Messages

611

General Mach Discussion / Re: mach3 material thickness

« on: April 04, 2017, 04:42:42 PM »

If you are using the any of the wizards you will define it in the wizard.

If you are using LazyCam then you define it as part of the tool definition. See Tutorial #6 page 100
of the LazyCam Manual available in Members Doc's.

Read the LC manual and don't hack the program as everything that I know about LC is in the manual!

RICH

612

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 Turn - Use Y-axis to set tool height (turning on a 3 axis mill)

« on: April 04, 2017, 08:00:22 AM »

You can add the Y axis to the turn screen. Think I did that for someone some time ago.
You can also use the mill screen to do turning.
BUT
A mill is not a lathe and I think the manipulation of code is not worth the trouble. Just my thoughts on the matter........

RICH

613

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Autodesk > LazyCam > Gcode > Mach3 Plasma Circles are not cutting right

« on: April 04, 2017, 07:29:13 AM »

The reason you are getting those lines at 12 & 6 o'clock are because they are part of your drawing.
You can turn off / manipulate layers in LC so they won't be part of the post.
I would recommend that you draw things on different layers  in cad to begin with.
All this is covered in the manual, READ IT.

Also read about lead in / outs as you may want them and define the plasma options for your machine in LC.

RICH

614

General Mach Discussion / Re: UPgrading CNC 3 axes 24x36x5’’,

« on: April 03, 2017, 07:27:36 AM »

I need to know what motor to buy, what stepdriver to buy and the reason why?

I would suggest you go to the Gecko site and read about the different components for a cnc machine.
Only you can define what you want to do now or in the future with your machine.

RICH

615

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is there Gcode to get the machine to goto Machine Coordinates for Tool Changes?

« on: April 03, 2017, 07:08:21 AM »

Cartierusm,

More likely to get help if you ask reply #6 question  in Mach4 General Discussion.
I don't use Mach4 so can't help.

RICH

616

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is there Gcode to get the machine to goto Machine Coordinates for Tool Changes?

« on: April 02, 2017, 08:01:55 AM »

FWIW,

Tool 1 is my master tool. All the tools are touched off via probing based on
the master tool, and the reference position for probing is from machine coordinates
X=0 Z=0.Machine coordinates are used for touching off the tools. The physical location of X=0 is the lathe center line and Z is set so the controlled point of the longest tool will be clear of any stock. That is the basis for how my tool table is populated.

On start up the lathe center and a Z location of the master tool is done via probing
to set it at X & Z=0 using the same tool setter. Then the Z is reprobed to locate the current end of any stock mounted in the chuck.A typical x & z location is chosen to be away from the end of the stock and that location becomes machine coordinate X & Z=0 and also home. A G54 offset is created from home to the stock.

I use a modified screen set so the above is rather automated and quickly done.
All code for any turning is based on center and end of stock. For doing mutiple turnings on the same piece of stock ie; say two widgets and each is cut off the stock, then a different / multiple work offsets are used.

Keeps it simple here,

Rich

617

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is there Gcode to get the machine to goto Machine Coordinates for Tool Changes?

« on: April 01, 2017, 07:25:16 PM »

Consider making machine coordinate X=0 Z=0, to also be  home , and use that position as the tool change position also.
Keeps things simple!

RICH

618

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Autodesk > LazyCam > Gcode > Mach3 Plasma Circles are not cutting right

« on: April 01, 2017, 08:20:51 AM »

BTW,
LC will post good code for plasma but you also need an appropriate M3 macro for your machine setup.
I don't have a plasma machine, but, what I posted is based on what worked for a friends machine.
There is a manual for LC in Members Doc's and hopefully you had a read of it. The plasma module is not cover in the manual but just use what I posted and you should get proper code all things considered.

RICH

619

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Autodesk > LazyCam > Gcode > Mach3 Plasma Circles are not cutting right

« on: April 01, 2017, 08:12:23 AM »

Post the file done in ACAD 2017.
Post the dxf file you created.

I assume you are using the Plasma module in Lazycam and you will need the pro version to generate code
for any module other than mill. Make sure that you set the Plasma Post Options.
Steps for plasma:
1.   Create a dxf and open in  LC .
2.   Select the Plasma Module
3.   Click Setup and on the bottom right you will see Plasma Options.
4.   Click the Plasma Options button so you can define your plasma settings. Click OK button
        when done.
5.   Select what you want to cut.
6.   Click the Post Code button

RICH

620

General Mach Discussion / Re: Threading cutting Tool path running incorrectly in Mach3 turn Version R3.043.066

« on: March 31, 2017, 01:15:54 PM »

Not to my knowledge.

RICH