Messages

7671

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Gertrude Gets Some!

« on: June 10, 2010, 01:50:52 AM »

Very neat Chris - look forward to seeing the finished casting.


Tweakie.

7672

General Mach Discussion / Re: Different use of Mach3 (dispensing)

« on: June 09, 2010, 11:48:25 AM »

For my laser I use M11P1 to turn the laser on and M10P1 to turn it off. (these commands are added to the existing GCode in place of the Z- and Z+ commands).

I have the same problem with stopping mid line, the laser remains on.

The cure for this is, I think, to add a new, VB, screen 'stop' button which issues the M10P1 and then activates the feed hold function. Something similar could possibly be done for the single step function.

Tweakie.

7673

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Edit g code help

« on: June 09, 2010, 09:29:25 AM »

Hi Paul,

Don't know if this helps but under Config / General Config is Notepad specified as the G Code editor ?. (top center of window).

Tweakie.

7674

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

« on: June 08, 2010, 07:01:40 AM »

Thanks Dan I wish I had your confidence. 

I am having real problems getting Mach to run fast enough to enable the PRF changes I need to adjust the output power by duty cycle (rather than the usual pulse width modulation) without slowing everything down too much. Bench testing with a Smooth Stepper and the Tempest TP is the next step to see if I can get an improvement.

I am starting to realize that this project will never be completely finished. 

Tweakie.

7675

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

« on: June 08, 2010, 06:41:33 AM »

I seem to have got the hang of edge finish with acrylic - by reducing the power setting and reducing the feedrate the heat generated within the material is reduced and the finish much improved.

Something else that may be of interest is 3D decoupage - the multiple images are usually die cut but in this case are laser cut. The sooty edges are a problem which I think can be overcome once I discover how.

Tweakie.

7676

General Mach Discussion / Re: Add Cont-Step-MPG Leds to Cntrl Pnl.

« on: June 08, 2010, 03:30:33 AM »

Hi Johnv,

You need to create a 'set trigger macro' (OEM 301) containing the VB LED detection and output switching code plus DoOemButton(245) to trigger the jog mode toggle. (with a bit of ingenuity you could multiplex two outputs to control three LEDs to save on outputs here) and set your hotkey trigger for pin 13 to 301.

Brian has described the whole process, better than I can, in this thread  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,918.0.html

Tweakie.

7677

General Mach Discussion / Re: Add Cont-Step-MPG Leds to Cntrl Pnl.

« on: June 07, 2010, 11:25:24 AM »

How have you connected and programmed your physical momentary switch to perform the DoOemButton(245) function ?.

Tweakie.

7678

General Mach Discussion / Re: Add Cont-Step-MPG Leds to Cntrl Pnl.

« on: June 07, 2010, 06:16:23 AM »

Think I misunderstood the original question.  

If you are using physical led's on a physical control panel then yes you will need an output to turn them on.
There is more than one way of doing this but Using VB the Jog Cont led can be detected with GetOemLed(14) and output #1 can be turned on with ActivateSignal(Output1). Obviously you would need to assign an output for each LED.
So something like:-

If GetOemLED(14)=True Then
ActivateSignal(Output 1)
Else DeActivateSignal(Output 1)
End If

Could be used for each virtual LED you wish to detect and physical LED you wish to switch.

Does this help ?

Tweakie.

7679

General Mach Discussion / Re: Joy Stick

« on: June 06, 2010, 08:32:32 AM »

Hi Pat,

Is this what you are looking for ?.

http://www.machsupport.com/plugins.php

Tweakie.

7680

General Mach Discussion / Re: Add Cont-Step-MPG Leds to Cntrl Pnl.

« on: June 06, 2010, 02:39:55 AM »

Hi Johnv,

I agree with the OEMLed values you have shown.
I use Screen4 and LED's are added and defined in exactly the same way as you have added the momentary switch so I don't quite see where the problem lies.

Tweakie.