Messages

101

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine moving before Drill bits are fully retracted

« on: June 07, 2010, 03:43:53 PM »

Derek,

My tool Change codes are at N03, N22, and N41. What do you suggest I modify? I am not making the correlation to your situation.

Hi Cinc'
I'm no  expert but I would write:-

N03 T1 M6  (call new tool)
N06 G43 H1 (apply TLO)
Z.1 M08  (now move)
N04 S504 M03
N05 G00 G90 G54 X.5 Y1.625
N07 G81 G98 X.5 Y1.625 Z-.068 R.1 F1.0084
N08 Y4.375
N09 G80
N10 G80


I noticed that with the tool change call and TLO call on one line, I would get ranodm TLO's.
Separating the two calls gave reliable results - I tested this by putting the Tool and TLO calls back on one line and the problems returned.This was repeatable.

It might be that any other command in the TLO call line ( N06 G43 H1 Z.1 M08 ) would cause the same problem??? - just an idea for you to try.

ATB
Derek

102

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine moving before Drill bits are fully retracted

« on: June 04, 2010, 03:28:38 AM »

hi,

I had problems with the tool length offsets if I had :-
 
T01 M06 G43 L1 ( all on one line)
It would randonly apply or not apply the correct TLO

I always now write:-
T01 M06
G43 L1

i.e. on 2 separate lines (or nothing elese on that line).
Not saying that is the cause but might be worth a try?

ATB
Derek

103

General Mach Discussion / Re: How Many Lines of Code

« on: May 21, 2010, 02:57:39 AM »

This is the official line.

'Mach3 has a limit of 10,000,000 lines of Gcode even after licensing'.

Tweakie.

I wonder who has got the nearest to this many LOCs - ?

104

General Mach Discussion / Re: video window won't work

« on: May 11, 2010, 02:34:50 AM »

Try a different USB port if you can, I seem to remember someone saying they couldnt get it to work and then tried a USB2 port and it was fine.
Hood

I also wish my video window worked !
I even tried a separate USB2 PCI card and still no-go.
The camera works OK in windows but for some reason does not display in the Mach3 window.

Rgs
Derek

105

General Mach Discussion / Re: Program home

« on: May 06, 2010, 01:22:59 PM »

ll I do is add a few lines of gcode to the end of the program.

gcode
gcode
gcode
M5
g00 z50
g00 x100
g00 y100

This sends the spindle to a safe position out of the way of my vice so I can load the next part without gashing myself on the cutter

ATB
Derek

106

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rotary Axis Blues

« on: May 02, 2010, 04:31:13 AM »

Final Resolution:
Two issues were causing the problems I was having with Mach.

1) Make sure that if your code generates neg. rotary degrees select it the general config. to not allow 360 rollover
2) The A-axis sputtering while moving in the x-axis was caused by my old computer not being powerful enough. It seems the rotary calculations with the diameter, feed speeds etc. require a bit more calculating. If your computer is close to the bare minimum (Mine was an old freebie but within specs), it may have problems doing rotary work.

I used a more powerful computer and all rotary sputtering went away.

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your info.
I am putting together a 4th axix for my Bridgeport - a 10" rotary table, 8Nm stepper belt drive.
What spec was you old PC that caused the stutering problem? I think my pc is a 1Ghz machine - hope that will be enough.
best regards
derek.

107

General Mach Discussion / Re: THIS IS DEDICATED TO "HOOD"

« on: April 28, 2010, 12:27:32 PM »

This is a very good reason to go to my Kitchen for a "small" glass of Scotch -
Hood I salute you.

ATVB
Derek

108

General Mach Discussion / Re: Fit a MPG to lathe and mill

« on: April 16, 2010, 03:13:47 AM »

Hi ,

I have an Orac and Colchester I intend fitting MPGs too.
I will fit 2 hand wheels so that it can be operated like a manual machine..but "fly by wire"

For the additional inputs required I have a Pokeys expension board (my Parallel port BOB has not enough spare IP)

I'll wire the quadrature o/p from the encoders to the Pokeys board then configure Mach / pokeys to do the clever stuf.

One thing here - I hope the pokeys firmware is fixed to accept the high pulse rate from a "whizzing" handwheel !
From the informationon the "pokey thread on this Mach forum" its looking good so time to see for myself.

ATB
Derek

109

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232

« on: April 08, 2010, 12:33:41 PM »

Just wondering why you would want to use RS232, when there are much easier ways to transfer a file... (maybe the PC is an old DOS system??).
cheers
Derek

110

General Mach Discussion / Re: Elapsed Time indicator

« on: April 07, 2010, 12:41:30 PM »

I also noticed that the elapsed time is re-set on M1 ( pause) would be nice to keep the time running.

ATB
Derek