Messages

71

General Mach Discussion / Re: Part Counter/Limiter

« on: July 30, 2014, 01:46:20 PM »

Would there be a way to code in there if a counter gets down to zero the cycle start button no longer works?  I have no idea how to program that kind of stuff! Please help!!!1

72

General Mach Discussion / Part Counter/Limiter

« on: July 30, 2014, 12:58:54 PM »

Ok so we are having a problem with our operators in the shop.  They are getting in the habit of waaaaaay overrunning certain parts.

For instance, say we have a certain part that we are selling 180 of on a particular order.  Sometimes the operators will over run this by 60 pcs before realizing they are over running the parts.

This costs me time, money, and many headaches.  You would think that they would learn, but the problem has persisted for years. 

Therefore I need a more fool proof way of limiting the number of parts that can be run.  A simple counter that counts the number of times a toolpath is run is NOT enough.  They will just continue to over run.

So, is there any way that I can program something into Mach3 that every time a new toolpath is loaded it asks "How many times to run this part?" And then you enter a quantity.  Then after that many runs, it WILL NOT ALLOW THE OPERATOR TO RUN IT ANYMORE until a new toolpath is selected from the load g-code option?

All of our toolpaths end at the last line and do not have the rewind M code at the end.  So when a part is done, if they are still running it, they hit Rewind, then cycle start twice.

I desperately need a fool proof way to limit their over runs.  The latest one cost me several hundred dollars.

 

73

General Mach Discussion / Re: DRO's don't move, neither does machine

« on: May 28, 2014, 07:50:42 AM »

Ok so at the end of the day I just shut the computer down.  Rebooted today, deleted Mach,  ;Dreinstalled Mach, rebooted again, works fine.  One thing weird though, it's a new computer and I put a flash drive in it with my files.  When it said it was done loading the driver software for the flash drive it needed to be rebooted.  I never did that for the flash drive.  Would that cause erratic behavior?  I know Windows can just be weird sometimes.  At any rate I'm up and running thanks for your time.

74

General Mach Discussion / DRO's don't move, neither does machine

« on: May 27, 2014, 02:37:00 PM »

Ok so I just got a new machine from EZ-Router and I'm setting up an axis profile which swaps the x and y axes.  Reason being, I have a thousand files that run horizontally from an older jig setup and rather than reprogram all of those, I just set up a new profile that swaps these axes.  I call it "axis swap."  Anyway, after cloning the profile from EZ-Router and changing the settings to swap axes, I was going to run my frist test file.  Well, when I set the z axis depth using the plate, I noticed it hesitated a little on the drawback, and then it went way up and hit the limit switch.  So after unsuccessfully trying to fix that, I just decided I'd start over from scratch and reinstall Mach with the original xml file from EZ-Router.  Well, now I'm at the point where I can't run their regular profile for me at all.  I installed the software and now I can't jog any axis and the DRO's don't move either when trying to jog.  Have you ever tried to fix one problem and create three more for yourself???   

What am I doing wrong???

75

General Mach Discussion / Re: Looking for some advice on a project

« on: September 10, 2010, 08:34:04 PM »

As a business owner that runs Mach on 3 machines (and 99% of our work is V carving) and owns a laser engraver, I have to say, laser engraving is the way to go.  The resolution will be so unbelievable that you'll think it's an actual photo on the gun.  And it would probably take no longer than 5-10 minutes.  If I were you, I'd ask around to see if there's anyone within reasonable distance that has a laser machine.  You're not giving any work away, since it's a free job!  And I can just about guarantee a v engraved image will not be anywhere near the quality (or at least the resolution) as a laser.

My 2 cents.

Bill Sines

76

General Mach Discussion / Re: New machine build

« on: April 26, 2010, 08:57:31 PM »

High five to the VCarve Pro guy...I'm on that program daily

77

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machining Vinyl Spindle speeds and feed rates???

« on: April 25, 2010, 02:02:32 PM »

Thanks!

I will have to look into that.

Bill

78

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machining Vinyl Spindle speeds and feed rates???

« on: April 24, 2010, 09:46:03 AM »

Thanks a lot, but I'm doing v engraving in 5/8 and 3/4 material...I'll have to keep looking and check that out!

Bill

79

General Mach Discussion / Machining Vinyl Spindle speeds and feed rates???

« on: April 23, 2010, 02:55:44 PM »

Not sure if this post even goes here, but here goes.

I am doing some Vee engraving in vinyl for someone (or more specifically, recycled milk jug material, the stuff they make decks out of), but I'm not getting a clean cut.

I'm using a porter cable 7518 at 21,000 rpm, feed rate 60 ipm, with Whiteside bit 1541 (3 flute 60 deg).  I have a lot of flakes down in the grooving that won't come out.  Am I getting material re-welding due to friction?

80

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need Help on a Major Conversion

« on: April 21, 2010, 03:57:45 PM »

No luck with G64.  Also, I'm playing with acceleration and rapids, so I'll see how it goes.

I did do some cutout stuff with it today.  Cutout movement is good, but Vee engraving movement is slow and not as smooth as I would like.

All in all a good machine...at least it keeps some orders off my other machines.