Messages

541

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need help with spindle relay

« on: April 01, 2014, 12:50:32 PM »

Yes its a SSR. 

In that case you *may* be able to drive it straight from TTL in current sink mode (sounds like you're doing it current source mode). i.e. instead of having the SSR inputs connected to pin and ground, connect them to 5V and pin. Change the pin in Mach to active low. To be sure you might want to post a link.

542

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need help with spindle relay

« on: April 01, 2014, 06:47:11 AM »

by "electronic" relay do you mean an SSR (solid state relay)?

543

Share Your GCode / Re: Treasure Hunt G-Code

« on: March 30, 2014, 05:21:14 AM »

According to google maps - this is the place - be interested in how close it is. Can you get back and let us know please.

544

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 Changes Motor Ouputs in different Profiles

« on: March 29, 2014, 11:07:56 AM »

No worries. Thanks for getting back.

545

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 Changes Motor Ouputs in different Profiles

« on: March 28, 2014, 11:47:27 AM »

I'll make a guess you have "Max CL mode enabled" ticked on your plasma profile (ports n pins - first tab). Un-tick it.

546

VB and the development of wizards / Re: VB Script for toolchanger

« on: March 21, 2014, 06:22:15 AM »

My apologies Nick - it's my mistake (I was not having a good day). I now see your tools are alternated around the faces not sequentially around them. The INT(tool / 3) would place them like this: (diagrams are for CW rotation but the maths doesn't actually care)

Code: [Select]

   2 1 0
     0
 3       11
 4 1   3 10
 5       9
     2
   6 7 8

Whereas I now see you want them:

Code: [Select]

   8 4 0
     0
 1       11
 5 1   3 7
 9       3
     2
   2 6 10

In this case the relationship between your faces and tools is:

Code: [Select]

face = tool mod 4 (where face = 0 to 3 and tool = 0 to 11)

However to allow your tools to be numbered from 1 rather than from 0 just adjust this to:

Code: [Select]

face = (tool - 1) mod 4 (face will still be 0 to 3 but that's fine)

putting this together your toolchange could look like this. (un-tested but I think it's right)

Code: [Select]

selectedTool = getSelectedTool()
currentFace = (getCurrentTool() - 1) mod 4
targetFace = (selectedTool - 1) mod 4

'rotate turret required number of "clicks"
For click = 1 To (targetFace - currentFace + 4) Mod 4 'rotate accounting for rollover

  ActivateSignal(OutputX) 'activate momentary command to rotate

  While Not IsActive(InputX) Then 'wait for turret to move
    Sleep (10)
  Wend

  DeActivateSignal(OutputX) 'deactivate momentary command

  While IsActive(InputX) Then 'wait for turret to stop
    Sleep (10)
  Wend

Next

'not forgetting to update to the new tool
SetCurrentTool selectedTool

A couple of notes:

There's nothing wrong per se in using an array it's just that it's unnecessary when the relationship can be calculated easily.
I've taken out the explicit timings for the signals so that it uses what's actually happening instead.
I'm assuming this is code for your M6Start macro.
There is no check for the turret already rotating at the time you command a tool change - I'll leave that to you to decide whether you think it necessary.

547

VB and the development of wizards / Re: VB Script for toolchanger

« on: March 19, 2014, 02:52:31 PM »

Can you elaborate on the function you describe, INT(tool/3)?  I assume that is nearest integar of tool number divided by 3, but I don't see how that would work - tool 1/3 = face1, tool 2/3 =face1, tool3/3= face1?

LOL - trust me - I've been doing this software sh1t for a loooooong time.

Number your 12 tools from 0 to 11 and your 4 faces from 0 to 3 and see what happens. (If for some reason you prefer counting from 1 then just add it afterwards).

The real purpose of the check command on rotation was for the looping of multiple rotation steps, to be sure it doesn't 'push the button' again before it is seated at the end of prior loop, as this messes with the toolchanger.  but I agree it is pretty redundant when we are already checking for motion at the end of the while loop before proceeding.

The crux is in your statement that I've bolded. Just change the word "pretty" for "completely" and we're cool.

548

General Mach Discussion / Re: Look-ahead settings...

« on: March 19, 2014, 01:37:05 PM »

Ian, you should be concerned, if you are 500 miles away from my mansion you are turning into the driveway

Me very 'umble apologies m'Laird. 

549

General Mach Discussion / Re: Look-ahead settings...

« on: March 19, 2014, 10:27:07 AM »

and also see if an increase in look ahead makes any change.

Sorry - thought we were clear - if you're using G2/G3 (which you should be) lookahead is irrelevant.

550

General Mach Discussion / Re: Look-ahead settings...

« on: March 19, 2014, 10:01:56 AM »

You might want to do a google for learned papers on cutting small holes with plasma - it's a whole subject/artform in itself. That said - 20mm isn't really regarded as small from this point of view.

As Hood has said, if your circles are G2/G3 lookahead isn't an issue. Your hole has a leadin, a circle and a lead out so even if lookahead was an issue it wouldn't matter what you set it to because it's only going to actually lookahead by TWO - the join between the leadin and the circle and the join between the circle and the leadout.

Lookahead like everything else involves a compromise. Make it too small and it's less effective. Make it too large and your needlessly burdening the system. To take Fastest1's analogy. I don't give a toss about how fast I can negotiate the driveway into Hood's mansion if I'm currently driving onto the M5 roundabout - 500 miles away.