Messages

141

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 on Windows 10

« on: July 29, 2015, 06:14:05 PM »

Update, a quick reinstall of the mach3 core installer and reinstall of the UC100 drivers/plugin seems to have solved the DLL pop up errors.  I have not sent motion out yet.

142

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 on Windows 10

« on: July 29, 2015, 06:11:03 PM »

I am seeing some DLL errors pertaining to the UC100 USB plug in.  Have not gotten to the smooth stepper plug ins yet on windows 10

143

Building or Buying a Wood routing table.. Beginnners guide.. / Re: need help please

« on: February 15, 2015, 01:02:56 AM »

Also keep in mind that the cheaper Chinese routers can and will FLEX alot.  So if your plunging without ramp moves the gantry will flex some, throwing off  the cut.    Keep an eye on that and see if machine flex may also be part of the problem.  A G540 will make that run like a whole new animal.

144

Building or Buying a Wood routing table.. Beginnners guide.. / Re: Will this work for metal?

« on: February 15, 2015, 12:59:46 AM »

late to the party, but the simple answer is yes, it will "CUT" metal...... to what degree and percision?  CRAP!  I have one and its a flimsy frame design at best.  I have not done much with mine yet but re-work it.  TRUST ME when I can say I can flex the gantry back and forth with mild hand pressure.  To work even aluminum you would have to take very light cuts.  Any resistance on the spindle and well......... 

Its major faults are the shafts that it all rides on, they are unsuported and flex.  In all axis.

145

VB and the development of wizards / Adding a "M" code to trigger an air supply.

« on: April 09, 2014, 05:09:51 PM »

Can someone help me with this?  I know nothing about VB scritping.
I want to add an output relay, have that relay M code driven.  So that I can toggle the compressed air that my spindle requires.  Mainly I want to be able to have the relay turn the air supply off at the end of a run so the air compressor will not constantly run.
On the Haas minimill, a M51 will do this.

Thanks.

146

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: mach3 3D printer

« on: January 05, 2014, 12:31:21 PM »

more
Still working out the print settings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4yrddGwlLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujyQeC5pnXs

147

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Mach3 3D Printer

« on: January 05, 2014, 12:26:20 PM »

This project started with requests.  I have clients that want to do a 3D print, then be able to machine the print while it is still on the same machine. Using electronics and software control that is already in place.  
The extruder is a Spider from Rockcliff.  The simple effective way the extruder uses a dimmer switch to control the heating element is useful, smart and very helpful as it is all stand alone.

Set out with a small mill frame.  Stuffed some big ball screws into it.  Most 3d printers do not throw around much mass so they use wire or rubber belts with nema 17 steppers.  I went with nema 23`s and ball screws to get the speed and accuracy and mimic existing machines.

The extruder is setup on the 4th axis stepper drive and is tuned to give me 1 inch of filament is moved when 1 inch movement is requested.

KisSlicer handles the slicing and Gcode which mach3 really has no problems running.  

Its now a simple matter of heating the extruder, slicing a file and running the code.  I made no other mods to mach3 other then the motor tuning for A.
The extruder is plugged into the coolant relay to toggle power off when the print is done.

So now, if the machine was bigger, the extruder could hang off to the side of the spindle.  Print the part, then come back with the spindle and "LIGHTLY" machine the part.

This setup is for printing with PLA only right now as ABS requires a heated platform to build on.  This is in the works.  

148

General Mach Discussion / Re: viewport stopped displaying toolpath (Older mach 3 version)

« on: October 04, 2013, 10:43:55 AM »

turns out that the mach3 install was hosed, I tried the default screen set.
Renamed the mach3 folder, reinstalled mach 3 and moved the screen set, macros ect over.  Seems to be up and running again.

149

General Mach Discussion / Re: viewport stopped displaying toolpath (Older mach 3 version)

« on: October 03, 2013, 11:17:06 AM »

here are the screen shots, its a custom minitech screenset that has been working for years.  Notice that the viewports are black with the compass but no toolpath lines.

I also attached a screen shot from a while back to show that it was in fact working.

the XML file is also attached its inbetween the second and third picture.

150

General Mach Discussion / viewport stopped displaying toolpath (Older mach 3 version)

« on: October 01, 2013, 11:57:27 AM »

I tried using the search, didnt find anything.

Ok, we have a client using an older version of mach3.  Here is the story I got
All was well.  The computer froze, had to shut down and upon reopening mach3 and loading a g code,  the viewport does not show the blue toolpath lines anymore.
It has the black screen in the viewport, the compass, and redlines, but simply will not show the gcode lines.

I tried loading up some known G code, even the road runner and no blue toolpath lines.
Tied reinstalling the core mach3 install from the mach3 directory.   NO go.

The client is in France, so it makes it somewhat hard to diagnose.   This is a feature of mach that he relies on.
I have tried and tried to get him to upgrade to the current version, he is well....... infadicaly against it as it was doing all he needed it to do.

So, anyone have any ideas on what would cause this?
Corrupted video drivers?
Direct X
Open GL