Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Need Help with Machine Jumping

« on: January 22, 2009, 08:57:51 PM »

 :-\Need some Help here Guys,

I'm trying to cut my first sign using VCarve Pro design software. I spent most of the day cutting parts and decided to make a sign.  I can load the program into Mach3 with no problems.

The problem comes when I press the start button.  The machine starts running per the program, but instead of running smoothly, it jumps.  As it runs the status block reads,"Too Fast for Pulley, Using Max.".  I'm not sure what this means, because I can adjust the feed rate and nothing changes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Chuck

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 09, 2009, 12:17:00 PM »

Hey Bill,

When I took my cut it was only .020, infact it didn't even cut some areas.  I have already re-trammed the "Z" axis cradle to within .0015 going up and down the entire distance.  The only thing I need to recheck is if something is loose with the bearing housings.

Thanks, Chuck 

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 09, 2009, 12:00:18 AM »

 ???Hey RC or Hood

I cut my spoil board today before I went home.  The machine and program performed well with no problems.  However, the surface did not come out flat, it is .010 to .015 deeper on one side of the cut to the other side.  I designed and programed the surface cut in VCarve Pro.  The process started at the front left hand corner of my machine (home) and cut back and forth in the X axis and continued up the Y axis until it got to the back of the table on the machine.  Everytime the cutter changed cross direction (X axis) it leaves a ridge.

Do you any idea what this may be?  I have already readjusted the postion of the "Z" axis as it was originally out of adjustment going up and down.  When I finished it ran up and down within .0015.  Could there be movement or backlash?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Chuck   

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 08, 2009, 04:39:19 PM »

  Thanks RC,

The debouncer was the problem.  I changed the settings and the program ran without any problems.  Now I'm going to screw the spoil board down to the table and skim cut the surface with my 2-1/2" dia insert type spoil board cutter.  I'll let you know how it all comes out.

Thanks for the insert from the manual.  I guess I'd better do a little more reading.

Hey Hood,  Thanks for the reply.  Yes, the software is licensed to me, but after reading the section of the manual that RC posted for me, I realize I as trying to do something that the software doesn't do.  That's OK, I'll get better as I continue to design and run on the machine.

Thanks for the help.  Full speed ahead.

Chuck 

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 08, 2009, 01:40:48 PM »

 >:(Help Hood or anyone,

OK here we go. I disabled the screen saver and the anti-virus this morning before I ran the program.  I set the "Z" axis above the work surface and ran the program.  Everything ran great through the entire program.

Then I re-set the "Z" axis to the proper depth (actual material surface), re-winded the program, regenerated the tool path, and started the program for the second time.  Everything started off great, then the program stopped at line 50 this time.

Before I moved anything the ticker message was reading "Limit Switch Activated".  I really don't understand now because the program was cutting in the middle of the work space nowhere near any of the limit switches.  The limit on the "Z" axis is set at -6.600 and the program total depth is 6.4622.  That leaves .1378 away from the soft limits set for the depth.

Now I'm really confused.  I also noticed that I can't do anything with the "Set Next Line" and "Run From Here" buttons in the run area.  I've tried to set a line and run the program from there but I can't get anything to work except starting the program from the beginning.

Anyway, I'll keep plugging away here.

Chuck

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 08, 2009, 11:49:35 AM »

Good Morning Hood,

I'm going to try running the program again this morning above the actual work piece and see what happens.  I should of looked at the ticker message after the machine stopped, but I was so excited to finally see the machine running properly I forgot.  But I will definitely be looking for any message if it stops again.  I've also been told to disable my screen saver and any anti-virus as they will both do funny things to your programs.

I tried to attach a copy of the program file, but the site doesn't support "CRV" from VCarve Pro and I don't know how to change it to "TXT".

Thanks for all of your help.

Chuck

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 07, 2009, 10:44:24 PM »

Hi Hood,

I went through the entire motor tuning section and the "Z" problem seams to be fix.  I also re-calibrated all three drives, X, Y, & Z. 

However now something else has popped up it's ugly head.  I ran my original drilling pattern that I laid out in VCarve Pro.  The first run I did on the single step to make sure everything was working and the program stopped running at line 30.  So I re-homed the machine, re-winded the program, regenerated the program, and pushed the start button.  Everything started off fine, in fact it was running great, then all of a sudden the program stopped at line 79.  With that I decided to stop for the night and go back to running tomorrow.

Is there something I missed?

Chuck

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 06, 2009, 03:09:16 PM »

Thanks Hood,

The current spindle control comes from a digital readout on a control panel located on the side of the router.  There is a small dial that lets you adjust the RPM.  However you must do some calculating before you set the reading.  The actual RPM is 60 times what the reading on the DRO is.  Plus there is no fine adjustment, all you have to do is barely touch the knob and the RPM's take off.

Currently, I can turn the spindle on & off with the Mach3, but I want to control everything with the Mach3.

As far as the "Z" axis problem, I'm going back and going through the set-up as described in the Mach3 documentation.  The settings I have came from the machine vendor.  So far I've had to change everything they sent to make my machine run properly.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.  Again Thanks.

Chuck 

19

General Mach Discussion / New to Site with Machine Questions

« on: January 06, 2009, 01:57:27 PM »

 :)Hi, my name is Chuck and I'm the owner of Coeur d'Alene Cabinetry in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.  To enhance my business I purchased a 5'x 10' Vortech Router about 4 months ago.  I'm currently going back through the Mach3 software documentation to make sure I have everything set up correctly.  The original set-up information just doesn't seam right compared to what I'm reading and watching in the tutorials.  I have several years of experience in CNC machines, I spent 18 years in the Navy Nuclear industry as a machinist, tool designer, and supervisor.

I have a few questions about settings:
1st, How can I assign Motor Outputs for the spindle control if they were not supplied by the original vendor?
2nd, I programed a layout for a series of counter sunk holes to hold down my spoil board to the hold down table. I did a test run and everytime the "Z" axis went up and down it actually kept going deeper and deeper in depth.  Fortunately, I caught the problem and stopped it before it went through the entire table. I posted this question on the Vectic Software site and a gentleman from England suggested I decrease the acceleration speed, but the whole Motor tuning thing is confusing.  It took me over 3 hours the other day to calibrate the correct "Step per" calculation to get the "X" and "Y" to move the proper distance.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Chuck