Messages

141

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Setting Motor Counts Per Unit in macro

« on: January 11, 2018, 05:20:32 PM »

Tony,
I have continually asked for this for the last 3 years but no one seems to care or do not think it is important to the many 4 axis users.
However to me with 2 machines with 4 Axis Rotary heads I am unable to move to Mach4 as I use long Tapered ballnose and an incorrect speed as it goes in and out of the model will break the cutter and if I take smaller cuts or lower the feed I burn it the wood and or break the cutter. So Mach3 is the only one I can use for Rotary Carving on my Router Table.
So Although I have moved the CNC Mill to Mach4, I can only use 3 Axis and as far as the Router Table that I use to Carver out many 3 and 4 axis shapes I cannot move to Mach4 even though I have all the hardware ready to convert. It is just too much work to rewire everything on the controller back and forth to use mach4 and mach3.
I also Hope someone is listenting.

Check Mach4 and THC with HiCON http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,32491.0.html

Regards,
Mauri.

142

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Setting Motor Counts Per Unit in macro

« on: January 11, 2018, 02:22:12 PM »

Tony,
A better was would be that the Mach4 Programmers make a similar code implementation as Mach3 where the Radius of GCode represented by Z Axis would change continually the A Axis surface speed as the GCode is processed and the Z axis moves up and down. Mach3 has a Very Accurate Surface Speed change as the Z Axis Radius increases and degreases. The limits of the speed are set by the Velocity settings of the A Axis so as you go towards the center of the part close to Zero with the Z Axis Tool it will not go any faster the Velocity units/min Setting in Mach4.
This would then enable Mach4 to perform true surface speed cuts all the way through the 4 axis rotating part and hence not break or burn cutter due to incorrect speeds as the Z Axis moves in and out from the part being machined.
But to make this happen Mach4 users need to demand this Mach4 modification as my lone voice will not make it happen.
Regards,
Mauri.

143

Mach4 General Discussion / Has anyone used 4 Axis in Mach4

« on: December 12, 2017, 05:17:41 PM »

Hi,
Has anyone used 4 or 5 Axis in Mach4?
If you have, how can you tell if the G-Code is ok, if you cannot display it correctly in the Mach4 Toolpath?
Does anyone that uses 4 Axis with Mach4 do any fine large Carvings?
If so how do you stop fine tapered ballnose cutters from breaking or burning the wood since Mach4 does not use the Z Axis as the control for surface speed?
We have a Router Table and have all the hardware to change it to Mach4 to do 4 Axis carvings with Mach4, but without these program changes in Mach4 we cannot see how we can and will unfortunately have to continue with Mach3.
Does anyone support the Mach4 program changes?
Although we have Mach4 running on our Mill we have not used it to do 4 Axis for the same reason.
Regards,
Mauri.

144

HiCON Motion Controller / Re: VFD Spindle with HiCON Integra 7766 and Mach4

« on: November 25, 2017, 02:18:56 PM »

Isgreen,
The Doc below shows the Mach4 settings for the VFD and Spindle on HiCON card.
Regards,
Mauri.

145

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 using G02/G03 with R Radius

« on: November 07, 2017, 03:07:24 PM »

ger21,
I was advised by madCAM on how to make R work with Mach4 by a small modification to the Post Processor and it now works on all intricate shapes with Mach4 using R "Radius" command.
Regards,
Mauri.

146

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: computer requirements for mach 4

« on: November 06, 2017, 08:20:36 PM »

crchisholm,
XP PC with ESS and 2GB will work, however it will take time to load large G-Code files and will not display all the Toolpath Profile.
So if that is not an issue and you have ESS you are good to go.
If you use HiCON then you will need Win7/10.
Regards,
Mauri.

147

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 using G02/G03 with R Radius

« on: November 06, 2017, 03:09:12 PM »

ger21,
I would like to use R as one program only uses R this program send out better G-Code to provide finer detail to engravings.
The other program I have uses I,J,K.
Regards,
Mauri.

148

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 using G02/G03 with R Radius

« on: November 05, 2017, 09:22:07 PM »

ger21,
I have made many tests on different ARC shapes using commercial G-Code outputs and the only thing that will display correctly or cut is a Circle and simple ARC on Mach4.
The G-Code that I produce works on Commercial Machines, but without modifying the files will not on Mach4 correctly.
What G-Code standards does G02/G03 +R/-R conform to?
Has any one used any G-codes made by commercial programs using G02/G03 +R/-R with multiple ARC shapes with inward and outward ARC radius and found it works?
Mach4 works fine with I/J/K with no issues on all shapes.
Regards,
Mauri.

149

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 using G02/G03 with R Radius

« on: November 05, 2017, 07:15:23 PM »

ger21,
Yes that is it.
My program was outputting -R CCW on G-Code which did not produce a circle.
Changing it to R CW fixes that.
Thanks,
Regards,
Mauri.

150

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 using G02/G03 with R Radius

« on: November 05, 2017, 02:31:55 PM »

Gerry,
Do you have a G-Code Example that displays cutting a full circle in Mach4 from a center point using R?
Or any other examples.
Regards,
Mauri.