Messages

501

General Mach Discussion / Re: Possible bug with jogging

« on: October 17, 2011, 09:37:29 AM »

Yes, I've seen that one more times than I care to think about - happened twice just yesterday.  That is one of the bugs Brian, Greg and I have been flogging for the last month or more, and we're making progress, so I would expect it should be fixed in the near future....

Regards,
Ray L.

502

General Mach Discussion / Re: Continue from same point after e-stop

« on: October 14, 2011, 11:07:00 AM »

Every once in a long while I get a limit switch error while cutting. Or I press the e-stop button.
What would the procedure be to continue from the point where it stopped?

Restart program from the beginning. Anything else is going to foul up!

Cheers

Absolutely not true!  I often have need to interrupt, and re-start programs, and it's no big deal at all.  First step is re-establishing correct offsets, which is usually just a matter of touching off on some feature of the part.  Then, decide where in the program to pick up, click on "SetNextLine", then start running.  You have to be careful about the start point you pick, to make sure any initial conditions are set correctly (modal settings, spindle/coolant state, etc.).  Worst case, you may have to manually set a mode or two, or turn the spindle/coolant on, before re-starting.  RunFromHere can also be used, but I have not had a need for that, and have seen it screw up with the dopey "preparatory moves", so I just don't use it.

Regards,
Ray L.

503

General Mach Discussion / G52....

« on: October 11, 2011, 07:09:47 PM »

Given how many "quirks" and "gotchas" Mach3 seems to have involving offsets....  Am I taking my life in my hands using G52, or is it pretty well-behaved?

Regards,
Ray L.

504

General Mach Discussion / Re: gecko540 problem under mach3

« on: October 10, 2011, 04:42:31 PM »

OK, try this:

Tell it to move 1"/25.4mm, measure exactly how far it DID move.
Return to 0.000.  Does it return to 0.000?
Tell it to move 2"/50.8mm, measure exactly how far it DID move.
Return to 0.000.  Does it return to 0.000?
Tell it to move 3"/76.2mm, measure exactly how far it DID move.
Return to 0.000.  Does it return to 0.000?
Do each of these 3 times, and report ALL the numbers.

Regards,
Ray L.

505

General Mach Discussion / Re: gecko540 problem under mach3

« on: October 10, 2011, 03:16:48 PM »

3/4" is a VERY large tool to be using on a little X3.....

Regards,
Ray L.

506

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gravity vs. DC motor on Z-axis - gravity wins.

« on: October 10, 2011, 09:16:37 AM »

In that case, your only reasonable option would be to modify the G-code.  Since your hardware sounds like it simply turns motor power on whenever there are step pulses coming out, just make the up feed slower than the down feed, which will make the up moves take longer than the down moves.  That should do what you need.

Regards,
Ray L.

507

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gravity vs. DC motor on Z-axis - gravity wins.

« on: October 10, 2011, 01:52:29 AM »

No reason you couldn't fit an encoder to it, and use a DC Servo drive, like a Gecko G320.....  That would allow you to slow down the up moves to the same speed as the down moves, and ensure it was always at the desired position.

Regards,
Ray L.

508

General Mach Discussion / Re: gecko540 problem under mach3

« on: October 10, 2011, 01:08:32 AM »

Please explain what you mean by this:  "volts is ok, 3.5 for each 2,4,6,8"

What stepper motors are you using?
What kind of power supply are you using?  What voltage?  What current rating?
What current limit resistors are you using on the G540?

NEMA 23   620oz

motor   is  current 3.5A
 inductance 6.4   beacuse I am set   the setp pulse to 5   and speede  to 450
 resistors is 3.5   
power supply 350 48v

"inductance 6.4   beacuse I am set   the setp pulse to 5   and speede  to 450" - I don't understand this, since step pulse width has no relation whatsoever to motor inductance. 

"resistors is 3.5" - I hope 3.5K?

"power supply 350 48v" - 350 What??  What is the current rating of the supply?  What kind of supply - linear, regulated, switcher?

Those are rather high inductance motors, which will limit high speed performance.    Ideally, you'd want to be running those on an 80V supply.

Are you running any belt or gear reducers, or direct drive from the motors to the ballscrews?

Regards,
Ray L.

509

General Mach Discussion / Re: gecko540 problem under mach3

« on: October 09, 2011, 11:53:25 PM »

Please explain what you mean by this:  "volts is ok, 3.5 for each 2,4,6,8"

What stepper motors are you using?
What kind of power supply are you using?  What voltage?  What current rating?
What current limit resistors are you using on the G540?

510

General Mach Discussion / Re: gecko540 problem under mach3

« on: October 09, 2011, 03:49:07 PM »

and maybe these people have never checked if they are cut very precisely parts

The G540 has been in production for quite a few years, and, as I said, has been used by thousands of people.  Do you honestly believe NONE of them EVER checked the accuracy of their machines?  Are you THAT confident that the problem can't possibly be in your machine, that you're willing to believe all those thousands of satisfied customers are basically idiots?  If so, then I urge you to ditch the G540, spend a lot of time and money on G203s,  and then when you find you're still in the same position as you are right now, perhaps you'll be a little more willing to listen.

"volts is ok, 3.5 for each 2,4,6,8" - I have no idea what that means....  3.5V?? Where??  2,4,6,8??  What is that??

Regards,
Ray L.