Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Setting tool height

« on: December 04, 2017, 07:41:45 AM »

Hi,
I've been using Mach3 for a number of years with very little problem. I have now encountered a problem with setting tool heights.
I have a quick change tool holder and have 9 tools available.
My method of setting my tool heights (which may sound odd to some, but has worked for all the time I have been using Mach) is as follows:-
First, I position the table to somewhere easily accessible for setting tool heights from the table and zero the X and Y position on the DROs.
I then open the tool table and zero all tool heights and enter tool diameters and tool type (for my reference) that I am about to reset, clicking apply and closing the table.
I have one tool (in this case No2 tool, that I very rarely ever change) and using a roller gauge (one that I made) with tool "0" selected, jog to touch the gauge on the TOOL HOLDER and set this at zero.
I then jog up to touch the tool tip I want to set (in this case, tool No 2), change the tool number to the appropriate tool - in this case, No 2 - in the Tool Information, noting that the Z DRO now reads the tool length and then click the "Set Tool Offset" button to set the height. This resets the "Z" DRO to zero. So far, so good.
I then jog the Z axis up for say 20mm or so and then click "Go To Zeros" button and the Z axis moves down to the zero point, which I then check with the roller gauge. If it is out, then I adjust the tool height by jogging in increments (say 0.0254mm) up or down to re-position the tip, set the Z DRO to zero, change the jog mode to continuous and repeat the jog up and Go to Zeros and recheck. If OK, I then click the "Set Tool Offset" button to reset the tool height/length.
I would then continue to all the other tools - using their respective tool numbers.
This, in the past, reset the tool offset to the new length, but now, for some reason, the tool offset reading does not change to the new length, in relation to the Zero set in tool 0.
I have even tried opening the tool table again and removing the offset/tool length (resetting it to 0.0000) and then trying the set tool offset again to no avail.
What has happened?
I did press the "Remember" button on the tool "0", which I haven't in the past. Will this actin have changed things?

To finish, when I come to carry out the machining operations, I set the tool X & Y positions to my start (zero) point and reset the X & Y to zero clicking the set Zero buttons for each. The "Z" height is then set with tool "0" selected with the roller gauge against the No 2 tool holder, press the Z DRO set to zero, then change the DRO to read the roller Gauge thickness. This sets the work height for all tool+offsets.

Where am I going wrong - I don't want to change to a new tool setting regime as I'm comfortable with my usual method, but can anyone tell me what has changed?

Regards,

GeoffB

2

General Mach Discussion / mach appears to send odd signals

« on: February 26, 2014, 02:15:39 PM »

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help me here with a, what appears to be, spurious signals for the software. I've been running Mach3 mill for a few years and getting good results. However, I'm starting to have problems.
The milling machine runs fine, then out of the blue, the x-axis stepper occassionally momentarily stalls and looses approx 5mm in travel on a fast jog mid program - it is like the machine has recieved a spurious signal that has put the stepper into stall.
I have changed steppers and drivers and checked everything out on the machine and all is OK. Today, when doing a test aircut I noticed that, part the way into the programme, the spindle was suddenly running at 4400rpm yet checking the G-code line it was set at 4000rpm. I stopped the machine and reset - re ran the programme and it ran the spindle at the correct speed. However, part way through the programme the X-axis did it's momentary stall again loosing approx 5mm.
I shut everything down to and came back to machine later - doing a test aircut from the same programme as previously run and found that the spindle was screaming it's head off (the readout on the actual mill was giving 5300! - this is more than the max that the motor can handle - usually max out at 4500) - checked the DRO and forund that Mach had set the spindle at 8400! I noticed that the spindle factor(?) - appeared alongside the spindle speed - was at 2.2. The G-code line was 4000rpm. I have checked the G-code and everything is as it should be. What is happening? Is this wrong signal for the spindle also what is happening with the X-axis too? Can anyone help?

3

FAQs / adjusting leadscrew/nut on Warco cnc miller

« on: June 02, 2009, 09:56:00 AM »

Hi,

Can anyone help please. I'm new to CNC and have a Warco CNC milling machine - VMC16 - which I got a couple of years ago and due to unforeseen circumstances have only just got round to using it. The machine has a big problem at the moment and is quite unuseable.

There seems to be a load of play/backlash in the X & Y screws and Warco say they know nothing about these machines (yet they sold me it!!) and can't help me, although I am pestering them on this one. Can anyone tell me how to adjust the ballnut or whatever it is - that is if it is adjustable (I would assume that it is) or point me in the direction of where I can find out how to do it?

Any help would be very much appreciated as the machine is at present quite unusable - even though it has only had about a month or so of evening use from new.

Regards,

GeoffB