Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: Different use of Mach3 (dispensing)

« on: April 10, 2009, 08:07:44 AM »

thanxs RC!

The 406 parker linear motion table hold all the mass of X and Z axis (about 70lb)
has 20mm lead and high feed rates is not a problem.
The X has lead 5mm and high fees rates is a problem.
If I change the frequency to 35000 or more my motors does not sound very well and I have noticeable vibration.
With 5mm lead the parker says that the maximum speed of screw can be 50 rps. but I can't catch that speed.
Any way may be I will change the 404 parker linear motion table with one that has 15mm or 20mm leed.
George!

12

General Mach Discussion / Different use of Mach3 (dispensing)

« on: April 10, 2009, 05:33:32 AM »

I finally finish the doming machine project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5_H_WVbz98

The machine.
Parker linear motion tables 406 &404 series
Drives 750 OEM
Motors nema 34

All from ebay.!

13

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Control Plunge rate & Retract rate

« on: January 14, 2009, 07:58:14 PM »

HIYA George , The the plunge rate is set by your cam program. Probably under the tool setup section . THe retract rate is controlled by MACH when using a canned drill cycle and is not normally changeable. THe option to this is to program the actutal drill cycle as a sub program then you can have independat plunge and retract feeds.

Hope that helps, (;-) TP

Yes... but how I can do that?

14

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Control Plunge rate & Retract rate

« on: January 14, 2009, 07:56:33 PM »

GEORGE,
How about trying one of the wizards available in MACH and just compare the Gcode.
Good learning and may be interesting.
Lazy answer on my part but will be more fun for you,
RICH

I just try it nothing new..!
thanx Rich!

15

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Control Plunge rate & Retract rate

« on: January 14, 2009, 04:16:48 PM »

Hello!
When I design a drill patern in my Cam program the G code that generate is with a general Feed-rate.
In program the  Plunge rate & Retract rate fields are inactive.
also it does not include the tool feed-rate preferences.
the code  that generates is something like that:

Any idea how to control the Plunge rate & Retract rate?
Lets say
Plunge rate 200
Retract rate 600



(PROGRAM NAME - 5X5 holes 2mm per 10mm )
(DATE=DD-MM-YY -  14-01-09  TIME=HH:MM -  23:05 )
N100 G17 G21 G90 G40 G80 G64 G49 G0 M05
N102 G8 P1
N104 G90 M05 Z0
N106 G52 X0. Y0. Z0.
N108 T12 M06
(  2. DRILL )
( TOOL - 12  DIA. OFF. - 0  LEN. - 0  DIA. - 2. )
N110 G54 G0 X-105.183 Y-23.882
N112 S0 M3
N114 G43 H0 Z60.
N116 Z5.
N118 G17 G99 G82 Z-6. R5. P300. F4000.
N120 Y-13.882
N122 Y-3.882
N124 Y6.118
N126 Y16.118
N128 X-95.183 Y-23.882
N130 Y-13.882
N132 Y-3.882
N134 Y6.118
N136 Y16.118
N138 X-85.183 Y-23.882
N140 Y-13.882
N142 Y-3.882
N144 Y6.118
N146 Y16.118
N148 X-75.183 Y-23.882
N150 Y-13.882
N152 Y-3.882
N154 Y6.118
N156 Y16.118
N158 X-65.183 Y-23.882
N160 Y-13.882
N162 Y-3.882
N164 Y6.118
N166 Y16.118
N168 G80
N170 Z60.
N172 G90 G49 M05 Z0
N174 G53 X0. Y0.
N176 G52 X0. Y0. Z0.
N178 G8 P0
N180 G17
N182 M30

thanks a lot
George

16

Works in progress / Re: Greek Concept on mach3 user interface!

« on: January 14, 2009, 02:27:03 PM »

Hi,
Send me the PSD file (with layers) and I will make it a working screen in Mach even with gauges
Flash will import the PSD file...actually anything Adobe makes can now be transferred between all of their programs.

There is nothing you can't do using Mach and Flash 

thanxs all of you..!
I wiil finish the scale area and some other details and I Up load it...!

17

Works in progress / Re: Greek Concept on mach3 user interface!

