Topics

1

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Screen Button Libraries

« on: April 07, 2016, 06:10:26 PM »

I've seen some amazing screens from folks on here.  Where are you guys getting your button .bmps?  I'm stuck with the ones that come with mach.

2

General Mach Discussion / Some starting advice for two steppers on one axis

« on: February 18, 2016, 06:16:21 PM »

Hello all,

I wasn't sure where to post project questions.  If this is the wrong place, please move to the appropriate section.

I have been working with Mach3 and the Hobby CNC driver for many years with great success, but I have a new project that I need a bit of help with.
I need someone to point me in the right direction for controlling two stepper motors on one axis and keeping them in sync.

Project.
I might be using the Geckodriver G540 for this, but am open to suggestions of coarse.  Maybe the tried and true hobby CNC,,??

I am building 2 XY tables that will be separated and I need them to work in sync.

Any advice on what the best way to approach this would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance!

Steve

3

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Custom Coil Winding Machine

« on: January 04, 2015, 01:45:27 PM »

Hey all,

I am at the startup of building a coil winding machine.  I have been using Mach3 for my lathe for a few years now and have also explored using it for magnetic field map positioning device.

My new machine will wind circular solenoids as well as saddle coils, (coils made to saddle onto an angular portion large dia tube).
I would like some starting advice to steer me in the right direction as to how to set up the steppers.
For the saddle coils I would imagine that the spindle would be a 4th axis setup.  (position angular, move Z axis along center to one end, then position angular for the end wind and move Z axis back, repeat).

For the solenoids, it seems I would set up the spindle as a standard positioning axis "(X)" not a angular one.  That is, one rev = 0.100".  Then calculate the speed and feed of the X and Z axis depending on wire DIA and number of turns/layer.

After I get this up and running I am going to revive my mach screen learning and build a wizard for it. 

Am I on the right track?  Any starting advice would be appreciated.

Thanks all!

4

VB and the development of wizards / VB Coding help

« on: April 02, 2014, 08:42:32 PM »

Hello all,

I have been using mach3 to run my lathe for 5 or 6 years now and love it.  I use the turn wizards provided and find them excellent.

Recently I decided to learn how to develop my own wizards.  I have set up screens in machscreen and all looks good.

I could use a bit of help with the (post GCODE) vb.
I have referenced some of the turn wizard code to learn.  I get the OEM DROs, the various math involved, the initial coding to setup the script, etc.

Where I get stuck is a few things,

1.) The  Pass_Num.  I guess this is "the pass number used for calculating how many passes there would be in an operation?"  I see it as Pass_Num = 1   Then see it in the math coding,,,,  (Xstart - Xend * Pass_Num)    etc.


2.) The "Openteachfile"  Can I type any name I want here, or does a file have to exist somewhere for it to reference?


Example of a simple wizard.

I have user input DROs as
ZSTART - start
ZEND - end
ZINC - increment
ZDwell - dwell time between movements

I want the user to be able to enter the ZSTART, ZEND and an increment to move along the way, (ZINC) along with a dwell time between each movement.

ZSTART = 0
ZEND = 1 meter
ZINC = .1 meter
ZDwell = 5 sec

Z would move from zero to 0.1, dwell for 5 sec, then move to 0.2, dwell, etc...

How would I write this simple code?

Thanks all for any help !!


Steve

 

5

General Mach Discussion / Mach3Turn- Wizard running the program when "Post code" is clicked.

« on: May 23, 2009, 05:23:16 PM »

A strange thing happened when I went to use one of the wizards in Mach turn.
I've been using them very often but this was the first time this happened.  (scared the crap outta me!).

I was filling in the data for the OD turning wiz and when I clicked post code to preview the code and part image it started running the code instead.
It just took off!

So I tried another wizard, the taper one.  Same thing.
I did the usual,
Restart Mach3Turn, didn't fix it.
Restart Computer, didn't fix it.

If I exit the wizard when it runs off like that, I can see in mach3 that it is running the program with "no file loaded".  Clicking edit opens a blank notepad file.

Anyone else ever have this problem?

Thanks for any help and advice.....

6

General Mach Discussion / CV mode to Exact Stop Mode...??? Where to change it?

« on: May 07, 2009, 10:05:53 PM »

Ive read several posts that talk about changing from one to the other,, but for the life of me,, cannot find it in the software!.
The manual is no help here either.  Just sais what it does.

Can anyone describe how to set between the two?

7

General Mach Discussion / Strange motor speed on reversing....

« on: April 28, 2009, 10:00:27 PM »

Hi all.
Using Mach3 Turn for the Lathe...
I have a strange motor speed happening when I reverse direction on my Z axis.
I do not have this issue when using mach3 Mill software tho.
I was going to try to explain it in words,,, but I could not,,so I took a video to show it.

(Build history)
Lathe is the 7X14 Sieg  (micro mark Mill.) http://www.micromark.com/MICROLUX-7X14-MINI-LATHE,8176.html

I am using the hobbycnc pro driver board.
When I first started to convert the lathe to CNC,, I set up the X axis to drive the carrage only from the threading lead screw and used the Mach3MILL software to make some cuts.....  This worked well with backlash compensation, no problems.

I am using backlash compensation, .0135" on that leadscrew at backlash speed of 100%.  I do close and restart the program with any adjustment here.

Ive since mounted a motor (now the X axis) on the cross feed, and I have mounted the Z axis motor to the Z feed.
Motors are in 1/2 step and tuned properly per dial indicator verifications on each axis.

Now I am using the Mach3Turn software as I should be.
Here is the problem when using backlash compensation in Mach3Turn vs. Mach3Mill
http://tdracingrc.com/machining/Strange.wmv

In the video I jog, in one direction a few times,,, the velocity and accel work fine,, BUT when I reverse direction I get the strange movement.
I have made a few part with it this way,,, and accuracy is good on most features,, but,,,, this delay is causing some issues as the X takes off while the Z is winding down,, or up....

Can anyone offer some advice on this?
Any help is appreciated

I have changed accel rates and velocity rates to troubleshoot this issue.  They do change, per new inputs, but still the reversing motor speeds are still weird.

8

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / GCode Scaling in Mach3 Turn

« on: April 28, 2009, 02:37:52 PM »

Hello.
I'm aware of the scaling in Mach3Mill, next to the DROs,,.  Where in Mach3Turn are they?  Or do they not exist?
If not,,, does anyone know how or where I can get some software to do this for me?