Messages

2111

Machscreen Screen Designer / Re: "Show overlaying elements for selection" crashes

« on: November 09, 2009, 05:28:57 PM »

Klaus, thanks. I have not had time to load any of your later versions yet but I hope I can soon. I have been following the threads and your just fantastic! Thanks so much Klaus.

Brett

2112

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Re: Very Cool LED/Button Combo

« on: November 05, 2009, 10:22:48 PM »

I try to start with a grid for all my buttons and leds to fit in. 20 x 20 for examble. Then you can make the buttons a multipul of the grid size for different size buttons. The reset may be 20 x 60 for example.  You can also make the buttons and leds a little smaller than the grid to give the look of borders. This makes it much easier to edit the screen later too.

Brett

2113

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Experimenting with my rotary axis

« on: November 05, 2009, 06:48:49 PM »

Very nice Greg. I love it!

Brett

2114

Mach Screens / Re: colour control

« on: November 05, 2009, 06:41:54 PM »

Ian, in screen 4 you have a colot button at the top where you set your default colors for the screen. Things listed in it are global for the screen set.

Brett

2115

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

« on: November 04, 2009, 05:59:51 PM »

Looks real good so far Tweakie.

Brett

2116

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

« on: November 02, 2009, 05:51:26 PM »

Good one Sam............ I say yes and a handel bar bell that rings. 

Brett

2117

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: grex download manager not working

« on: November 02, 2009, 05:47:26 PM »

I'm no networking guru by any means. Most of the networking section in the manual was written by someone else. It looks to me like you have something mis-configured though.

Brett

2118

Machscreen Screen Designer / Re: MachScreen releases

« on: November 01, 2009, 08:40:04 PM »

Thanks Klaus, your great.

Brett

2119

General Mach Discussion / Re: Auto Zero

« on: November 01, 2009, 08:45:11 AM »

This looks like a good place to start. It is the latest update I saw to yours in the thread at the zone.

1) Returns the probe to the original starting postion once contact is made. This was somewhat problematic if the "Machine Coordinates" button was activated. Finally go it solved.

2) If no contact is made while plunging the probe to the maximum distance, probe is NOT retracted and the Z-DRO shows the current position. This allows for sequential movements until the probe reaches the contact plate.

3) Put the parameters that you may want to fiddle with at the top and added comments to remind me what I did and why.


Here is the modified script:

' Program to automatically zero the Z-axis using a contact plate of known thickness positioned
' on top of the X-Y plane at the Z zero position. Cutting tool acts as a probe.

' Program moves the Z-axis downward at plunge speed defined by parameter "ProbeFeed" until
' the tool touches the contact plate. At this point, the Z-DRO is set to zero, adjusted for
' the thickness of the contact plate. Z-axis then retracts to the starting position.

' Last updated: 10/13/09

' Define fixed parameters

ProbeDist = "-1.0" 'Set the maximum distance to move the Z-axis before probe touches contact plate.
ProbeFeed = "10" 'Set the plunge speed for the probe
DelayTime = "1" 'Set the delay time in seconds from button push to start of Z-motion

' Obtain current state values so that they can be restored upon completion.

CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) ' Get the current feedrate to return to later
CurrentAbsInc = GetOemLED(48) ' Get the current G90/G91 state
CurrentGmode = GetOemDRO(819) ' Get the current G0/G1 state

PlateThickness = GetUserDRO(1151) ' Read contact plate thickness DRO
StartingPoint = GetOemDRO(85) - GetOemDRO(832) ' Get starting Z position in work coordinates

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then ' Check to see if the probe is already grounded or faulty
Code "G4 P" &DelayTime ' This delay gives me time to get from computer to hold probe in place
Code "F" &ProbeFeed ' Set the probe plunge speed
Code "G91 G31Z" &ProbeDist ' Probing move using incremental move mode.
While IsMoving() ' Wait while it happens
Wend

ZProbePos = GetVar(2002) ' Get the axact point the probe was hit
If (ProbeDist+StartingPoint = ZProbePos) Then GoTo NoContact ' No contact was made during plunge
Code "G90 G0 Z" &ZProbePos ' Go back to that point. Always a very small amount of overrun.
While IsMoving ()
Wend

Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness) ' Set the Z axis DRO to whatever is set as plate thickness
Sleep 500 ' For some reason unknown to me,need this pause or retract goes to wrong place
Retract=Val(PlateThickness)+Val(StartingPoint)-Val(ZProbePos) ' Calculate retract position
Code "G0 Z" &Retract ' Retract to original position
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)" ' Puts this message in the status bar
GoTo Finish
NoContact:
Code "(No contact made within probing distance, try again!)" 'Puts this messge in the status bar
Finish:
Code "F" &CurrentFeed ' Returns to prior feed rate
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)" 'this goes in the status bar if aplicable
End If

' Reset the machine state

If CurrentAbsInc = 0 Then Code "G91" ' If G91 was in effect before then return to it
If CurrentGMode = 0 Then Code "G0" ' If G0 was in effect before then return to it

Exit Sub

2120

General Mach Discussion / Re: Auto Zero

« on: November 01, 2009, 08:38:02 AM »

Greg, your right. That is my personal touch off routine set up up for my machine and it works well with it but it could cause others problems. We need to come up with a standard auto zero script taking into account all possibilities. Metric/Imperial, abs./inc., ms/s etc.    There are a lot of auto zero scripts floating around but I haven't seen one that everyone was happy with yet.    It would have to be well commented too. Maybe we need to start a topic specifically for this? This is one of the things I have wanted to do for a long time but right now time is the problem.

Brett