Topics

11

General Mach Discussion / What Steps/ Units Settings for Z-axis (Quill) of CNC Retrofitted Radial Machine?

« on: May 21, 2010, 07:14:59 AM »

See my following thread, I have converted the Radial Drill and now tweaking the controls..
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=105247
I have used Ball screw and i have backlash compensation enabled in Mach3 due to some backlash in those screws... Now I am getting 0.009mm accuracy and repeatability..

Currently I am getting problems in calibrating the Z-axes... When I using Mach3 to setup it in 'MM' metric mode..I am getting 12.344 steps/mm... This is very coarse I don't know why?

My Motor is = 200 steps
Gear Reduction 3: 1 attached to QUILL mechanism
I am using 1/2 step mode...
I don't know what is driving the quill but it is something Rack and pinion, i don't know the specification..

so the mathshould be simple...
200 x 2 x 3 x Y= 1200 x Y. (Where 'Y' is the Quill rack and pinion I don't have informations about)
but Mach3 only returning me 12.33 steps!!!!!

What should i do?

12

General Mach Discussion / What is The Problem in this Code?

« on: April 10, 2010, 12:34:56 PM »

Hi,
I am working on CNC embroidery machine.. Following is the Machine specifications in Mach3

1- X-axis step/ unit = 244.34   Velocity=200 and acceleration= 50
2- Y-axis same as above
3- Z-axis step/unit 40 velocity=1000 and acceleration=400

Now the Z-stepper is connected with sewing machine wheel with 1:1 ratio pully. The z-axis motor is 200 steps/revolution and controller is set to 1/2 step. Total steps/unit 400... Now i kept for Z-axis 40 steps/unit so that for each 10mm linear move one revolution completes.

My embroidery software generate following Gcode.

G90
G21
G64
F 2000
(NEEDLE UP RAPID MOVE- Light bulb Off if On)
M09
G00 X-0.1 Y0 Z2
G00 X9 Y2.6 Z2
(START STITCHING- Light Bulb Off if On)
M09
G00 X17.2 Y1.1 Z2
G00 Z8
M786
G00 X25.3 Y-0.2 Z2
G00 Z8
M786
G00 X26.1 Y-0.3 Z2
G00 Z8
M786


Where M786 is Macro and the purpose of this to setOEMDRO (802,0) i.e. After each Z-move Z-axis DRO becomes zero.

THE PROBLEM:
My X/Y moves running very well but my Z-stepper moves very little about 10 degrees only.. I don't know why this happening?... When i do not load Gcode in Mach3 and run the Z-motor through MDI typing G00 Z10 then stepper completes one Full revolution.. but when i load above Gcode the Z-axis DRO contineously changing and zeroing and the motor runs very slow upto 10 degrees after each X/Y moves..

Please help me:(
Regards


PS:
the M786.m1s macro only include following line
SETOEMDRO(802,0)
and this macro is kept in Mach3 macro folder and running like a charm.

Following is some embroidery carried out by my friend RENE using my software
www.my-woodcarving.blogspot.com

13

General Mach Discussion / Mach Controlled DIY embroidery Machine

« on: January 20, 2010, 12:49:46 AM »

Dear fellows,
Happy New Year and Marry Christmas... No , i wrongly said.... " Marry christmas and Happy New Year"..Now that is right.. About 6-days difference Christmas came first..

Hi girls and Womens of the Forum, And the guys and gentlemen who loves embroidery work like me... Last year My wife stressed me to make a DIY embroidery machine with bigger Hoop and that can do all type of stitch work... .. It was a challenge to me... .. All types of stitches!!!!.. I asked her What do you mean by All type of stitches???...

She replied " I need a machine that can compete with modern industrial Machines"... Hmmm..... and the story Begins...and I left Woodwork and tried to look like a embroider..From that day and now, i have a lot of knowledge about embroidery machines and working principal...

I researched on the machines and found that The Following are the few File Formates that Embroidery machine uses..
Brother *.pes
Tajima *.dst
Viking *.hus
Melco *.exp etc

From that day, After a long long time i was able to make a software that can drive my CNC Embroidery Machine with all types of stitches that industrial machines can do. Basically, my intent was to convert low-cost manual sewing machine into embroidery machine that can compete with industrial machines. For this I have to write a software that can convert the DST file into machine readable file.. The DST file is a TAJIMA file format and it is complex binary coded...It was hard for me make a software that can read the file and simulate the design and make the Gcode..Previous experience in visual basic Programming made it possible to write a customised program...

Following is the software that i have written in Visual BAsic Language.. With my this software machine will able to do Straight stitch, Cross-stitch, Zig-zag stitch, Satin stitch, Tatami stitch,chain stitch, Motif-run stitch, triple run stitch, Contour stitch, Perpendicular coil stitch and all types of Alphabets and Pictures...

