Screen Question.

« on: July 12, 2011, 08:26:48 AM »

I suppose I should know the answer to this but I don't. 

What is the significance of the green rectangle surrounding the Cycle Start button and why does it sometimes flash on / off during the last few lines of a program ?

Thanks,

Tweakie.

6229

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

« on: July 12, 2011, 06:23:19 AM »

Again using the impact/laser engraving plugin some quite stunning results can be had with ceramic tiles. The laser produces micro-fractures in the surface of the glaze which are subsequently filled with a dye. This was one of my first attempts, using some left over’s from a tiling job, it’s not bad but I still have a long way to go before achieving results that I am fully satisfied with. Tiles marked this way are much more durable than I had first thought, they may fade with time but washing and cleaning have no effect on the dye once it has penetrated the surface.

In a way this serves to illustrate the stupidity of our patent system. Using a laser to mark the surface of ceramic tiles has been patented and technically I am not allowed to make or experiment with making such things as this (my comments will be written on the piece of paper which will be passed to the clerk of the court). And as you would expect it is not just limited to tiles – marking house bricks with a laser and marking Denim jeans with a laser have also been patented although half of Asia seems to be marking Denim with dis-regard to any patents. The list just goes on and on to the extent that I am surprised that a patent has not already been granted for just switching a laser on at the wall outlet.
I know that drug companies have been accused of patenting compounds and formulae they have no intention of using just to prevent a competitors research.

How, I wonder, would we all get on if a patent had been granted for machining a piece of material with a CNC machine ?
Not that much different in principle from marking a ceramic tile using a laser is it ?

Tweakie.

6230

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps

« on: July 10, 2011, 06:03:14 AM »

Glad you have a sense of humour S 


Tweakie.