Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Breakout boards

« on: November 03, 2010, 01:39:57 PM »

Are there any recommendations for a BOB? I am looking at the CNC4PC C11 and CNC4PC C11G.
I am using Gecko G320s.

2

General Mach Discussion / Spindle control

« on: November 01, 2010, 10:21:31 PM »

I am having a problem getting spindle control to work.
I am using pin 14 on LPT 1 mapped to Output 1 and have M03 and M04 set to Output 1.
This is on a Bridgeport BOSS 8 so spindle control enables the spindle or stops the spindle.
No mater what I do the spindle is enabled as long as the computer is powered up.
If I shut the computer down the spindle stops. LPT 1 pin 14 is connected to the spindle enable pin that works under the AHHA control system.
I am at a loss as to what to do next.

3

General Mach Discussion / When Homing, Z does not back off switch

« on: October 23, 2010, 06:43:38 PM »

I am running Mach3 R3.042.040. I have switches on X, Y and Z for homing. I am using parallel port pin 11 for X home, pin 12 for Y home and pin 13 for Z home.
When I hit the "Home" key Z goes up until the Z home switch goes from high to low and stops. Then Y goes to the Y home switch. When the Y switch goes low Y reverses until the Y switch goes high and stops. Then X goes to the X home switch. When the X switch goes low X reverses until the X switch goes high and stops.
What is causing the Z to just stop on the Z home switch and not back off?

4

General Mach Discussion / HotKeys for Outputs

« on: March 28, 2009, 02:24:09 AM »

I need to set OutPut #1 with a hotkey sequence. I can find where to set hotkeys for the inputs but I am not finding any way to set hotkeys for the output lines.
Just point me in the right direction please.

5

VB and the development of wizards / Dedicated Mach variables

« on: March 22, 2009, 10:58:15 PM »

Some where I came across a table of Mach 3 variables that were in the 5000+ range. Where is it? Are these the only ones that I should not casually change?
When using #123=x.xx in G-code to set a variable what variable numbers are open to use and what numbers should not be used?

6

VB and the development of wizards / VB syntax

« on: March 18, 2009, 01:28:18 PM »

OK, I'm new at this so I am askin for help. I printed out the Mach Script Language Reference, all 139 pages.
I now have a macro that I have written.

a = GetVar (500)
b = GetVar (501)
c = GetVar (502)
d = GetVar (503)

a= a+1
If a>9 Then b=b+1
If a>9 Then a=0

If b>9 Then c=c+1
If b>9 Then b=0

If c>9 Then d=d+1
If c>9 Then c=0   

Print " " &d &c &b &a
SetVar 500, a
SetVar 501, b
SetVar 502, c
SetVar 503, d
End

I had help writing it. The reason I am writing is this macro does what I need but no where in the 139 pages do I find
GetVar, SetVar or a reference to variables in the 500 - 600 range being persistent.
That leads me to think that the 139 pages that I printed are not what I should be studying.
Where do I find the REAL language reference?

Darrell

7

VB and the development of wizards / VB and variables in G code

« on: February 25, 2009, 07:14:18 PM »

I have been looking at MACH3 and testing it on a BOSS 5 mill. So far it has been quite good. I have been running the mill with AHHA software for the last ten years but they are no longer around and I need something to replace it with for when it does fail.
My only problem is that I use variables and parametric code in my G code to do things that would either take many pages of G code or not be possible in G code.
An example would be

; ENGRAVE TIP
M01 L09
N10 G90G75G40 S1200
%THOUS = 1.  * ; THOUSANDS
%HUNDS = 5.  * ; HUNDREDS
%TENS = 2.  * ; TENS
%ONES = 5.  * ; ONES
%MTENS = 0.  * ; MONTH TENS
%MONES = 3.  * ; MONTH ONES
%YTENS = 0.  * ; YEAR TENS
%YONES = 5.  * ; YEAR ONES
T25 M06
%START:
M05
%ZFD=10.0
%FD=8.0
G54
G90 G49
G00 X0 Y0 Z0
M01 L01 ;PUT IN CORRECT L #
;
;
; INSERT ANY OTHER ROUTINE HERE
; NOTE Z AXIS PARAMETERS ARE ZERO = WORK SURFACE
; Z CLEAR IS +0.01. ANY FILE INSERTED HERE WILL RUN THEN
; MOVE TO A TOOL CHANGE POSITION, PAUSE TO MOVE THE PART, DRILL A
; HOLE, CHANGE TOOLS, DO THE ENGRAVING, FOUR NUMBERS WILL BE OUTPUT
; AND THE PROGRAM WILL RETURN TO START AND PAUSE.
;

This is the beginning of a program that engraves a serial number on a part. The program increments the serial number for each part.
Without variables there is no way to run the serial number part of the program.
Can this be done with VB?