Messages

4351

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Post Code doesn't do anything.

« on: August 19, 2010, 06:59:39 PM »

LC imports "dxf" files. The Roadrunner file is a ( .tap ) file and can be found in MACH>GCODE subdirectory.
You open Mach and load the tap file and you should see it in Mach mill screen. Is that so on your end?

You don't load the tap file from LC.
You need to create a ( .LCAM ) file from within LC and then you post to Mach if you want the code to come back into LC.
or
You import a DXF file into LC and post to MACH.

Hmm  see 7.2 on page 23 of the manual.....need to clarify the words as they are misleading....someday!

BTW, I assume you don't have a LC license but do have a Mach3 license.

RICH

4352

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Post Code doesn't do anything.

« on: August 19, 2010, 06:28:38 AM »

When you click post code it sends that file to a directory of your choice, see the SETUP>POSTING OPTIONS and you will find that you can set the default directory via browsing. You need to run LC via Mach ( FILE>LAZYCAM ) in order for it to post the code to Mach. If your open LC first and then open Mach it will not post directly to Mach.

You can post code after say cleaning the file and any rapids or cutting will be based on the default settings. Normaly you would go in and define
what you want to machine along with tool and cutting paramters to be used.

Are you using a licensed version of Mach and LC?  Can affect posting. Some features of LC are limited if you do not have a license for it.

RICH

4353

FAQs / Re: newbei: what to buy for my 1st CNC ?

« on: August 19, 2010, 05:55:50 AM »

Is that a schematic on the case cover below the arrows you have drawn?

RICH

4354

General Mach Discussion / Re: High speed spindle recommendations

« on: August 19, 2010, 05:52:20 AM »

A friend made something similar to what you show in the pic. He basicaly took the hand grinder added a pulley to it and used a small motor and was belt driven. Works fine, but would have been just as easy to use the flex shaft. I have run the flex shafted one on my end for 4 hours continously at one time
( say worst case ) and the handle just got warm, motor got hot though. My friend had the heat problem with his setup. I guess it all depends
on how roburst you want to make it and what your going to do with it. Some of the high speed expensive spindles have around 1000 hrs life max before they must be sent back and rebuilt and purchase and rebuild is not cheap.

As far as the using the ER, not worth making the holder unless you can grind the shaft if making it. Even if puchased you will have additional runout due to length. Again depends on what you intend to due with it.

RICH

4355

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rotational speed

« on: August 18, 2010, 06:42:19 PM »

So can you set the feed rate differently for different axes?

I guess the question you asked can be expressed as follows if that's what you mean:
G1 X1 F1 Y1 F2 Z1 F3 ( all three axis  moving simultaneusly and a different feedrate for each )
                                     BUT you can't code like that,  as only one feedrate on a line is allowed! 

For individual axis moves, yes, you can have different feedrates. The feedrate is "modal" as it remains
/ applies for all following lines until it is changed to something different. The feedrate could be modified
if the axis velocity is  not appropriate for the feedrate.

Now you may ask........Well what happens when you do different combinations of feedrate, feedrate mode,  steps per unit settings, rotary / linear?
I don't have an answer! 
Do a matrix of all the possible combinations ....and then test and see.
I fooled around with that some time ago, never finished trying the different combinations.

RICH

4356

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: need help

« on: August 18, 2010, 05:14:21 PM »

You could change the sequence such that you do the hole first and then the square ( depends on which is deeper and if you would save any time). Wizards are kind of meant to be used individualy ,and when you combine them ,then some manual coding changes will be required between steps.
RICH

4357

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rotational speed

« on: August 17, 2010, 06:12:47 AM »

Must admit that it can get confusing, IMHO, and below is my summary of the different axis motions as taken from the manuals.
If your indexing using the A then you would use steps per degree ( that's conventional in industry as i understand it).
You should find the velocity and acceleration which is appropriate for the A axis. So just using the A to index is somewhat straight forward.

