Messages

41

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach memory cache annoyance

« on: October 10, 2009, 09:21:28 PM »

Hello all,

I think, I also noticed this phenomenon in the past:

After modifying the G-Code file (even from inside Mach3 with the "Edit" button) the small toolpath window refreshes automatically and shows the changed toolpath, but the big one does not. You have to refresh it manually to see the contents correctly.

Might this behave different depending on graphics board in the PC? (I don't have an idea, as I don't know how and where the toolpath displays are generated.)

Maybe this point should be on the task-list for revision 4.


Konrad

42

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 09, 2009, 09:20:45 PM »

Hi Nicolas,

I would recommend to take much time for optimizing the mill, and the produce lots of nice (and useless) accessories for the remodelling of the house


Konrad

43

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 09, 2009, 02:19:00 PM »

Hello again,

just have a look to LazyCam:

1. You can turn the work object by pressing the center button (Wheel) of the mouse, to look to the drawing sidewise in 3D.
   This is where you can already see how the toolpath will look like.

2. But now, lets look NUMBERS:
   - have a look on the left side fo the screen: There you can see the tree of layers in your workpiece.
   - activate Layer 0 by doing a click to it.
   - Now, click "layers" in the menu at the bottom side of the LazyCam Window.
   - Here, you can see:
      Step per pass: 0.1250 units
      Cut Start: 0.1000 units
      Cut depth: -0.1250 units
   - this will generate a G-code which does -0.0250 (=0.1 minus 0.125), and the the rest of 0.1 to get to -0.125.


Hopefully this helps.


best regards,
Konrad

44

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 08, 2009, 08:54:23 PM »

Z-0.125

on Line N150, N175, N200, N225 and so on.

45

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 08, 2009, 08:41:33 PM »

Hmmmm, just scrolling through the code is not running it...

Only if you press "Cycle Start" there will something be moving in the toolpath.


(You can press the "offline" Button, if you don't want to move the machine. But then the machine must be referenced afterwards.)


Konrad

46

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 08, 2009, 07:38:19 PM »

Hello again,

I just opened the Files with my local installation of LazyCam and Mach3. Everything looks normal for me.
Maximum cutting depth is -0.125 and also the tool position is displayed.  :-/


  Any other Person here with better ideas than I have?  *g*


Konrad

47

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange Results

« on: October 08, 2009, 07:05:38 PM »

Hi Kolias,

Did you use the exactly same .tap -file as 6 weeks ago? Or did you generate it again with LazyCam just before cutting?

If "generated again", would you still have the old file on your harddisk?

regards
Konrad

48

General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing a machine without limit switches installed

« on: October 08, 2009, 06:39:26 PM »

Hi Himark,

homing without home switches? So to say, as a manual procedure?

Before I equipped my "prototype mill" with limit switches, I did it as follows:
(I was running on soft limits)

- first, switch the coordinate DROs to "machine coordinates"
- then, jog the machine to the desired reference position (you can define the individual reference position of your machine in "Config - Homing/Limits - Home Off.")
- press "REF ALL HOME", and the "Home Offset" will be written to the (machine-)coordinate DROs.
- switch off machine coordinates to see again the work coordinates.

--> The Limit switches must be unassigned in Ports and Pins, and "Auto zero" in "Homing/Limits" enabled.


On very small machines with low torque drives, it might also be possible just to drive against the mechanical limits until you reach the soft limit, but this is not nice to your machine.  


But on the other hand, it's really worth the trouble to put limit switches on the machine, because it saves much time and.... IT'S AUTOMATIC ;-)


regards,
Konrad

49

General Mach Discussion / Re: EStop won't work

« on: October 08, 2009, 06:20:52 PM »

Hi Oskie,

yes, my forespeakers are right: The emergency stop should work in a way that does not need the Software or even the Computer.  

But remember: the parallel port is using TTL logic, so you have to provide a defined logic state to the pin, i.e. either 0 Volts or 5 Volts.

If you just connect a switch to the input pin and to ground pin, you can generate 0 Volt (switch closed) but with the switch open you generate an undefined state... there is only noise coming to the input pin, but no 5 Volts.

A simple solution would be a switch (connected to the ground), together with a pull-up resistor (connected to 5 Volt). (Computer ground, not the one from the drive power supply...) And only do this when you're sure what you are doing... especially the good old parallel port is very easy to damage.  

See also:  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signal


(hope you don't call me a teacher   )

Konrad

50

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems with G52 or fixture offsets, narrowed it down to this code.

« on: October 08, 2009, 05:54:52 PM »

Hi Radioactive (and all others),

concerning the G52 (temporary offset) I got the recommendation to wait for Mach3 Rev. 4.   


My experience with G52 was as follows:

- Using G52 just with linear and circular interpolation looks weird on the toolpath display, but works correctly on the machine.
- Using G52 together with G41/G42 (cutter radius compensation) leads to crash. There seems to be an error in code.

--> So, I decided that using the G52 temporary offset is not an option for me until release of rev. 4.

But, if you are just cutting the entirely same part two times, you could check wether using G54...59 (work / fixture offset) could be an alternative for you .?.



have fun
Konrad