Messages

701

General Mach Discussion / Re: machine skipping blocks and incomplete moves

« on: June 17, 2013, 07:25:48 AM »

previous mach versions available here ftp://machsupport.com/Mach/

Cheers

Ian

702

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Looking for utility to cut rectangular pockets

« on: June 16, 2013, 12:45:17 PM »

You've made no mention of depth (are these pockets or holes?)

also no mention of step-down (or do you cut them in one pass?)

703

General Mach Discussion / Re: Manual movement of Stepper motors w/o power

« on: June 16, 2013, 04:48:43 AM »

If Mach HAS got it's knickers in a twist, before I'd remove the steppers (seems a bit drastic) I'd be inclined a) to disable limits in ports and pins (takes 5 seconds) b) re-install Mach (takes a minute) c) disconnect the switches at the BOB (takes...gotta be less than removing steppers).

Ian

704

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cycle timer

« on: June 16, 2013, 04:34:38 AM »

 

On the program-run screen under the tool information area there is a timer that shows elapsed time. This timer resets to zero each time a tool is changed and cycle start is pressed. I would like the timer to keep running until the end of the program to record an elapsed cycle time for the entire program.  Is this possible?  Thanks.

Not what happens here - the timer doesn't get reset at tool change and does indicate the whole program run time.

Ian

705

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232 fro gcode to serial port

« on: June 16, 2013, 03:52:29 AM »

The basic question is:  Can Mach3 be made to communicate with other devices so as to provide programmable control in any method other than a simple Hi or Lo at an I/O output?

Just a double check here as I'm wondering if you guys are talking at cross purposes.

If by "programable control" you mean can Mach drive the AXES of a machine in a cordinated manner via RS232 as it does via the parallel port then the answer is pretty much as Terry has indicated. Of course this is basically what a USB smoothstepper and it's ilk do except it's via USB of course rather than RS232.

However - if by "programable control" you mean sending control signals to "an external" machine to do other "stuff" like control valves or turn things on/off, send/receive data etc. then of course the answer is yes - Mach can do that. If this IS what you're wanting then your choices are direct serial control or Modbus RTU.

Ian

706

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232 fro gcode to serial port

« on: June 15, 2013, 01:19:19 PM »

RP - please don't double post - it just wastes folks time answering the same stuff in two threads - I've deleted your other post - thanks for your cooperation.

707

General Mach Discussion / Re: do they not simply make a wireless break out board?

« on: June 14, 2013, 11:56:31 AM »

I'm with those that wouldn't touch wireless control of CNC with a very long barge pole - However - if you have more fingers than you need and you're gagging to try it couldn't you just whack an ESS in a router LAN port?

Ian

708

General Mach Discussion / Re: Check this out, I am about to be published in Digital Machinist!!!

« on: June 14, 2013, 10:55:55 AM »

had to "Toss the Tosser"

LOL - Trust me on this one Scott - you really don't want to do that...

709

General Mach Discussion / Re: Y-axis losing position

« on: June 14, 2013, 05:15:56 AM »

Hi Paul - I know you apologized for hijacking the topic you posted this on but that doesn't make it ok to do. These issues are hard enough to keep track of without trying to do it for two people at once. I've split this into a thread of your very own. Thanks for your cooperation.

Anyway - onto your issues. What motors/drivers/power supply are you using? as much info as you can get please - links to data sheets would be ideal.

Ian

710

General Mach Discussion / Re: Check this out, I am about to be published in Digital Machinist!!!

« on: June 14, 2013, 04:14:57 AM »

Nice one Scott.

Exactly how much time does one have to spend under Hood though? I'm not sure I'm too keen on that to be honest. 

Ian