Messages

181

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 turn stops after 150 lines

« on: October 22, 2018, 08:11:43 AM »

racer2012,

I use Mach3 version 3.043.062 and XP Pro. Your file had some bad gcode and characters.
Mach highlights the bad characters or code when it loads.

Don't get hung up on the number of lines Mach will run in demo mode. It could be more or less than 50
or whatever. I have found that if you call a subroutine or sometimes a canned cycle it may be less in lathe.

RICH

182

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: real meaning of G28 ?

« on: October 11, 2018, 08:37:01 AM »

TommyF,

What specifically does the G28  Z input in SoftLimits setup menu?  

 I assume you are refering to the G28 home location coordinates on the bottom of  the flyout screen
( Motor Home/SoftLimits)  via Config>Homing Limits. There is no information in the Using Mach3Mill manual
for that part of the screen.

G28 home location information is given in section 5.6.1.4 of  Mach3 CNC Controller Software Installation and Configuration
manual. It states:
The G28 coordinates define the position in absolute coordinates to which the axes will move when a G28 is executed. They are interpreted in the current units ( G20 / G21 ) and are not automaticaly adjusted if the units system is changed.


Now just some comments:
- I personaly have never used that part of the flyout.

- The thread topic is Re; real meaning of G28.
   G28 is a G code commmand, defined by Mach3 in the manual 10.7.10 ( see also G28.1 , G30, G53). I have seen many
   comments / questions over time about it's use.  There are threads on the subject. One should have an understanding
   of  G28, G28.1, G30 in light of referenced / unreferenced machine/ type of machine, G54 / G90 / G91 active or inactive, and
   what  happens using  the commands and screen buttons, may as well throw in axis feedrate.
  
- There is a lot to gained by playing around with G28 relative to differant states of the machine...........one can learn a lot!

FWIW,
RICH

183

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rapid Feed Rates vs Cutting Feeds

« on: October 05, 2018, 08:07:14 AM »

My support staff for my machine said this was a Mach3 issue.

Show this to your support staff:
The support staff is just lazy and incompetent! They are generating gcode for a controller and they don't know the controller functionality or the default  machine setup?

Just my opinion.............  
RICH

184

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing Wizard

« on: October 05, 2018, 07:51:28 AM »

wmgeorge,

There are probing  wizards that are available for Mach3. Been some time since I did a search of what is available
out there both for a cost and free. You will need to do a search to find something which satisfies your requirements
as they are all different but similar. None of the ones I looked were to my liking. The real question is just what does one want to do with the probed information. Here are some examples to consider:
- Just locate a reference to set the machine start point or find some feature location
- For what kind of machine ie; lathe, mill, router, etc.
- What kind of output do you want from the probing, and what additional features do you want from the wizard.
   IE; point information, generate Gcode for what was probed, generate a DXF file or whatever for use in CAD,
   auto update the data for later use, modfiy other Mach 3 info ie ( like the tool table)
- How will you probe ie; Laser, manual, automated, etc.
- 2D or  3D probing

There is no "universal" probing that will satisfy every desire.

RICH

185

General Mach Discussion / Re: Noob question about Mach 3 Turn tool DRO #

« on: October 01, 2018, 06:15:02 AM »

Do you manually change tools? ie; quick change

RICH

186

General Mach Discussion / Re: Dolphin v10 post processors

« on: September 20, 2018, 05:42:43 AM »

If anyone has tips on using this software with Mach3, That would be great as I am new to lathe work.

I would suggest that you learn and  understand all the basics for using a CNC lathe.
You can start with the Mach Manual, then study the Smid books. The Mach3 lathe screen set just sucks and you would be better off downloading  a screen set done by Phil #24lathe.lset.

LINK TO THREAD- THREE PAGE LATHE SCREEN:
See the bottom of the first page of the thread to download the screen set and how to install it.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,13548.msg88932.html#msg88932

There are manuals for Dolphin. I don't use it's CAD and just import a dxf file go on from there.

