Topics

41

Mach4 General Discussion / Question on Toolpath?

« on: January 22, 2017, 04:35:16 PM »

Hi,
Is there a way to only display the Gcode Toolpath as it is being processed (cutting) and not the full Toolpath of the loaded Gcode?
Regards,
Mauri.

42

Mach4 General Discussion / CV On/Off Button

« on: January 21, 2017, 04:28:44 PM »

Hi,
I am trying to make a CV On/Off button but it does not seem to work?

PLC code
local cvState =  mc.mcMotionGetCVAngleEnable(inst)
if (cvState == 1) then
        mc.mcMotionSetCVAngleEnable(inst,1)  -- Turns CV On
    else
        mc.mcMotionSetCVAngleEnable(inst,0)  -- Turns CV Off
end

Toggle ON and OFF button code
Down Script
mc.mcMotionSetCVAngleEnable(inst,1)  -- Turns CV On
Up Script
mc.mcMotionSetCVAngleEnable(inst,0)  -- Turns CV Off

Can anyone assist in making this work?

Regards,
Mauri.

43

Mach4 General Discussion / Errors in Machine.ini file

« on: January 19, 2017, 09:07:39 PM »

Hi,
I have noticed at least 3 lines with spelling typo's in Machine.ini files, do they have any affect on the Mach4 Program?
UseCvAnlgeStop=0
CvAnlgeStopDeg=0.0
FixtureOffest=G54
There may be others as I only had a quick visual.
Regards,
Mauri.

44

Mach4 General Discussion / 4 Axis

« on: January 14, 2017, 10:30:05 PM »

Hi,
Below are what you see in Mach3 and madCAM Simulation, but not on Mach4 it appear in this example that only the XYZ have generated the image and not the A axis.
When doing just a circle it is also just a flat line.
If you offset the circle and then make the G-code on the Circle it will then make a circle, however if you do the to a full 3D like this Ball example it generates the G-Code incorrectly.
I will post the extra sample in the next post.
Regards,
Mauri.

45

Mach4 General Discussion / High GPU usage workaround

« on: January 14, 2017, 06:35:50 PM »

Hi,
For those using large Engraving/Carving files on 2.5D and medium files on 3D 4/5 Axis that are experiencing High Power, GPU% and Temperatures (no matter what type of Graphics or how powerful the PC is), you can stop this and have it use negligible usage by not displaying the Toolpath on the Screen.

On the industrial Screen set it is easy just keep it on the Program panel button (not Toolpath Panel button).

But on the Hobby Screen set you have to go to the "Probing" or "Offsets" tabs on the screen.

Alternately you can Turn Off the Toolpath display in the Edit Screen, click the toolpath panel.

Or another way would be to have an on screen button to turn off the Toolpath display feature.

If you toggle to back to the Toolpath screen just to look at the G-Code progress, it will then go back to high GPU usage just while you look, then just toggle back and it will revert back to low usage.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Mauri.

46

Mach4 General Discussion / CV Simulation Toolpath vs CV Controller Toolpath ???

« on: January 12, 2017, 07:54:36 PM »

hi,
I am having major differences between CV with Mach4 simulator and CV with Mach4 and Controller on the Toolpath Display and Timings to completion.
I have tried CV = 0/10/25/50/100 with the Mach4 and Controller running and have viewed each time the Toolpath Display and reported the time taken.
I have compared these against CV with Mach4 Simulation Mode on the Toolpath Display and recorded time taken to complete.
I have found that all CV’s are faster to completion with Mach4 and Controller, but are visually worse even comparing CV=0 with Controller and CV=100 with Mach4 Simulation mode on the Toolpath Display.

Could it be that the data is flowing faster to the Controller than the Toolpath Display and hence loosing data for display on the angles?
If not can anyone explain why?

I have many examples if some one needs them to explain.

Regards,
Mauri.

47

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: CV G64 and Exact Stop G61

« on: January 03, 2017, 05:39:56 AM »

Hi
The jpg's CV50Accel1 above was with Z being different Acceleration to X/Y and was CV100 mislabeled , the other that looks good was CV50 the same Acceleration.
The letting example is 2mm high, it was very good with CV and Mach3, and in Simulation looks good with CV100 on all 180 angles.
As CV100 is in my examples 25% less time and that it simulates quite well it should be good for ant Lettering, 2.5D and 3D machining.
Regards,
Mauri.

48

Mach4 General Discussion / CV G64 and Exact Stop G61

« on: December 26, 2016, 09:12:57 PM »

Hi,
Has something changed with CV G64 and Full Stop G61 on the Mach4 program?
Using Road Runner example.
Earlier versions of Mach4 you could run Exact Stop G61 and it would follow the line precisely in Simulation Mode.
Now on the latest versions of Mach4 it goes faster around on the lines (using the same Road Runner example) but does not track them?
It is like it is in some sort of CV Mode even though it is G61?
When trying out the CV Mode G64 I cannot get it to track the lines?
Has anyone tested what Speed settings on the Degrees in the CV Wizards would be required to track the Road Runner lines precisely or close?
When preforming 2.5D/3D engraving/carvings there are many thousands of varying cutting angles, similar to Road Runner so there must be some sort of settings that would do the task.
Can anyone help?
Regards,
Mauri.

49

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 4/5 Axis

« on: October 05, 2016, 03:44:22 PM »

Hi,
Has any one used Mach4 in actual machining of general 4/5 axis objects and/or 3D engraving models using 4 or 5 axis?
I have waited 18months and still not able generate a toolpath display using G-Code of any 4/5 Axis object, am I the only one?
Below are some simple examples of 4 Axis just a Circle, but it displays it as a line (first check them out on mach3).
The other mach3 great accurate option that is not in mach4 is the A axis variable speed that utilises the Z axis, this is essential for carving models with fine detail when using small cutters for constant surface speed.
The third issue is the useless continuous toolpath display loops that can utilise up to 100% of any GPU including CPU/GPU even after it has just loaded a file and is not run (highly apparent on 3D model fine engraving G-Code).
Finally the amount of time it takes to load a large file 3 times slower that mach3.
These issues makes mach4 unusable for any 4/5 axis model carving/engraving and mach3 in these areas is still the one to use (and when you have made dedicated hardware for mach4 then you cannot use both on the same machine).
Maybe if we get an option to turn off the Toolpath display and its looping, then we may be able to do some actual machining (that is if someone has actual machined 4/5 axis items).
Your thoughts.
Regards,
Mauri.

50

General Mach Discussion / DRO vs GCode on Z with Mach 3.46.066 and ESS_v10r2d1d

« on: October 20, 2015, 09:40:10 PM »

Hi,
In the past we have machined a lot of engravings in Hard Brass with 20D .1mm Cutter with no issues.
Recently we have been having issues with breaking points on 20D .1mm tip tools on engraving.
We did not have this problem before and machined at faster F rates.
We checkout the milling machine and could not find an issue (The Head Z Axis is always within .0001").
What we just have found is that the G-Code Z instruction is go -.1mm Deep, and when you look at the DRO it first goes down to -.100mm at F20 then as it moves on the X or Y at F200 it drops further by -.0313 to a total of -.1313 at the faster F Speed causing the tip to break.
What is causing the Mach3 to not do as the G-Code has instructed it to?
Is it the ESS dropping it further by not properly compensating the Backlash Value?
The backlash for Z is .0330mm
It is mentioned that the Latest ESS has issues with Backlash?
Any ideas to what is happening?
I cannot use Mach4 yet at the CV setting are not implemented yet.
Regards,
Mauri