Messages

121

Machscreen Screen Designer / Machscreen code debug?

« on: January 05, 2019, 11:00:16 AM »

I've been using machscreen to automate some code writing.  Is there an easy way to debug code. In vb you can step through code and watch variables change and step through loops in real time. Can that be done in machscreen?  I'm almost to the point where I have to put code in one line at a time and test it before moving on so if there is trouble I know where to find it.

122

General Mach Discussion / Re: Circles Not Round

« on: December 24, 2018, 08:08:39 PM »

Try cutting the hole thru the work piece then just profile the hole and make 2 or 3 passes and see if the hole gets more round. If so your machine is flexing and a few spring cuts "fix" the problem.

How far out is the profile? .0005? or more like .003 inches off?

123

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cycle start button on panel?

« on: December 23, 2018, 06:30:35 PM »

Found it!

It's in the system hotkeys setup. I have some testing to do.

124

General Mach Discussion / Cycle start button on panel?

« on: December 23, 2018, 06:24:56 PM »

I tried to search the forum but the search funtion is broken.

I would like to add an E-stop and cycle start button to the control panel on my lathe. The E-stop seems easy but the cycle start isn't as clear. I found this in the Mach3 docs.

Enable and define OEM Trigger inputs if you want electrical signals to be able to call OEM
button functions without a screen button needing to be provided.

I assume i would use one of these inputs? I can wire the buttons and configure the inputs but I cant find a way to define the chosen OEM input to trigger a Funtion "0" or cycle start.

Am I on the right track? There is no further info in the docs about OEM inputs. Is a Cycle start button possible?

125

General Mach Discussion / Re: Diameter changes .001 every part.

« on: December 13, 2018, 06:17:41 PM »

Just to follow up, it was the breakout board that was causing the problems. I replaced it today and ran 100 pieces. The first piece was the same size as the last.

126

General Mach Discussion / Re: Diameter changes .001 every part.

« on: December 10, 2018, 05:11:31 PM »

don't know, maybe this will be helpful.  I had a fanuc driven engine lathe, start making parts in the morning and I would see a small change, maybe .0002 on each consecutive part.  a little worse if the shop was cold.  go to the shop a couple hours early in the morning, put the lathe in a warmup program, and go back in the house and watch the news and drink coffee.  after that, the parts would usually repeat perfectly.

It is cold here. I will consider the temperature after I get it back up and running. Thank you!

127

General Mach Discussion / Re: Diameter changes .001 every part.

« on: December 10, 2018, 05:09:43 PM »

Thanks for the reply's. Yesterday the lathe really went haywire. It would run good in one direction and then chatter and make really bad noises in the other. Then it quit working all together. I suspect the breakout board had a lot to do with it. I'm thinking the step and direction signals were not getting passed along thru the BOB. I ordered a new one and will see it at the end of the week. If that doesn't improve anything it will be new Gecko's. I run a mill with the same computer so I am sure that's not it. It was running beautifully a week ago.

I'll keep you posted.

128

General Mach Discussion / Diameter changes .001 every part.

« on: December 06, 2018, 09:39:59 PM »

Just finished converting a lathe. Gecko's, Nema 34's. Mach3 Lathe.

I turn a diameter and dial in to the correct size and the next part is perfect. THEN! the next part is .001 larger than the first. Hit cycle start again and the third part is .001 larger than the second. Now I know your thinking i'm loosing steps but I have the rapid speed way down and acceleration ramp looks like a triangle. Z axis is a 1200 Oz and X axis is a 600 Oz motor with a 2:1 belt drive. Way more motor than I need. The weird thing is the error is exactly the same every time. Is there a setting in Mach Lathe that could cause something like this to happen? Could the Gecko be configured wrong? Anybody ever heard of something like this happening?

129

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: 1/5th Scale V8 Blown

« on: June 05, 2016, 08:40:34 PM »

Finally had some time to make a few pieces.

Wheelie bars




and the center section for the rear end.

130

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: 1/5th Scale V8 Blown

« on: March 30, 2015, 07:28:13 PM »

Words just cannot describe the wonderful work you produce Steve. As Scott has said:- WOW !!

Tweakie.

Yeah, I thought you guys might like a peek. Glad you like it.