Messages

91

General Mach Discussion / Re: enable outputs

« on: September 09, 2008, 10:42:27 AM »

I have also noticed the enable outputs do not all work.   I got around it by using a different output.  I do believe there is a problem somewhere in the code where only a couple of the enable outputs will work and actually turn on
the specified output pins.  I noticed this in Mach Turn,  haven't checked Mill.

Arnie

92

NC Pod / Re: How is he?

« on: August 25, 2008, 02:53:19 PM »

I think he was asking that - shouldn't a story or information about the person who invented the NCpod device be done here on the NCpod forum area?

Bit of a guess though.

93

NC Pod / Re: How is he?

« on: August 22, 2008, 01:14:51 PM »

I would have to agree with this logic.

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creeping Y position. Anyone know something else I can try?

« on: August 07, 2008, 11:43:14 AM »

Dave,

The repeatablity that you describe leads me to suspect that it is a triggering error of some sort.  When your drive changes direction it will change the dir pin output.  It is almost like when you change directions it may be missing a step pulse, maybe triggering on the trailing edge instead of the leading edge?   Just a lot of guess work on my part.  If your steps are long enough you might be able to determine this by stepping one pulse in Y+, with a dial indicator to monitor the movement, then step back 1 pulse.

One other thing to consider,  One of my 4 cnc machines is a recently aquired engraving table,  it has the same problem you describe but it is on all axis.  I get a cumulative error after multiple moves.  On my machine the problem is the computer is not fast enough,  I think it is a 500mhz machine.  I can improve the error by turning off the toolpath display update, but haven't totally eliminated it. 

Hope this is helpful

Arnie

95

General Mach Discussion / Re: Creeping Y position. Anyone know something else I can try?

« on: August 06, 2008, 05:45:20 PM »

Dave,

Maybe a little more detail on what you are calling creep,  if you start at Y0 and go somewhere Y+ then come back to Y0, and it is not in the exact same start point, that could be just simple backlash.

If you go from Y0 to Y+ then back to Y0, and do that 20 times and it comes out .016 X 20 off from Y0 would mean something different.    If exactly .016 X 20 off you have excellent repeatability and it is probably something to do with pulse triggering. 

If it is more random it could be binding causing you to miss steps only in one direction (going Y-) or noise on your system causing false stepping in the Y+ direction. 

Arnie

96

Share Your GCode / Re: machining a face

« on: July 23, 2008, 01:44:24 PM »

here is the link to the message with link to the web page

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,4948.msg35389.html#msg35389

97

Share Your GCode / Re: machining a face

« on: July 23, 2008, 01:39:44 PM »

My mistake,  it is Meshlab,  do a search in the forums,  that is where I found it.

98

Share Your GCode / Re: machining a face

« on: July 22, 2008, 11:33:19 AM »

I am trying to do the same thing, but here is how I am going about it.   

I am using a sample model that comes with Meshcam (a freeware program from Italy).
I cut out the part I want to machine and save it as a .stl , using the Meshcam program.
I use Freemill (by Visual Mill folks) to generate the gcode from the .stl file,  you can get the correct postprocessor from visual mill's post processors downloads.
Then open it in Mach3.

Fairly simple - but I am still working at it, having a little trouble with the size of the sample model,  I can scale it in Mach3 but the large scale changes also correlate over to the axis movement speeds so it is really slow.

Arnie

99

General Mach Discussion / Re: Controller for New Hermes Vanguard 3000 Engraver

« on: July 11, 2008, 12:20:27 PM »

Mike,

Yes it is up and running.  The only thing left to do is figure out the limit switch wiring.

100

General Mach Discussion / Re: Controller for New Hermes Vanguard 3000 Engraver

« on: July 10, 2008, 03:22:28 PM »

Xray,

Well this is a very late posting on this subject, but here goes.   I recently got a New Hermes 3400 engraver, free!!   I ended up using parts of the original controller,  the motor driver board and the power supply. Everything else in the EP controller was deleted.

 I had to hand trace the motor driver board and develop a schematic, then rewired it to accept the parallel port inputs from Mach3. 
Very cheap conversion,   I am running upwards of 250 ipm.

Arnie