Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Fresh install of Mach3, no macros

« on: December 19, 2012, 04:36:28 PM »

Yup, thanks anyway, John.

Donn

2

General Mach Discussion / Fresh install of Mach3, no macros

« on: December 19, 2012, 03:39:48 PM »

My control computer self destructed, I replaced it, reinstalled latest Mach3 and 2010 screenset. Brought over my old xml file and copied over the macros from 2010 screenset just like I did on the initial install. Now I can jog x,y,z but can't home, park, zero, etc.

Running a Shopbot PRT with Ascension (Gecko) controller.

Help!!!!!!!!!!! Got Christmas stuff to do.

Thanks,
Donn

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Milling marks????????

« on: September 06, 2010, 05:13:47 PM »

Thanks for thinking for me John, I need all the help I can get.

However, my small CNC is so rigid I cannot imagine much wiggle.  My Shopbot could possibly.

Donn

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Milling marks????????

« on: September 06, 2010, 01:03:37 PM »

Thanks so much for all the input.

The original file is not raster, but drawn in Solidworks.  And, fortunately corian has little tendency to melt at any feed/speed.

Macoma, that comes closest to a possibility, but again, it is so similar between the two machines.

The progress I've made is primarily only as to what it is not. First of all, it is not machine specific. I ran the same tool path on my smaller, more precision CNC and got the same results. So at this point the only thing there is in common is Mach3...with one slightly possible exception. Both machines have spindles and I know the weight on the smaller CNC's z is probably close to the limit and on my Shopbot the springs just barely keep it neutral when the power goes off, but it would be pretty amazing for the cut pattern between the two machines to be so similar with so many variables unless it was generated by the same thing.

I checked the Solidworks file and could see nothing obvious, though I am far from a SW expert. I closely examined the toolpath lines generated by Mastercam and saw nothing to account for the gouges, fiddled with the gap settings and still no change. So, what setting in Mach3 might influence this z transition?

Man, it is always that last little bit of performance that is the hardest to track down, eh?

Donn

5

General Mach Discussion / Milling marks????????

« on: September 02, 2010, 07:57:05 PM »

Cut some corian today and experienced something I've experienced before, but I'm afraid this customer is expecting a smoother product.

PRT96, geckos, mach3, 15K rpm, 100ipm, 1/8" ball nose w/.009 stepover.
File is their solidworks file right into Mastercam. The raster is very nice, hardly feel it with thumbnail. Straight fillets aligned parallel with raster are smooth, but all other fillets have little gouges in the edges of the letter.

So, it's gotta be in the machine or Mach settings...any ideas?

The photo is of an approx. 1" patch. The little bit of foil is just to help my camera focus.

http://www.cncworks.biz/images/omega.jpg

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: The hurky jerkies

« on: October 23, 2008, 12:43:37 PM »

Thanks, you guys!

I was just glad to get some guidance before I had to run the finish cut.  It went fine.  Here is the result...the other side is dished as you might expect.
I looked at the code and didn't see a switch, so maybe a bug.

Donn

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: The hurky jerkies

« on: October 22, 2008, 09:49:03 PM »

Nope, couldn't be that because I didn't change it.  I knew the symptoms matched that, but it couldn't have been because I didn't change anything.  So, after reading your suggestion, just out of consideration for your efforts, I checked CV settings. 

Yup, that was it.  Beats me!

Thanks,
Donn

8

General Mach Discussion / The hurky jerkies

« on: October 22, 2008, 06:36:55 PM »

Boy! Color me confused.  I'm doing a 3d part, cutting both sides, about 24" X 24" X 3" in MDF.  Rough cut with 1/2" ball nose, several passes to get down to finish.  First side went fine, perfectly smooth movements on all three axis simultaneously.  Drawn in Solidworks, tuned for cutting in Rhino, IGES export out into Mastercam for first side.  Back into Rhino to flip the part to do the other side. (My Rhino is better than my Mastercam).  Used the same tool paths as for the first side, just reset the geometry.  Now for my problem...on the back side any time I have a direction change in either X, Y, or Z it jerks through it in small increments, then proceeds to a normal speed cut on the straight cuts.  Conservative speeds - 100ipm on the XY, 45ipm on the Z.  Shopbot PRT96 with upgraded control box running Mach3. Rackin' my brain and I can't figure what could have changed.  It acts kind of like ramping is totally missing.  Any ideas?

Donn

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Update post from Art

« on: July 07, 2007, 02:48:50 PM »

I appreciate the update info, but can you tell me the practical advantages of running at a faster kernel speed.  I have a ShopBot PRT/Acension Box and am running at 35K now.  And, when you say retuning the motors, you mean velocity/acceleration.  No difference in Steps per, right?

Thanks,
Donn 

10

Mach Screens / Re: Problem starting Screen4

« on: May 22, 2006, 11:39:48 AM »

Finally figured it out.  The Screen4.xml file reflected a Mach3 location that was different than my installed one.  Edited it with FrontPage (why couldn't I edit it with the xml editor?) to show my installed directory and I'm good to go.

Thanks for the responses!

Donn