Messages

6501

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: November 11, 2010, 11:01:28 AM »

Art,

Thank you for the time you have spent with the plugin, it is much appreciated.

I have been set the challenge of how small a checker board (8 x 8 squares) can be engraved and still resolved under a microscope - at the moment I am down to 0.5mm but hoping to get smaller than this using the plugin.

Tweakie.


btw. I think Bdocks code is the current download http://www.machsupport.com/plugins.php

6502

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: November 11, 2010, 10:50:19 AM »

Henry,

Not sure I fully understand your question. A single transistor circuit would be all that is necessary to drive a solenoid why a PLC ?

Tweakie.

6503

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: November 11, 2010, 08:24:46 AM »

Andrea,

Excellent job on the solenoid, very neat and compact. The method of operation, one pole of a stepper motor driver, is brilliant too (I would never have thought of doing that).

You can see the same problem of mine in the third picture (Top right) when you use the DLL with the laser.
Surely no one noticed because the Y stepover of the fault is less than what I use (0.2 mm)

I don't know if it helps you but you are not quite right in your assumption here. The shading (top right of my image) is caused by the reduction in laser power output during the acceleration and deceleration phase of the axis at the start and end of each line. A similar effect is shown in the image below.

Keep up the excellent work, for some reason I missed this thread but I will be following with great interest now.

Tweakie.

6504

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

« on: November 11, 2010, 06:09:20 AM »

Thank you for the update Andrea.
I have not seen or heard about the latest DLL, I am still using various 'workarounds' with the old version.
I have downloaded and will try the new one.

I will look at you solenoid next.

Tweakie.

6505

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: New Project for the shop.

« on: November 11, 2010, 02:18:48 AM »

Nice work Dave.

I have started taking bets now on who gets their project finished first. Your Router or Sam's mill ? 

Tweakie.

6506

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: AL54b (lathe) project from New Zealand

« on: November 10, 2010, 06:29:23 AM »

I think there is a lot more than three people following this thread.

I am just amazed at the speed and quality at which you are completing all this work. I guess you guys from the land's down under really know how to get stuck into the job. 

Keep it up, I can't wait for the next installment.

Excellent work my friend.

Tweakie.

6507

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

« on: November 10, 2010, 03:17:22 AM »

I think that the ‘Banding’ issue is going to have to go on the back burner for a while – it is not going to be easy to find the answer to this. After much checking and testing I am now convinced that it is not a mechanical thing which leaves software and electrical still to be investigated. I have had bit of a setback on the UPS voltage conditioner which, due to some regulation or another, has had to be shipped without it’s batteries so this is turning into bit of a drama.
I will find the solution to this banding issue - just not today.

Meanwhile, I have been fortunate to have some help from Dar303 who has shared the design for his RF laser controller.
From his layout, schematic and PIC hex dump I have made the PCB, programmed the PIC and tried it out with my Synrad J48. Excellent work Daniel you have done a really good job there.

I still have some more testing to do with regard to ‘pulse width’ and ‘pulse repetition frequency’ which both seem to affect power density in a similar way but each have a different effect on the work piece. Once this is complete I will have a better understanding of exactly what is required to get the best results from the RF tube under Mach control.

Tweakie.

6508

Tangent Corner / Re: Scary ??

« on: November 10, 2010, 02:19:36 AM »

I Just had a thought Jeff - Bet he wouldn't climb up there if I had done the welding. 

Tweakie

6509

General Mach Discussion / Re: RE: z-axis depth problems

« on: November 10, 2010, 02:12:34 AM »

Hi Stephen,

I Hope you find the problem easily.

Please report back when you have found it as we all like to know the solutions / causes to issues like this.

Tweakie.

6510

Tangent Corner / Scary ??

« on: November 09, 2010, 01:27:16 PM »

This brought back my memory's of bungee jumping.   
Watching this video, I found myself holding my breath when the guys got to the antenna part - see what you think (it's better watching full screen).

                                  http://www.flixxy.com/tower-climbing.htm

Tweakie.