Messages

51

General Mach Discussion / Re: Odd behavior with probe wiring

« on: May 04, 2014, 08:36:23 AM »

When I wire the pins as described, I get a lot of noise. I am using INput pin 13 for the probe. tony

52

General Mach Discussion / Odd behavior with probe wiring

« on: May 03, 2014, 04:14:31 PM »

I have decided to use a z probe for setting the tool height. I connected the board to a spare terminal on the c10 breakout board and configured the probe input in Mach 3.  When I touch the copper plate with the alligator clip, Mach 3 shows a good contact. It works as it should.  However, if I use the tool on the router, nothing happens.  If I pull out the tool, the input lights up. That is, when the tool makes contact with the router , the probe no longer works.
Somehow, the router is interfering with the circuit, and I can't figure out why.
After all, I am only using the tool for closing the circuit.
The router is a hitachi plugged in its own 110volts line Clearly, the router is interfering with the circuit.

Any clues?
tony

53

General Mach Discussion / Re: X or Y axis error after homing

« on: November 12, 2013, 01:36:34 PM »

Ok that makes sense. thanks, Hood.
tony

54

General Mach Discussion / Re: X or Y axis error after homing

« on: November 12, 2013, 01:25:04 PM »

I sure will do that, and report back.
I hope it fixes it. 
I thought that the home limit switch "took care" of things.

tony

55

General Mach Discussion / X or Y axis error after homing

« on: November 12, 2013, 12:55:30 PM »

Usually I get this error when I first start the pc, Mach 3, load a program, set my work coordinates to zero, zero my tool,   press the regenerate button and then press the REF ALL HOME button.

The machine goes to the home position, where it's supposed to go, but sometimes the X or the Y DRO records a different position.

When  I press the "go to zero" button, either the x or the y goes in a different direction.

I have to have my button on the stop button in order to make sure the machine does not smash against the end of the travel.

Once I stop the machine, I have to bring the tool back to the work coordinates and zero  the one axis that had gone wild.

Again, I this point I do not press the "regenerate" button, but simply press the ref all home button.

From here on the machine works fine. In fact,I can pick new coordinates and things will work fine.

Obviously, this is not supposed to happen.  


I written about this problem before, but I've yet to get any good clues to solve it.

tony

56

General Mach Discussion / Re: tool offset not taking

« on: October 02, 2013, 07:15:51 PM »

thank you gentleman for helping. I discovered that the tool had been misnumbered, that is, T2 had some crazy H **** number. As soon as I made the correction, things went back to normal.
thanks again.
tony

57

General Mach Discussion / tool offset not taking

« on: October 02, 2013, 08:41:26 AM »

I have not had any trouble with Mach 3 compensating for different tool lengths until this morning.  Suddenly, after I change a tool, Mach 3 fails to turn the green LED light, informing me that the tool offset is in fact recognized.  What causes this?  My code looks normal. Now when it starts to cut with the new tool, it's not compensating for tool length.  The offset in the offset window looks fine also. I am puzzled.
tony

58

General Mach Discussion / compensating for different stock thickness

« on: September 24, 2013, 08:04:30 AM »

Is there a quick way to compensate for changing tolerances in stock thickness in Mach3. Let me be more clear.  When I create gcode, I am assuming that the stock material is a specific thickness.  When I actually set up the job, I find that the material may be thicker or thinner than what I've programmed, especially when I am doing more than one sheet of material from different vendors.
I don't want to go back to the program and recalculate the depth. I'd like to know if there a quick way to do it via Mach 3 on the fly. 
thanks
tony

59

General Mach Discussion / Re: anomaly after regen

« on: September 04, 2013, 05:14:15 PM »

yes, I have home switches and right after regen, I send them there. From there, sometimes the coordinates that I had set are "forgotten" once I start the run cycle.
tony

60

General Mach Discussion / Re: anomaly after regen

« on: September 04, 2013, 04:51:24 PM »

Now I am confused.
I start from the home position. Then I go to set my xyz work origin. Set the DROs to zero and regenerate. Then send the machine to home.
Are you saying that this is wrong? I've been working with Mach 3 for 5 years and I ( think) this was always my procedure.
tony