Messages

151

General Mach Discussion / Re: Test Cuts

« on: April 27, 2015, 04:33:09 PM »

I recently converted my Bench milling machine for all 3 axis.

I was checking accuracy on some cuts and came up with the following numbers.

Desired Circular Pocket drawn at 50mm Diameter and cut using a 10mm end mill. Result was a nice pocket but came out at 46.98mm :-(

Desired  75mm square profile using 10mm end mill. Result was 77.91 x 77.91 :-(

Motor tuning is set to 800 steps per for both x & Y

Looks like the error is constant and is same for both axis.

How do I correct for this error ?

To add to my last.
My Ball-screws are 1605 Using an MSD542 Micro stepping drive set to 2000 steps

152

General Mach Discussion / Test Cuts

« on: April 27, 2015, 04:00:33 PM »

I recently converted my Bench milling machine for all 3 axis.

I was checking accuracy on some cuts and came up with the following numbers.

Desired Circular Pocket drawn at 50mm Diameter and cut using a 10mm end mill. Result was a nice pocket but came out at 46.98mm :-(

Desired  75mm square profile using 10mm end mill. Result was 77.91 x 77.91 :-(

Motor tuning is set to 800 steps per for both x & Y

Looks like the error is constant and is same for both axis.

How do I correct for this error ?

153

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Boxford ATC

« on: April 13, 2015, 04:43:53 PM »

Andy,
This is exactly what I'm looking for. I have a Boxford TCL160 with 8 position turret driven by a stepper,
I'm sure this is similar to yours on the 240 TCL

Is the two macro's you did up to date, have you made any changes ?

I'm using Mach3 so I assume the 20 steps per mm are set in the Motor tuning box for that axis.

Kind regards

George

154

General Mach Discussion / Re: Perfect Lathe threading

« on: April 13, 2015, 03:45:01 PM »

Thanks Hood,

Conversion continues :-)

George

155

General Mach Discussion / Re: Perfect Lathe threading

« on: April 13, 2015, 03:27:31 PM »

Hood, Rich,

Does this mean I have just dug a big hole for myself. You've probably seen my posts. I'm converting an old Boxford TCL160 and have bought myself a ESS Smooth Stepper and Motion Control card with the view to threading.
I was reading how important it was top synchronise the spindle speed so I will use a Slotted Opto with a disc on the spindle shaft with a single slot.

Even if I do all this it sounds like I'm heading for trouble from reading your posts ?

George

156

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Slotted Opto Schematic

« on: April 12, 2015, 11:51:08 AM »

Thanks Stirling,

Here is the circuit associated with one of the input pins on the Motion control card.

If I'm correct, all the inputs have Schmdt trigger control, so by hooking up your opto circuit to one of the input pins should do the trick.
Is this arrangement correct.

I was confused because Arturo has a C3 index pulse board specifically for reading pulses from the spindle when threading on the lathe. I can only assume then that his Break out boards do not have the same Schmdt trigger arrangement on his input pins. Wrong or right ??

Thanks

George

157

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Slotted Opto Schematic

« on: April 11, 2015, 02:05:08 PM »

Hi Stirling, PDF Attached.

Many thanks

George

158

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Slotted Opto Schematic

« on: April 11, 2015, 12:56:27 PM »

I need a schematic of how to wire in an Slotted Opto to read the pulses from my Spindle encoder disc.
I will use Smooth Stepper with Motion Control Break out board.

Can someone help please ?

George

Wot no helpers :-(

159

SmoothStepper USB / Slotted Opto Schematic

« on: April 10, 2015, 04:41:23 AM »

I need a schematic of how to wire in an Slotted Opto to read the pulses from my Spindle encoder disc.
I will use Smooth Stepper with Motion Control Break out board.

Can someone help please ?

George

160

SmoothStepper USB / Re: Ethernet Smooth stepper and The PMDX-126

« on: April 08, 2015, 02:58:19 PM »

I've got a router with PMDX-126 and SmoothStepper ESS. My original controller kept missing steps in Y so I upgraded my PC to a Pentium 4 2.8GHz, but that didn't fix the problem. I remade all the wiring and checked the earth loops and noise, but that didn't fix the problem either. Then I rebuilt the controller with a PMDX-126 and SmoothStepper ESS and now I've got a sweet machine that is fast and accurate. Both products are awesome, with great service backup and good (excellent) documentation. I'm just about to rebuild a Boxford ACL cnc lathe and I'm going to use PMDX-126 and SmoothStepper ESS again.

Hi, Do you know what advantages the PMDX-126 board has over the CM-106 ?
I'm also converting my Boxford TCL160 so I wouldn't mind if you shared information re using the tool turret.
Regards
George