Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Sewing Machine

« on: November 11, 2011, 01:21:12 PM »

Hi All

An exciting time.. Over the last couple of years I have kept an eye on Mach 3 from the numerous forum posts both here, the CNCzone and on You tube. Mach 3 has become irresistible.

I work in the rag trade so for me the use of CNC will be a little different to metal working or routing. My interest is in stitching, while the overall system accuracy for stitching is a lot less than precision machining. There are other problems that must be overcome. The system I intend to create will be in the form of large Router table. With the added complication that the sewing axis will require 2 synchronized drives to drive the needle and the hook and thread bobbin separately, (The mechanism under the table of the machine) a simple 1:1 ratio but not constant speed and with a speed range of 500 – 4500 rpm, and this speed must be relative to the tool path speed. Not an easy task from my enquiries so far.  Yes it can be done mechanically but not without a lot more hardware.

My previous experience was retrofitting a CNC sewer. It took a lot of time. The hardware had to be hacked to enable user programming rather than going back to the supplier it was encrypted, or rather obfuscated. (Not uncommon for textile machinery) I also wrote a VB program to feed it with code its native code not G code. The software reads a DXF file using polylines and converts it. The math routines may come in handy again.

Today I would chuck out the hardware and start again.

I would be pleased to hear from any fellow Rag trade members, it would be fun to discuss some of the issues that relate to stitching.

Cheers

John Mac

Hi John,

My name is Larry Lamb, and I have developed a cnc quilter system using mach3 as the controlling software.   My wife uses it to make quiltes for other folks and family members, and it has been a really fun challenge.  I am using the viking megaquilter with two stepper motors to move the system, and a low voltage dc to ac relay to control the needle.  The entire system is controlled by an HP small format computer with two gb of memory and a 80 gb hdd.  also have an external drive with 500 gb of space for storage of patterns.  I am working on programming for additional control of external devices to control the takeup roller in the throat of the sewing machine, using the arduino boards to control this activity, and magnetic detection  to command movement of the Y axis carriage and the takeup roller.

If you have any questions, I would be happy to assist.

Larry

22

VB and the development of wizards / Re: OEM Buttons ???

« on: October 19, 2011, 01:01:03 PM »

ANYONE know HOW to create an OEM BUTTON that can be called from VB??

(;-)

Hi Terry,

Good to see you online.  I have to ask a question and I'm hoping it makes a modicum of sense.  I am just recently out of the hospital, surgery on my spine with fusion of five vertebrae and installation of about 500 grams of titanium to tighten things up.  I still have some memory problems and I have been having a hell of a time trying to recall how to do things.  The question is this.  Is it possible to press a button to read the value of a DRO, then run an algorithem to determine how many times a pattern of a certain length can be run in the area measured.  Do you think we can come up with a formula for that?

Larry Lamb

23

General Mach Discussion / Re: quilting or embroidery machine

« on: January 29, 2011, 12:17:30 PM »

Anybody got a schematic for connecting a solid state relay to control the coolant pump?

Larry

24

General Mach Discussion / Re: spindle speed control

« on: January 23, 2011, 01:26:42 PM »

I have read this 10 times Larry and I still don't understand exactly what you are trying to achieve. 

Just as an example machines such as 3D printers often drive the material feed drums but because the material requirement or motion is not constant they use a micro switch or other sensor to check the position of a loop in the material then, when necessary, operate the drum drive a fixed amount then return to standby for the sensor to provide the next signal.
This idea could be made to drive both ways, is this of any use ?

Tweakie.

Hi Tweakie

Been a long time my friend.  I was thinking something similar to this.  I mounted two microswitches on the Y axis (carriage) to act as index point switches.  I'll send you a drawing of the idea shortly so that it will clear up the quandry a bit.

Larry

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: spindle speed control

« on: January 23, 2011, 11:59:51 AM »

hi All,

This thread is new to me, but I have a question that I think is right down someones alley.  I have built a cnc quilter, some of you may have seen my posts under cnc quilter.  Now I am attempting to motorize the upper take up roller.  It has to move the roller clockwise or ccw 1 full rev when the carriage (Y axis) moves forward/reverse to the indexing point, or up against the back of the Harp or throat of the sewing machine  as it moves it will take up the quilt on the take up roller.  That part is pretty simple.  Now the hard part is this.  Every time the y axis moves forward to it's index point, the Takeup roller should roll up 1 rev.  This should repeat until the y axis reaches a limit point/switch where the y axis reverses direction and the takup roller now reverses as well and plays out the quilt while moving toward the rear of the carriage where it will reach a second limit point/switch, and reverse direction.  The question is this!  Can I use the spindle to control this action, and control the speed of the spindle and distance of rotation?  This motions are not continous, but will occur only when needed to keep the takeup roller away from the back of the sewing machine or away from the needle mechanism.

Hoping for a great answer!

Larry

26

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: How can I speed up three axis movement

« on: November 10, 2010, 02:42:58 AM »

Hey BR549,

Thanks for the info, I'll give that a try and see what happens.  I'll let you know later today (Wednesday) how it goes.  I am in Germany, so there is a bit of lag in response.

Larry

27

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / How can I speed up three axis movement

« on: November 09, 2010, 11:27:29 AM »

I am installing a third axis on my CNC Quilter.  It will have the X-axis, y-Axis, and A-axis.  When the code executes, i.e. x1.0000 y1.0000 A2.0000, the x and y motion has to wait for the A motion to complete before moving on to the next line.  This causes the movement of the x and y axis to stop moving.  Is there a way to overcome this?  The whole idea behind the CNC Quilter is that the motion will be smooth and the A-axis will move at the same time the Y axis moves without interfering with it's operation.  Any ideas?

Larry

28

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G code

« on: November 01, 2010, 09:06:13 AM »

Graham,

I thank you my friend, now back to the grind!

Cheers,

Larry

29

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G code

« on: October 30, 2010, 01:26:19 PM »

Graham, my friend, I need to draw on your limitless knowledge fount!  Is there a way to constantly provide the updated position of an axis so that it can be acted upon by an if then operation?

Larry

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: controlling outputs through g-code

« on: October 30, 2010, 01:14:25 PM »

Hey Hood,

A macro question for you!  Is there a way to constantly provide the updated position of an axis so that it can be acted upon by an if then operation?

Larry