Messages

71

Mach4 General Discussion / Rotational Axis Radius for feed rate

« on: January 09, 2018, 04:45:56 PM »

I’m trying to set up Mach4 hobby where “A” axis is rotational. It will be paired with “Y” for a plasma head. For the feed rate to be correct (in”/min) I think Mach has to use the radius for calculations. I can set up a DRO for the radius but then what do I do with it? I cant seen to find any reference to set up. Any help would be appreciated.

 Thanks,
Tony

72

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sheetcam - Mach3 Help

« on: March 29, 2017, 03:56:54 PM »

Another thing you may try in copying the code from just the bad object and paste it in a new file. Run it two or three times and see if the error is in the same place. Rotate it, run it again  and see what it looks like.

73

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sheetcam - Mach3 Help

« on: March 29, 2017, 03:45:52 PM »

I'm guessing it's not in your Mach settings and if your machine is ridged I'd look very closely at the three or four lines of code where your error is. Even draw them out at 10 X scale and you may find it's doing just what it's been told to do. Sometimes the CAD program does not fit lines and curves well and the cam program treats them differently. Does your CAD produce short line segments or lines and arcs? Is your post processor posting in the same format as the CAD? Sometimes things get lost in the translation.

Tony

74

VB and the development of wizards / Start cycle after a feed hold.

« on: March 29, 2017, 01:47:35 PM »

I have a sub in a macropump that calls a Feed Hold for a plasma machine. It remembers all the states I need to restart from the paused position and allows me to move the head and change consumables. There is another Resume sub that that resets the states and returns to the paused position where it establishes torch height and fires the torch. It then calls the DoOemButton(1000) Start Cycle. When Mach sees the Start Cycle it a calls Return to paused state DoOemButton(285)  button which waits for me to except before it will start. Is there any way I can start cycle without the Return call?

Thanks for any help.
Tony

75

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Timers - Am I crazy

« on: November 17, 2016, 04:59:53 PM »

I am somewhat confused as to how to implement a timer in Lua.

For my lube cycle (way lube pump) I need an on time and off time. Once the off time is exceeded turn on outputxx. When on time exceeded turn off outputxx. I tried the wxMilliSleep but it locks down the control during the timing and since this is a timing loop the control continuosly loops and is locked from any functionality.

As a test I tried this and it does what I said above: (Inserted in the PLC)

ActivateSignalTime = 5000

if (machEnabled == 1) then
    runLube()
end   

function runLube()
    local inst = mc.mcGetInstance()
    hsig1,rc = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_OUTPUT1)
    mc.mcSignalSetState(hsig1, 1)
    wx.wxMessageBox("Output 1 On")
   wx.wxMilliSleep(ActivateSignalTime)
   mc.mcSignalSetState(hsig1, 0)
   wx.wxMessageBox("Output 1 Off")
end

Although crude it does as stated above. Any ideas Scott?

How could I exit the loop if another signal became active during the sleep time? Can this be used in an M code. I'm trying to wait for a THC to fire. Thanks for any help.

76

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Getting current GCode States

« on: April 25, 2015, 11:04:00 AM »

Thanks, I didn't see that before either.

Tony

77

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Getting current GCode States

« on: April 25, 2015, 10:36:35 AM »

Hey guys, answered my own question.  These things are stored as # variables.  I found the Mach 4 Scripting Manual today in the manuals section where the Mach 4 is downloaded , which seems to be new unless I missed it previously.

2134 stores last feed rate
4001 stores G00 or G01 and results as 00 or 10
4003 stores G90 or G91 and results as 910 or 900

How to set variables (excerpt):

Code: [Select]

local CurFeed = mc.mcCntlGetPoundVar(inst, 2134)
local CurFeedMode = mc.mcCntlGetPoundVar(inst, 4001)
local CurAbsMode = mc.mcCntlGetPoundVar(inst, 4003)

Thanks for all your input to this forum Gerber Baby. I can't find "Mach 4 Scripting Manual" in the Docs folder of the Mach4Hobby install (2336) and it's not where Mach 4 is downloaded. I don't see a "manuals section" either. Appreciate any help. Thanks, Tony
 

78

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Bug Reports

« on: May 22, 2014, 09:00:55 AM »

When I first start Mach4 both the Continuous and Step Mode LEDs are not lit indicating Jog mode is not active but I can still jog. Once I toggle the Jog Mode LEDs until they are both off the Jog is off as it should be.

Tony

79

General Mach Discussion / Re: motor tuning issue

« on: March 21, 2014, 11:28:06 AM »

Those errors aren’t linear on the three cuts. It doesn’t sound like a “steps per” issue. Is the kerf the same on all cuts?

80

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems With homing out the machine.

« on: March 21, 2014, 11:06:07 AM »

It could be a back lash issue. When you home you go on the limit  and then back off of it. When you use G28 you go just to the point off the limit. Is your G28 home location the same as machine zero?