For hardware drawings are completed and 80% will be assembled within this week end. The functionality of the machine will be..

1- The Large Hoop working area ( 9" x 20")

2- For every new colour in design machine will stop with needle upward condition for colour change.

3- A bulb will lit up so that thread can be easily changed

4- Automatic thread cutting

5-If thread broke machine will stop

further functionalities can be added in future.


Regards

Khalid

14

General Mach Discussion / Question to all having Rotary Axis

« on: January 10, 2010, 10:39:04 PM »

Hi Guys... I have a question... I want to rotate my rotary axis one revolution only after each X/Y move.. Like following

G01 X1 Y1
G01 A360
G01 X2 Y2
G01 A360
.
.
.

Now I want to rotate the A-axis in only one Direction Suppose CLOCKWISE ONLY...
Now i need some explaination for the following?

ROT 360 ROLLOVER - when checked the A axis Dro wll display from 0-360 degrees and then start over at 0.
If not checked the A axis DRO will be additive such that 2 revolutions will display 720 degrees.


In the above, If i give command A360, will it rotate one revolution and become '0'..If yes then this will do my work!!!

ANG SHORT  ROT ON G0-The axis will move in the shortest possible move to a new position, such that if
at 0 degrees and you jogged to 359 deg then it would just rotate   -1 degree.


In Last, Is it possible that the A axis DRO itself become '0' when one rotation of A-axis complete? So that it will prepare for next 360 revolution?

15

General Mach Discussion / Can someone help me locating Mach3Beta7.61.exe

« on: December 14, 2009, 12:41:43 PM »

Reference to following thread at CNCZone
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10369

In the above thread a link is given for Mach3Beta7.61.exe... Can someone help me finding this... I want this Beta version because it has capability of Running all the three axis in harmony of one axis you want to run.

Thanks and appreciation for help.
Best Regards

16

General Mach Discussion / Idea for CNC Mach controlled Quilting Machine (No costly stitch regulator)

« on: December 10, 2009, 12:55:59 PM »

Hi to all great minds:)
I want to make a low-cost Stitch Regulator for a quilting machine for my Wife... I will place the quilting machine on X and Y carriages and this will move the whole quilting machine in X/Y direction.. The X and Y carriages will be controlled by stepper motor by the computer...

Now I have search on the internet and found many cruise controller for sewing machine..The purpose of those controllers is to give the equal length of stitch at different speeds of carriages... they are using encoders at X and Y carriages that sense the motion and send the movement into the cruise controller circuit that then send command to the sewing machine to regulate the stitch..These controllers are normally plugged into the sewing machine Padle controll port..

Now the X/Y carriage can be controlled with the help of Mach3, but the problem is How to control the equal length of stitch?..

How can we control the stitch length with Mach3?..Any ideas and solutions will be highly appreciated...


You can see the professional cruise controller here

http://www.quilterscruisecontrol.com/
BUT I NEED SIMPLE LOW COST controller for this purpose..Is thier anybody who can help me in this...Just give me an idea so that i can start..

(I also have an idea to attach a AC motor to the wheel of sewing machine to get the control of stitch via arduino only...)

Thanks

PS:
Many of us can make a low-cost open source open hardware quilting machine controler an d hardware and can gift it to relatives and especially the womens...

17

General Mach Discussion / DAVID LASER SCANNER AND MACH3

« on: November 04, 2009, 01:52:20 PM »

I want to control laser rotation with the help of Mach3...The motor will be rotated by Mach3 while DAvid laser scanner do scanning job... Kindly tell me is it possible i am getting no step loss or anything weired during the process?.. How can i reduce the resources used by Mach3..I want to get smooth control of stepper throught the scanning process...


Currently i am using VBSTEPDIR.exe that move the motor but when the DAvid application is foreground the steppe speed slow and when the VBSTEPDIR.exe program running at the top of all application the stepper moves fast..Also by using that software my step timing is uneven..
Thanks

18

General Mach Discussion / SENDING COMMAND TO USB PORT

« on: November 03, 2009, 02:09:59 AM »

Can we use Mach3 to send some commands to USB Port (COM Port).. I want to control my David Laser scanner that accept command from COM Port..Is their a way that when I Push Start button in Mach3 to Run my Gcode some command can be immediatly send to start the David Via COM.. Any third party software that can communicate the Mach3 with USB...

Thanks

19

General Mach Discussion / Is there any Link to download Lazyturn??

« on: February 02, 2009, 09:23:44 AM »

Is there any link to download Beta Version of Lazy Turn??

20

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 Development Ceases Or???

« on: September 21, 2008, 03:34:54 AM »

Could any body tell me whether the development of Mach3 stopped or we are seeing new release with some new features in it? I heard from some sources that Mach3 development is in progress with some new features and will soon be launched.. Am I right