« on: January 10, 2009, 06:04:23 AM »

Thanks Zafar!
The truth is i had expected more responses (positive or negative, that's not really the point) but obviously it's too early.
I will wait for a couple of weeks and if there is more interest, i'll speed up to the next screens, otherwise i will move on a slower pace!...
If i could finish it completely myself, i would have done it already, but this is impossible without your help guys.

George

18

Works in progress / Re: Greek Concept on mach3 user interface!

« on: January 06, 2009, 02:45:14 PM »

Thanxs Dave!

19

Works in progress / Greek Concept on mach3 user interface!

« on: January 06, 2009, 02:24:23 PM »

Hi everybody!
I've been using Mach3 for the last couple of years to drive two machines. One small router and one X,Y,Z table for dispense applications.
I've been working as a graphic designer for the last 15 years. I've been watching this thread and i really liked the approaches of many Mach3 users. So, during Xmas holidays, i made my  attempt to design my own screen. It took me 2 days working on it since i believe there are certain rules one has to follow during an interface design approach.
This specific screen is exclusively photoshop work.

My first attempt on GUI (Graphic User Interface) design was 10 years ago, when i used to design my own applications on FileMakerPro (Database program). I had to read many books having to  do with GUI and i would like to refer to some important issues that i take in mind:
1) Navigation from screen to screen, from screen to function and backwards
2) Button design
3) The number of buttons on a screen
4) The tab concept
5) Distinguishable graphic elements and distinguishable groups of them
6) The size of elements
7) Colour contrast

When i started designing the screen, the first limitation appeared to me: The invisible power behind a GUI is... habit.
If this screen is finished and other users of the program use it too, it would be wrong to change the overall design of the Mach3 screen (even though i strongly disagree with the position and the size of certain buttons, fonts, etc) since the change would cause confusion to the power user. So, i constrained myself to changes having to do with the design of the buttons, fonts, leds and colours. In other words, we actually have a different skin here.
The only new idea that is proved to be a powerful communicative media to describe precisely the meaning of speed is the analog instrument for feedrate and spindle control.
In the  feedrate control  the analog instrument (if it possible) can show the realtime speed of axis (acceleration for example)

I would appreciate your opinion. If it's worth it, i will continue to the design of the rest of Mach3 screens (MDI, Diagnostics, etc)
Is it possible for the analog instruments to operate with some flash work for example?
I don't have the slightest idea about using the Screendesigner or Screen 4.... so any help from you is more than wellcome!
I can upload the psd file on rapid share and share it with you.
All the buttons are layered in five stages (normal, over, hit, pressed, disabled)
All the DROs, MDI, buttons and leds have transparent edges so as to be background independent.
The scale DRO are missing and also some other things.... but you can get the basic design of my screen

Thanks in advance
George


Clik Here :
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/7960/toubalismach3maincc1.jpg

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: synchronize flow rates and motor speed

« on: June 20, 2008, 11:34:20 AM »

"Are you controlling one of these Viso Tec Dispensers, or making a similar type of thing."
I have those pumps (Viso Tec Dispensers).

What is the scale of this thing. Are we talking perhaps of a garden robot that runs round the lawn spraying fertilizer, or maybe some automated spraying system.
I have built a xyz table. Its size is   x:15 inches   y:32 inches  and  z:10 inches.

In my case there are motions of two kinds.
The first one is dispensing dots.
So the move is something like this
x0  y0  z0
x0  y10
z-5 (dispense)
z0 (stop dispense)
x0  y20
z-5 (dispense)
z0 (stop dispense)
It is like drilling a series of holes.
I have solved this problem by using a valve made especially for dispensing dots

The second one is dispensing lines and arcs or along a path.
And this is the difficult part.
If I use a common on-off valve, the flow rate (of polyurethane in my case) would be steady.
If the head moves more slowly in a curve than on the straight
line (while dispensing along a path), the line of the dispensed material will not be even (in some places will be thin and in other places will be thick)
Therefore, the desired move in this case is:
when z axis goes down (z-5) the motor that drives the viscotec pump has to start and its speed has to be relevant to the head's speed along the path.
And when z axis rises (z0) the motor must stop.

So this is my question.
Is this thing possible??

ps. I would really like to thank you for your help.

George.