Messages

631

NC Pod / Re: Probe function with NCpod

« on: August 18, 2008, 07:18:02 PM »

I honestly don't know if the NCpod is still being developed or dead in the water. 

The probing as far as my experience goes does not work. 

G31 move will head off in whatever direction it feels like at the time.  No rhyme or reason that I can find.

So unfortunately it is on the shelf. Replaced by the excellent SmoothStepper.

Greg

632

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please, Help homing my gantry on my router

« on: August 18, 2008, 06:05:42 AM »

It does sound like Mach is not "seeing" the home switches properly.

Greg

633

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please, Help homing my gantry on my router

« on: August 18, 2008, 04:24:44 AM »

G'day Ostie

When using two home switches on a slaved axis do not have "home slave with master" checked.

RefCombination will as far as I know not "square" the axis.  At least it does not appear to on my setup.

In your Ref command it must home the X first then the A.  Not the other way around or it won't work.

So you want,

DoOEMButton ( 1022 )  'home X
DoOEMButton ( 1025 )  'home A

What happens is the X axis command sends both motors off together to home switch.  Goes onto X axis switch and backs off.

Then the A axis does it again but on it's own.  X axis does not move.  A only moves a very small amount.  On and off it's own switch.

Of course you can add commands to home Y and Z as well but those two must go in that order.

Now that is my experience and how my machine operates.

Hope this helps

Greg

EDIT;  If still having trouble try unchecking "Home Sw Safety" on General Config page.

A axis might still be on it's home switch when X axis is finished homing.   This will help if that is the case.

634

General Mach Discussion / Re: Scripting Help Tool Zero

« on: August 17, 2008, 02:42:29 AM »

Phill

I have now tested the script I suggested.

It works perfect on LPT and SmoothStepper.

So the line that I was not sure about syntax, is good.

PlateThickness = 3.0 + GetUserDRO(1151) 'Set touch plate thickness here and it will add the material thickness from the onscreen DRO

Greg

635

General Mach Discussion / Re: Scripting Help Tool Zero

« on: August 16, 2008, 09:19:35 PM »

Phil

The following is the code that I use.

The red line is the one I have changed to suit your need.    It is possible the VB syntax is not correct.

I am no VB guru    and I have not tested it with this alteration, but the idea should be sound.

You will need to add the DRO 1151 to your screen.  This will be "Material Thickness"  DRO

If the syntax is faulty then one of the VB experts here on the forum should be able to help. 

Apart from the red bit I have used this script for ages on a number of machines and it is good.



CurrentFeed = GetOemDRO(818) 'Get the current feedrate.
PlateThickness = 3.0 + GetUserDRO(1151) 'Set touch plate thickness here and it will add the material thickness from the onscreen DRO

If GetOemLed (825)=0 Then
DoOEMButton (1010)
Code "G4 P01"
Code "G31 Z-20 F100" 'Set probe move distance and speed here
While IsMoving()
Sleep 20
Wend
ZProbePos = GetVar(2002)
Code "G0 Z" &ZProbePos
While IsMoving ()
Wend
Call SetDro (2, PlateThickness)
Code "G4 P0.25"
Code "G0 Z30" 'Change the Z retract height here
Code "(Z axis is now zeroed)"
Code "F" &CurrentFeed
Else
Code "(Z-Plate is grounded, check connection and try again)"
Exit Sub
End If     

PS;  There are some numbers you will want to change if you use imperial measuments.       

636

General Mach Discussion / Re: Reconfigure USB Jogging Dongle

« on: August 15, 2008, 12:54:41 AM »

Bruce I have not used Keygrabber but there is info on using it in this PDF

http://www.machsupport.com/docs/Mach2_6.11_Custom.pdf

What is this dongle thing you have?

Greg

637

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: Just purchased a laser line pointer

« on: July 31, 2008, 06:58:53 AM »

These are cheap and free postage too.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5914

Greg

638

Mach Screens / Re: Call for G-code display window

« on: July 28, 2008, 11:37:26 PM »

C'mon Greg, that's an easy one. General Config, top center, slightly to the left. 

OK OK I feel suitably chastised........I thought I had seen it somewhere. 

Jason,  thanks.

In this case I was not looking for that much control.  Just a better editor than Notepad.

Greg

639

Mach Screens / Re: Call for G-code display window

« on: July 28, 2008, 05:54:26 PM »

Thanks for that Jason. Your the man!!!!

That's just what I wanted.

While I am at it, can I change the "edit code" program from the Notepad default?

Greg

640

Mach Screens / Call for G-code display window

« on: July 26, 2008, 07:31:45 AM »

Scott,  I am sure you will be able to help with this one. 

Latest versions of Mach have a htm file with the Gcode explanations.  I find I look at it often.

This is the code behind the button,      HtmlDialog( GetMainFolder()+"Mach3MillGcode.htm" )

It opens in what looks like a restricted Internet Explorer window.  It is painfully small and not resizable.

My preferred browser is Firefox.  Is there a call that will open it in my choice of browser window?

Greg