Messages

111

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 doing wierd things

« on: September 04, 2010, 10:39:58 PM »

I have a BP Series 1 retorfitted with G203s, PMDX-122 board and running the original motors. My computer is running XP, never hooked to the internet. I use Vcarve Pro for my CAM program. Up until Friday I was using a Smootstepper but I'm tired of  getting the error that SS lost data. I got a parallel board and am running this now. I have noticed that Mach will not be consistent in what it does all of the time. When I load a new program or close a program and load a new program the Reset button will need to be pushed sometimes, but not everytime. Also when I close a program and load a new program X and Y axis will not be set at 0,0 like they were prior to loading the new program. Another problem is when I use the Auto Tool Zero, Mach will somehow have a new X,Y home, the machine doesn't move and the readout on the screenset stays where it was prior to the tool change, but when you hit Cycle Start the machine moves to where it thinks the proper coordinates are. Now these problems have happened with both the SS and parallel port board. I am cutting the same parts over and over and I noticed that one of the parts that I cut is cut incorrectly. The toolpath is running at .006" depth using a 1/4" TiN end mill in aluminum. The part is .500 thick and the edge is smooth, meaning that the machine is capable of repetition.  I use this machine daily and I need to have reliability. What can I do or where should I start looking.

112

General Mach Discussion / Re: External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: June 06, 2010, 04:48:21 PM »

I renamed my zerotool macro to M615 and now everything works fine. Thanks for everybody's help.

113

General Mach Discussion / Re: External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: May 26, 2010, 11:03:41 AM »

No I meant ZeroSwitch, but this is where the mistake is. I used the "ZeroSwitch" file and renamed it. I guess I didn't read the directions! I'll delete it and then rename my zeroing program, that should work. Thanks, Ron

114

General Mach Discussion / Re: External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: May 25, 2010, 09:02:17 PM »

I got my push button wired to input pin #11 on my BOB.

I assigned Input #4 to pin #11.

 I copied the file Macropump.m1s in the macro folder.

I enabled "macropump" in the General Config screen.

I installed the ZeroSwitch.brn file in the brain folder.

I enabled  the loaded brains.

I also copied this file to the macro folder.

I renamed it M615.m1s.

I restarted Mach3.

My problem is when I push the external button I get an error message "Scripter Compile Error. In:M615.mis. Where did I go wrong?

115

General Mach Discussion / Re: External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: May 25, 2010, 11:02:31 AM »

Hi Greg, I tried to open your files, but the Quicktime file will not open. I did open the BRN file, but I couldn't make anything of it. This is exactly what I would like to be able to do with my machine. How do I go about setting this up? Do I install your file in my Mach 3 folder? What does "LED" stand for? Thanks, Ron

116

General Mach Discussion / Re: External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: May 24, 2010, 12:35:13 AM »

Thanks for the replies. Hood, why should I use the plugin from Scott Shaefer? I guess I'll wait until someone else figures out a better way to do this.

117

General Mach Discussion / External Button for Auto Tool Zero

« on: May 20, 2010, 11:21:45 PM »

I finally got my Auto tool zero function for the z axis working. I used the file posted by Hoss machine, which works great. What I would like to do is have a push button installed on the head of my mill that I can push that would trigger the Auto tool zero function. Can this be done?

118

Third party software and hardware support forums. / PMDX-122 and Mach 3

« on: January 23, 2010, 04:55:32 PM »

I just installed a PMDX-122 and G203Vs. I'm not really sure of the pins and ports settings that I should be using in Mach 3. I did setup the charge pump on pin 17. Also I setup the X,Y and Z Axis as shown in the manual. I have no movement and I'm not sure if there is another setting that I missed OR if there is an old setting from my previous BOB that I need to remove. Mechanically and electrically I can work things out, but the software side I'm lost. Thanks, Ron

119

General Mach Discussion / Re: G04 Dwell Code

« on: November 02, 2009, 01:17:51 AM »

Thanks, you're right my setting are in seconds. Thanks, Ron

120

General Mach Discussion / G04 Dwell Code

« on: November 01, 2009, 01:06:34 AM »

I need to add a little extra time to my G code. I was trying to use G04 Dwell, G04 P3000 (I think this should give a 3 second dwell). When running this in Mach3, the dwell happens, but then doesn't resume the program. What did I do wrong?