FWIW,
I would also suggest that you try LazyTurn, there is an excellent manual for it, and frankly for
a lot of lathe work along with the Threading Wizard, it will cover a lot of basic work you will be doing.  

I would also suggest you may want to take a look at Fusion 360 for the lathe since it is more advanced than Dolphin.

Just a lot of learning so enjoy the task.

RICH

187

General Mach Discussion / Re: Dolphin v10 post processors

« on: September 20, 2018, 05:16:45 AM »

Go to Dolphin site / support / post processors > Lathe Posts and download
from the listing. Depending on the mode you are using two are required , namely:

Mach 3 - Radius Mode
Mach 3 - Diameter Mode

You will also find post processors for the mill.

https://dolphincadcam.com/dolphin-partmaster-turning-post-processors/

RICH

188

General Mach Discussion / Re: Seeking some help on "drifting" X axis

« on: September 01, 2018, 07:28:45 AM »

Patience,

Note that if you reference your machine / home location defined to the Mach3 as 0,0,0 and that location
is the basis for the programs gcode then machine coordinates and program coordinates are the same. No
G54 / part offset exists.

I checked the gcode and found nothing wrong with it. I ran the gcode in Mach3, numerous times.
Ran the code the first time, rewind the code, and cycle start it again, NO PROBLEMS  on my end.

Your program code explained in a simplistic manner.
A move will be made  to the start of point of the first lead in to make the bottom hole line N0120.
N0120 X6.6757 Y3.0713
Then a move is made to next lead in for the next hole and so on until all the holes are cut. Then there is a move to
a lead in for cutting the rectangle clockwise, ending with a lead out /  line N0940.
N0940 G03 X11.8677 Y25.6713 I0.0000 J0.0960

Doing nothing else after running the code the first time, rewind the code, cycle start, the controlled point should move to X6.6757 Y3.0713. There should be no offset like you have shown. To check that, put a dwell / add a line of code  " N0125 G04 P10" after line N0120 since that will give you approx 10 seconds of no movement and you can look at the X & Y DRO's to see that  the DRO values match the code values. Do the same to check the location of the  last lead out. Add a line of code  " N0945 G04 P10" after line N0940.

UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING:
You are not using the default Mach3 screen set, and your xml file can't be used for  anything by anyone because
you have a custom screen set and may even be using a customized version of Mach. That said, unless someone has the exact same "system" as you it will be fruitless to try and duplicate what you are doing. So you are on your owne. I prefer not to guess what the problem or cloud the issue.  

Good Luck,

RICH

189

General Mach Discussion / Re: Seeking some help on "drifting" X axis

« on: August 31, 2018, 10:28:13 PM »

patience,
The xml file is lacking basic configuration information  like motor tuning, ports and pins definition, etc, thus it is useless!
Please post the xml file you are using. When you open Mach3 you will see the name of the file next to PROFILE:________
on the main screen. You will find the xml file in the MACH3 directory.

RICH

190

General Mach Discussion / Re: Steps per unit strange trouble

« on: August 31, 2018, 07:27:51 AM »

I would suggest you use the calibration feature of Mach3 to set the correct steps per unit for the axis. You can use one of the calculators in Member's Doc's to manually find the steps per unit. The distance moved should be the longest possible for the axis being calibrated. Make sure that backlash is removed before actual moving the axis.

Lets say that you calibrated the axis with a 10" move then any error of the axis will be very small for short moves like .010 .1, 1.0" move.

The user should know what backlash they have and  all axes have backlash it's just a matter of degree. One should also know just how linear
their axis is in movement in both directions of movement and in incremental distances over the complete axis movement.  Understand that
the mechanical parts that make up an axis define how accurate / linearity of movement you will have. As an example you have a ball screw
and the specs say that it accuracy is 0.012" per foot. What they don't tell you that the 0.012" can evenly distributed or even just in some spot
along the 12". So check to know what you have.

RICH