Messages

391

PoKeys / Re: Pokeys analog input & Feed Rate DRO

« on: March 26, 2011, 11:53:00 AM »

I'm not much of a brain expert, but try it with the LED. The Led is just set, then used to RESET FRO, so maybe that's it.

You could post yours here and I'll see what it does on my machine. Or, if Hood shows up, he may have some insight, he's the guy who originally wrote the brain I use.

392

PoKeys / Re: Pokeys analog input & Feed Rate DRO

« on: March 26, 2011, 11:08:52 AM »

Hmmm......I don't know. I just fired up my mill, had the FRO pot at approx. 3/4 range. When Mach started it said 72%. Hit Reset, it was still 72%.

When you tried my brain, you disabled yours, right? And be sure mine has the same PoKeys ModIO setting as yours. Mine is on Pokeys Pin 45, ModIO 126.

Here's how it works in Mach

Pokeys and Analog Pots

Pokeys pins 43 - 46 map to ModIO 124 - 127

Pin 43 = 124
Pin 44 = 125
Pin 45 = 126
Pin 46 = 127

I don't think any other config in Mach other than the brain.

393

PoKeys / Re: Pokeys analog input & Feed Rate DRO

« on: March 26, 2011, 10:14:33 AM »

Take a look at mine and compare, mine works fine and if the pot is at, say 50% when Mach3 starts, that's what it shows. Mine does delay a bit, but I just thought it was Mach, not sure it has anything to do with the brain or not.

Tom

394

PoKeys / Re: analog feedrate override in mach

« on: March 05, 2011, 10:19:20 AM »

Did you mean 30 seconds after Mach first starts, or 30 seconds after twirling the pot before anything happens? There is a bit of lag, but nowhere near 30 seconds, in mine. I think it's just Machs response to the override.

What do you have Config/General Config/LookAhead set to? If it's big, that might affect it.

395

PoKeys / Re: analog feedrate override in mach

« on: March 04, 2011, 07:24:15 AM »

Hmmmm, that IS strange. I have a Pokeys setup basically the same, 2 analog pots, one for FRO, one for SRO, and they both work fine with brains.

What you're saying is, it works great AFTER 30 seconds? I suppose I've never tried it within only 30 seconds after starting Mach3. By the time I load a program, 30 seconds has elapsed. But I'll try it and see.
What brain are you actually using? Could you post it here, or point us to it, for us to look at?

396

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gibbs CAD/CAM

« on: February 23, 2011, 05:29:30 PM »

John, if your looking for CAD, to generate DXF or DWG for your included CAM package, try Draftsight. The price is right, $0US, and it's just like AutoCAD for everyday use, pretty much.

397

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 servo

« on: February 23, 2011, 05:26:55 PM »

You have a CNC4PC BOB and Kelling stuff. Go to Keling's site and read thru their setup doc. CNC4PC has many usefull docs, too.

If we're going to help you here, we'd need a LOT more info on what you have setup and what you've done so far. LOTS MORE! Start with Mach docs, Keling docs, and CNC4PC docs and single step your way thru the entire setup from configuring the parallel port to ports & pins, and enabling the bob and all sorts of stuff.

Oh, and one thing, US Digital encoders require a DIP switch on the G320X's to be set. One post you said G320, one G320X, so we're confused.

398

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gibbs CAD/CAM

« on: February 23, 2011, 05:20:23 PM »

I use GibbsCAM on an educational license. Gibbs is MOSTLY a CAM package, but can suffice for CAD in some instances, especially if used on the shop floor. It isn't really designed to do CAD drawings that can be used for documentation. I do use it for napkin type CAD, but use Draftsight for real CAD and Alibre for 3D.

Gibbs is pretty pricey, too, unless you have some way to get some special pricing or work in a shop with a network, multi-seat license. On our educational license, we paid $350 initially for the entire Gibbs package including Solids and SolidSurfacer and Lathe. $150/year maintenance. My reseller told me this package was $21,000 for initial purchase and we didn't talk about annual maintenance. I don't know if that's right or not, but even if it's half that, it's pretty steep. Gibbs uses a hardware key, too, so install on 100 computers, but use ONLY on the ONE the USB key is plugged in to, and you need the key to install initially, and it won't even run in some demo mode without the key.

Gibbs is the best, IMHO, but it IS different, so might not impress initially, until you overcome the simplicity and stop trying to make it more complicated than it is. I used it for years in a big shop environment where we did all the programming on the shop floor with Gibbs, at the machines. It's THAT SIMPLE, really. But if coming from a lot of years with something else, it's gonna disappoint all but the most open minded for a while!! Those people go "What the he%#@!" a lot.

399

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed not changing until overide button pressed

« on: February 15, 2011, 06:45:07 PM »

Seems good here, too! Two fixes for me in one day.

My 8 speed BP now has 4 pulleys that run in reverse as they should, and speed comes up at the speed it should be and stays there.

Great, thank Brian!!

Tom

400

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle speed not changing until overide button pressed

« on: February 11, 2011, 05:30:34 PM »

I have no problem seeing this. It's been there for months, at least. Initially there was some mention of the bug, but it's died a peaceful, unfixed, death. There's a doc out on the web someplace penned by Chris Humphris, dated July of 2010, on how to setup a PWM spindle and that's where I first saw this mentioned.  Top of page three, big as life for all to read, and it has it exactly as stated here and everywhere else.

http://www.cnctar.hunbay.com/HJozsi/Mach3/PWM%20Spindle%20Control%20using%20Mach3.pdf

I've given up on it getting fixed and just live with it, but mine only changes by 4/5%!! Life is too short and EMC2 is too big a PITA/learning curve to switch!!! But I always consider it when this stuff comes up and goes unfixed. But.............just wait for Mach v4, by George.

Tom