Messages

91

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC mill has mind of it's own

« on: February 02, 2016, 04:53:27 PM »

something I read in the OP.  You said that if you home the machine its dead on.  Well that is to be expected because any loss in position is nullified by the re-homing.  You are telling the machine to reference itself again.  That means that your known zero point will then be picked back up from home positions.  have you checked its zero points right after it went bonkers?

You would be surprised at how many gremlins I have solved on aged machines just by taking the LPT cable off, turn it around if it can, and plug it back in.   turning it around makes sure that both ends where completely removed and plugged back in.  This was the number 1 fix on alot of dot matrix printers back in the day as well.

92

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can all 3 of my homing switches share one pin in Mach 3?

« on: February 02, 2016, 04:47:26 PM »

Yes, why yes you can.  make sure they are all normally closed switches so when one opens it breaks the circuit.  Normally open switch will not work for this. .  I have done this several times. 

Also when wiring them up, take consideration on being able to probe test the switches in case one fails.  So you can diagnose which one is open.   IE.  Screw terminals for the wires.

93

General Mach Discussion / Re: BAD DECISSION

« on: February 02, 2016, 04:43:42 PM »

If you cannot get it, send me a message, I will talk with you and teamviewer into the PC and look around.  I am sure we can get this.  Although, I would highly recommend a UC100 for the PC connection.  I just love them

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: Simple question but I guess lots of opinions

« on: February 02, 2016, 08:56:35 AM »

I know every situation is different, so here is my Opinion on it.

mach has a HUGE following.  I have used it since 2001-2002.... it was different product then. 
mach3 has been my go to since 2006.  There is a huge costumer base and a huge forum base for help.
Mach3 license can also be transferred from one computer to another in case of failure.  I think I read that mach4 is a single computer license.
My opinion is for your first machine adventure.  Go with what you know will work with the least amount of effort.  More people can help with mach3 then with mach4 at this time.
Get more knowledge under your belt, then in the future you can always move to Mach4, or if your happy and it works, stay where you are.

95

General Mach Discussion / Re: BAD DECISSION

« on: February 01, 2016, 11:38:56 AM »

Good catch there overloard, there is the major problem right there.  If that setting is not right, it will never ever ever ever (catching on here?)  work.

96

General Mach Discussion / Re: BAD DECISSION

« on: February 01, 2016, 11:31:58 AM »

I hate to cross form post, but here is a link to my router thread on the ZONE.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/chinese-machines/257376-cnc-software.html

97

General Mach Discussion / Re: BAD DECISSION

« on: February 01, 2016, 11:26:44 AM »

That is the exact same controller I got with mine.  From the corner of the router in the picture it looks like the exact same machine I got.

I hate to sound the way I am going to sound, but man, the electronics suck.  I did get mine to run, but it was not great.  I have seen alot of issues with the quality of wire they used on these.  Sources of many issues.
Putting a G540 and new motors, or possibly using the stock motors will make a HUGE difference.  I used a little better setup then the G540 because I had it already.

Where are you located?  In the US?  Does the mill computer have/or can it have internet access?  I could use team viewer to log into it and check a few things.  The setup is very straight forward on these, but if you are not getting mach3 to output, then its a mute point.  The mill computer, is it 32 bit windows?  Are you using the on board printer port?  Add in PCI card?  USB pulse generator?

98

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC mill has mind of it's own

« on: February 01, 2016, 10:21:07 AM »

I am with the anti virus removal and the cleaning of the PC, also make sure that you turn the view port off.  Especially if you are using onboard video.  The viewport updates in real time as the tool moves.  larger Gcode files have a lot of lines to "render" per say.  Any interrupt in the pulse stream and you will see the effects on the part.  It also happens very randomly as well.

Also check the task manager to see if you have other programs running in the background, trying to poll the network card for updates ect. 
I always stress that the computer running the mill is NO LONGER A PERSONAL COMPUTER.  It should be viewed as a dedicated CNC control.  So dont go putting Itunes on it and other stuff.  Dont be using it to search the web ect.  Any change in the windows environment can potentially cause issues with mach3.

99

General Mach Discussion / Video window wont open on windows 10

« on: February 01, 2016, 08:46:22 AM »

So, Had an XP machine in place, running my mill.  Ran flawless for YEARS.  Still does.
Only had 2 gig of ram, Also tried running camtasia to record the screen while making a video for someone to help them out.
Mach did not like that.

Put a much beefier machine in place
windows 10.
Copied the mach3 folder from the XP machine to the windows 10.
Downloaded .060 and installed.
Installed the USB SS drivers.
Boom mach3 talks, works, homes jogs ect.
Plug in my usb camera, Try to open the video window.  Nothing.
Come into my office.  Windows 10 machine with mach installed.
Tried to open the video window......... There is a quick flash and nothing.

Downloaded Klaus's video plugin and can get a video window to come up.
Legit mach3 license. USB SS.
Also tried with a logitech webcam.  Windows 10 automatically installed the drivers.  Video port wont open, works with the Klaus plug in.

Any ideas?

100

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 slows down with large gcode file?

« on: January 28, 2016, 05:08:51 PM »

turn your view port off especially if you have onboard graphics.
I have run millions of lines of Gcode through mach3 no problem.