Messages

1121

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Lathe Threading with SS

« on: November 04, 2015, 10:04:41 PM »

Fix / reduce the backlash problem.
What bugs are you aware of when using the PP for threading?


Suggest you go to the SS site to get the current info on what it can or can't do.

RICH

1122

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration/Steps per unit sanity check

« on: November 02, 2015, 03:24:44 PM »

If you just did as instructed the steps per would have been set correctly.
That said calculated based on correct inputs should be darn close to calibrated.

RICH

1123

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Threading Troubles

« on: November 01, 2015, 07:42:14 PM »

don’t know where to get .062 from

ftp://machsupport.com/Mach3/

Would going to a Smoothstepper setup help?

I don't follow info on the Smooth stepper anymore and no longer use it so you need to go to that site to find out what is working these days.
You need not purchase a Smooth stepper to do threading. PP works fine.

Do you mean actually running the vfd of itself, this means reprogramming so it does not read any of the mach commands?

Yes, you set the spindle speed on the vfd manually ( I know nothing of your vfd so can't help you).

You can use the Simple Threading wizard to generate code for threading.
Also you may want to have a read of Threading on the Lathe MACH3 which can be found in Members Docs.

I don’t see how it interacts with Mach after that
You set it manually but I don't know what is telling your vfd what the actual spindle speed is, so if the rpm varies then the vfd is trying to keep the rpm constant
and while it's doing that Mach is reading the rpm via an index and thus is planning the next pathing based on what it read, so one system is fighting the other.
That is not good. Threading was changed a long time ago to work but it only uses  simple single index. External motion devices such as the SS take care of threading instead of it being done by Mach via the PP.

RICH

1124

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Threading Troubles

« on: November 01, 2015, 05:04:33 AM »

I read that 3.043.066 has problems and currently I am using / testing .062 for the lathe.

Just set the VFD manually to an rpm, however you do that, and not via Mach.
The way it is / was and don't think anything has changed, if the VFD us trying to maintain rpm and Mach is monitoring
the rpm and adjusting for rpm variations the two systems are fighting each other.

Single index / input for the rpm to Mach and manually set the rpm.

RICH
 

1125

Feature Requests / Re: Mechanical corrections from software

« on: October 31, 2015, 11:40:36 PM »

You can use optics to measure long axis travel.
I use a jig transit ( 40x) which has an optical micrometer and can measure to 0.0001" from 3' away.
A "calibrated" optical scale ( could be 1' long but a 3 or 4 foot long scale is nice) is used which is set perpendicular to jig transit sight  line.
Thus you are measuring movement to a standard, is accurate,  and can be rather easy to do.

Just a way if you can borrow the equipment,

RICH

1126

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Threading Troubles

« on: October 31, 2015, 11:20:11 PM »

Set the rpm manually.

What Mach 3 version are you using?

RICH

1127

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration/Steps per unit sanity check

« on: October 31, 2015, 06:28:20 AM »

Attach your xml file.

RICH

1128

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration/Steps per unit sanity check

« on: October 30, 2015, 06:48:45 PM »

So you use the calibration feature, you say move 10" and it only moves 9", so you input 9" and it calc's the steps per and asks if you want to change them, you say yes
and save settings. When done go out and come back into Mach and things should be correct.

Above from memory and think it's correct,

Is that what you did?

RICH

1129

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Emachine shop drawing to D2nc cam to Mach3

« on: October 30, 2015, 08:12:26 AM »

The file should be a version 12 dxf which is brought into D2nc.
In d2nc you will define what you want to machine and how.
D2nc will provide the gcode for use by Mach.

The above are  generic steps , and since I don't use D2nc can't elaborate on how to use it.

Start reading the manuals for Mach and D2nc.
Welcome to the cnc learning curve.....have fun,

RICH

1130

General Mach Discussion / Re: Question about Homing Offset feature in Mach 3

« on: October 28, 2015, 06:01:09 PM »

for a different use than what I originally was thinking

That is the problem usually in that a lot of folks have some pre-conceived idea about what things are for, how they work, or how they think it should work.
A manual is only used to get something higher off the desk and is not to be read or studied.

BUT

Sometimes it is a real bear to figure out what's what from the manual without a total read / understanding of it.

I also fall into the " a lot folks" bunch. Guess I am a slow leaner, don't remember stuff, and don't take notes like the smart, wealthy, young, handsome,
well educated, refined, gentleman Russ!  

RICH