Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: My X-Axis is losing steps!

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:35:59 AM »

Hi, can you point on the manual that says not to recommend using Onboard Display card ?
I have PCI express slot but now I'm using onboard graphic card.
I can not find on the manual that saying not to use onboard graphic card.

Hi, Guys.  I think I finally got the problem of the losing steps solved.  I remembered that the Mach manual says not to use on-board graphics,and realized that while I have been using an AGP video card since I first built the machine, I hadn't checked the BIOS to make sure the on-board graphics adaptor was disabled...  Duh!  I went to the BIOS and set the primary graphics to AGP ( it had been set to PCI), and the next line states " Assign IRQ to PCI graphics"  Yes/No.  Of course it was set Yes.  I changed it to No and saved the settings and booted.  The computer went through some "Found New Hardware" conniptions before telling me to reboot so some of my new hardware would work...  I did.  When it was booted up, I checked the device manager to verify that the 2 LPT IRQ's had not changed.  They had not, so I didn't have to fix anything there.  I started Mach 3 mill, ande everything has worked perfectly for 2 days, now.  I don't know why I didn't experience problems sooner... or maybe I just never noticed the lost steps with my one-off projects before,  but I know it seems to be working correctly now.   Moral to the story:  If you are experiencing lost steps in repeat operations, check that you don't have an onboard graphics adapter hogging an IRQ and inadvertantly sending step pulses to your parallel port.  Thanks for your help, Don

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 23, 2011, 08:25:55 PM »

Rich,
Now you got m thingking of my Z ballscrew lead, it was the noise on that particular/diagonal gcode that bother me.
I don"t know how to check, specially below .

"but after measuring the torque required to turn the screw, after some "manual similation" of code moves , i found it requires an additional 70 to 100 in-oz of motor torque and thus all my "freeboard" in motor tuning was used up and thus a fault "

My ballscrew Lead onZ is like 1 inch, it's not smooth when I push up.

I wlil do like you said, later this week.
Will post the gcode.

Thanks you again guys for your help, now it's up to me.
Cheers
C

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 23, 2011, 09:29:23 AM »

Hi All,

I had a problem (missted steps / stalling)  that always occured at the same point in a prog - and appeared to be a bug in the gcode / mach.... (YERRR RIGHT ;-)

After some time this was traced to the axis being juuuust a tiny bit stiff in a particular position in conjunction with that particular axis being a bit marginal in torque.
New motor and driver - problem solved.

ATB
Derek

I change the X axis with new motor and driver already.

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 23, 2011, 09:25:43 AM »

Calico,
   Could simply be a mechanical issue.
You mentioned in #18 that you have direct motor to screw  (couplings) I assume.
In #70 you mentioned a loose "spindle mount".
   I'd go through and double check that ALL coupling connections are very secure and in good condition.
What you are describing is precisely what can happen as a result of slippage of any of these components.
It runs OK in air with no load on the cutter or axis, introducing the load might be enough to cause the slip.
Just something else to check.
Russ

I did check those couplings and they are good, that's the first time I thought.

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 21, 2011, 06:49:44 AM »

Rich,
I will try to reduce the rough depth first see what happened.
btw that issue never loose position, after those cutting I hit Home Z and it was the exact position xyz.

so I assume there was no loose step.

but I will reduce the depth, see what happened.

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 21, 2011, 01:49:47 AM »

If i find that line cause the issue then what should i do ?

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 21, 2011, 12:31:44 AM »

Rich,
Thankyou for yor time helping me on this issue.
I have done using only smooth cut, no rough code, just cutting air, the result is fine.

If I cut the real material that will break my bit.
Smooth gcode cut air have a good result but i had tested good with rough and finishing gcode once.
If the rough cut is the cause of this issue I can use any othrr rough toolpath.

But I'm very curious about this issue, why the rough cut cause this? Assume if is is the problem.

Cal

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 20, 2011, 08:34:18 PM »

here is the Gcode.
thank you

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 19, 2011, 11:24:42 PM »

After finding the backlash on X about 0.5 mm, actually not a backlash, it was the X spindle mount that was not tight enough.

so I fixed that and running the real cut.
the result ... still the same, but this time when I go back to Home/reference, X0,Y0 it it Correct 0,0. no shift at all.
that was 3 time testing with checking to reference 0,0. no shift at all.

Now I see a pattern like X pattern of problem from top view, I hope you guys have an idea what's wrong or something worth to check.
what I hear when it cut radial on Diagonal cut it sounds like loosing step/louder.
is this not right ??

I use the motor accelerator at the lowest around 8 on XYZ.

I don't know where to ask for help.

Help 

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help ! "Radial Cut with Zdepth" toolpath from mastercam makes Skip steps ??

« on: January 14, 2011, 11:10:14 PM »

this result is much better than before.
is it possible that my X backlash create this problem ?
I tested before the X backlash and the result was ok.

I Will test with real cut for X backlash this time.