Messages

6441

FAQs / Re: Z AXIS

« on: December 03, 2010, 03:57:22 AM »

Hi Phoenix,

Welcome to the forum.
Mach will run any or all the axis at the speed you set in motor tuning section for the axis in question (up to the point the motor stalls,of course).

Just for reference, my Z axis is set to run slower than the others, mainly because of the dead weight it carries and the finer pitch leadscrew fitted. Unless you are planning on mulitpass, deep 2.5D work a slower Z should not cause any real increase in program execution times.

Tweakie.

6442

FAQs / Re: Steppers won't reference

« on: December 02, 2010, 12:01:11 PM »

My car is just one big snow ball with general depth up to the windows, don't know when I will be able to dig it out as it just keeps snowing here. Now I live in the southeast of England where it never snows    - Hood lives in Scotland where it always snows so if his internet connection is down we may not hear from him until the thaw. The poor old UK has been hit pretty bad at the moment still I am working from home   and enjoying every minute of it.

Tweakie.

6443

FAQs / Re: Steppers won't reference

« on: December 02, 2010, 11:23:18 AM »

Not 'add-ons' - 'odds-on' it's a betting term. 

Try locating your .xml - it will be the one relating to the profile you are using. If the profile is Mach Plasma then the .xml will be Mach Plasma.xml then let Hood take a look.

Tweakie.

6444

General Mach Discussion / Re: Using M-Codes to send signal to Arduino that controls solenoids

« on: December 02, 2010, 10:55:25 AM »

ceramics,

Yes please post details of your project as you proceed, it sounds most interesting indeed. Also pictures would be nice, we all love pictures 

Tweakie.

6445

General Mach Discussion / Re: What would make the size of holes change during cutting????

« on: December 02, 2010, 08:51:47 AM »

You could perhaps try positioning the work in a different place on the table and then observing the results.

Or possibly call an exorcist 

Tweakie.

6446

FAQs / Re: Steppers won't reference

« on: December 02, 2010, 08:41:40 AM »

It was just a thought, if there are any problems there Hood will spot them.

Have you run the driver test (with and without plasma switched on) and are your results OK ?

If I were putting money on the cause the PC has to be odds-on. But, as has already been suggested, a loose ground connection or even an earth connection that should not be there could be the cause.

Tweakie.

6447

General Mach Discussion / Re: What would make the size of holes change during cutting????

« on: December 02, 2010, 08:32:07 AM »

Hi LuLu,

The simple answer to oval holes is 'backlash' on the axis in the direction of the elongation. Check for loose parts, slipping couplers etc etc.

Tweakie.

6448

FAQs / Re: Steppers won't reference

« on: December 02, 2010, 08:12:22 AM »

Hi Fritz,

I think you have an ongoing problem here with the basic settings of your machine and Mach configuration.

Did Hood check your .xml ?

May be a good idea to start again from scratch with your setup and get it right one step at a time.

Tweakie.

6449

General Mach Discussion / Re: What would make the size of holes change during cutting????

« on: December 02, 2010, 08:02:57 AM »

LuLu,

How much bigger are we talking about and are the holes round ?

Tweakie.

6450

General Mach Discussion / Re: Using M-Codes to send signal to Arduino that controls solenoids

« on: December 02, 2010, 06:33:29 AM »

ceramics,

There is a good chance you have more available Parallel Port Outputs than just the two you have mentioned but if you are programing the Arduino yourself then you can easily multiplex the signals. Two outputs can provide 3 functions and three outputs 7 functions and so on. You can incorporate the M Codes (to switch outputs on/off) within your GCode program quite easily with a simple editor such as Notepad.

I have been using Mach for a few years now and it's versatility just keeps growing.

Tweakie.