Now if your going to slave the A to some axis then things get more complicated. Feedrate gets modified / blended / coardinated based on a radius that you can define in Mach and remember that the feerate  may get restricted to the slowest axis based on velocity. A real kicker is when you want some feedrate, and it reverts to say A settings which are slower, but the feedrate is not realy linear; ie  and you find that the feedarate is not actualy say doubling but rather is only  increased by say 10%. For a stepper the torque is decreasing as the velocity is increasing so even though you call out for more velocity / feedrate but it physicaly can't do it, thus a slow physical feedrate. Good reason for a servo on the rotary........

So you can if you wish make the A movement be angular or linear and then axis movement changes depending on gcode, the feedrate mode,
etc. So take a look at G93, G94, and G95.



Co-ordinated Linear Motion  (Section 10.1.5 in manual)
Co-ordinated linear motion - each axis moves at constant speed and all axes move from their starting positions to their end
                                               positions at the same time, also defined as control the axes so that, at all times, each axis has completed
                                               the same fraction of its required motion as the other axes
                                            - IE; any two axes ( x,y or z ) produces motion in a straight line
                                            - the motion can be done at prevailing or rapid feedrate and may default to the slower axis feedrate


  
FEEDRATE ( unless G93 is used ) Section 10.1.6 in manual
1. X, Y, Z  + A, B, C         - without simultaneous rotation -  F =length / minute  ( along the linear path )
2. X, Y, Z  + A, B, C         - with simultaneous rotation -       F =length / minute  ( for the XYZA combination linear path ~ modified F
                                                                                                                           based on a diameter)
3. X, Y, Z  + A or B or C  - with simultaneous rotation -       F= Degrees / minute of  A or B or C
3. X, Y, Z  + A B C                                                                  F= Degrees / minute  using a blended ABC / conceptual angular motion
                                                                                                        for total time


3 Feed Rate Modes - ( Section 10.7.25 in manual )
G93        - inverse time feed rate -            F = 1/F#  minutes ( if the F number is 2.0, the move should be completed in half a
                                                                                                   Minute)  
                                                                 - if active, an F word must appear on every line which has a G1, G2, or G3 motion
                                                                 -  an F word on a line that does not have G1, G2, or G3 is ignored.
                                                                 -  does not affect G0 (rapid traverse) motions.
                                                                    It is an error if: inverse time feed rate mode is active and a line with G1, G2, or G3
                                                                    (explicitly or implicitly) does not have an F word

G94        - units per minute feed rate         F= inches / minute, mm / minute, or degrees / minute, determined by length  units are being
                                                                         used and which axis or axes are moving

G95          units per rev feed rate                F= number of inches / mm / degrees per spindle revolution, determined by what length units
                                                                         are being used and which axis or axes are moving.

RICH

4358

FAQs / Re: newbei: what to buy for my 1st CNC ?

« on: August 15, 2010, 10:49:12 PM »

Start reading and researching a lot. Spend once and don't do it twice......
Take a look at different cnc machines by manufactures of the type you will be using.
If your handy you can minimise investment and save a lot.

You will need a computer, a controlling program like MACH, a controller which contains the power supply / drives, etc , a purchased machine or
one you can convert.

Have a look at what folks have built and posted on the site.

RICH

4359

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can anyone give me a "step by step" on a wizard?

« on: August 15, 2010, 10:33:46 PM »

I like dental burrs or small end mills. Purchased engraving tips have a large radius on the ends thus line width, which can define how small you go, becomes a problem when doing real real small engraving. I have ground my own on times.
Depends on what your doing or working on. A lot of the gun engravers will have recievers softened and reheat treated after the work is done.
Tool breakage and wear on hard stuff is a cross.

All my engraving  is done using CAD for the design and then cam for the code. For something non-complex or quick and dirty the wizard will do fine. Unfortunately everything i do is somewhat one of a kind.

RICH

4360

General Mach Discussion / Re: lathe/threading question

« on: August 15, 2010, 10:07:39 PM »

is there any word on

Your jumping to a conclusion, lets just leave it at "wishfull thinking and may be possible someday" as there would need to be a program setup and defined and a lot of testing.

RICH