Messages

2561

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Bizarre Curve Deviations

« on: May 17, 2006, 05:40:34 PM »

Hi,

I have checked your code and can find nothing wrong with it,  I think this is one for Art but he is at the CNC-workshop meeting.

Graham.

2562

General Mach Discussion / Tool offsets table

« on: May 17, 2006, 03:53:47 AM »

Hi All,

is there a VB command in Mach3 Turn to read the contents of a tools offset data ?

Thanks

Graham.

2563

Mach Screens / Lathe screen

« on: May 15, 2006, 06:15:55 PM »

Hi,

has anybody got or seen a lathe screen set with a Y axis.

Thanks

Graham.

2564

General Mach Discussion / Mini Lathe speed control

« on: May 15, 2006, 06:12:02 PM »

Hi All,

I have just got myself a CNC mini lathe, it has no spindle control so I was wondering if any body can tell me of an interface card that would allow me and Mach3 to do this with the existing built in variable speed controller, its part number is FC150BJ/230V

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Graham.

2565

General Mach Discussion / Re: Opto-Isolated parallel card

« on: May 15, 2006, 04:12:16 PM »

Hi,

Have a look at this site,

http://cnc4pc.com/Parallel_Port_Interface_Card.htm

Graham.

2566

Mach Screens / Re: Screen 4 question

« on: May 14, 2006, 06:40:30 PM »

Hi All,

problem solved.  I just reinstalled screen 4 and it all works now. Don't know why it didn't in the first place though.

Graham.

2567

Mach Screens / Screen 4 question

« on: May 14, 2006, 06:29:01 PM »

I have tried to load an original lathe screen set into screen 4 and get a recurring error box, is it me or is it not compatable with the default screens.

Graham.

2568

General Mach Discussion / Re: Exact homing

« on: May 12, 2006, 03:26:44 AM »

Hi,

if you look at the USdigital site  ( http://www.usdigital.com/products/ ) there are many encoders listed that will retro fit to motors, some have index pulses that you could connect to a Mach input line.

You would need a micro switch to tell Mach to slow down to a very slow feed while looking for the index mark.

The encoder index mark needs to be set at 180 degrees minimum from the micro switch touch point to give Mach chance to see the index.

I tried this way and it works, the only problem is that the feed rate has to be very very slow.

I have my lathe setup slightly different, its on ball screws and DC servos with indexed encoders but,

I ended up using an optical sensor on the lead screw, it senses a slot in a disc mounted on to the end of the screw, this works better as the motor is geared 5:1 to the leadscrew so the detection time is 5 times longer.  I still use the slow down switch and have it set to trigger at about 270 degrees before the index mark, the Z axis zeros within + / - .005mm each time.

The lathe is not finished yet but its getting there.  I am working on the X axis zeroing at the moment.

That is why you need to use VB as Machs zeroing don't work this way.

Graham

2569

General Mach Discussion / Re: Exact homing

« on: May 11, 2006, 03:52:52 AM »

If you have encoders with the index pulse then this can be used to set exact zero point.

Mach will not do this for you, you have to write a visual basic script for the homing. (Or will it Brian)

Graham.

2570

General Mach Discussion / Re: Laser tool path displayer( IDEA )

« on: May 10, 2006, 05:05:58 PM »

Benny,

why not get hold of a disco laser and rob the lens system out of it, most of them use steppers to drive the mirror so you could connect the two steppers to your PC.

Mach should drive it OK.

The trig to point the lens in the right place is going to be the hard bit!

Graham.