Messages

321

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problem with THC and Mach 3

« on: September 09, 2011, 03:24:58 PM »

If you're using the THC UP/DOWN inputs in Mach to control torch height, then the PLC should only be sending these signals after an ARC OK is sensed.  Everything up until the M03 (torch on), like the touch-off routine, should be done in Gcode, not the PLC.  The PLC just needs to monitor the ARC OK signal and when it has a good one, start sending THC UP/DOWN signals.  If you do it this way, you won't need the "allow thc to raise and lower torch anytime" option and the THC function in Mach will work properly.  Mach should not allow automatic THC moves unless a good arc is sensed.  I think that option was added for router folks who wanted to manually move the Z while running a program.

322

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tweaking constant velocity mode (laguna smartshop)

« on: September 08, 2011, 09:50:06 PM »

At 300IPM, the acceleration will have to pretty high to get square corners.  Depends on your steps per to some degree, but I'm guessing at least 50 or 60.  The CV helper settings are a way of making a machine produce decent results at speeds greater that it was designed to run.  If a machine is designed properly and is run within it's design parameters, you'll get nice square corners in CV mode all the way up to max cutting speed.

323

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Using G-code files in Button Scripts

« on: September 05, 2011, 09:39:41 AM »

You have to write the code one way or another.  The real advantage to using a script to generate a teach file is that you can generate code interactively.  I have canned programs that are over 1000 lines where the script is only a fraction of that.  Using for loops you can repeat repetitive code without typing each line.  Using conditional statements, you can write one script that generates numerous different programs.

Here is a simple example.  Post a block of code you'd like to run in this manner.


  OpenTeachFile "TeachFileName.tap"
  code "G20 G40 G91.1"
  code "G0 Z0.5"

-------------------------------------------------------
Put as much code as you want here.
-------------------------------------------------------

  CloseTeachFile
  Call LoadTeachFile()    

324

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Using G-code files in Button Scripts

« on: September 04, 2011, 01:16:24 PM »

You could always write a script that builds the G-Code into a teach file.  You still use the code ("X1Y1Z1") syntax, but instead of Mach executing the command, it writes it to the teach file.  After you're done writing the teach file "CloseTeachFile" then "Call OpenTeachFile()".

The end result is a program that looks and runs like any other program.  No wait states or anything like that.

325

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Using G-code files in Button Scripts

« on: September 04, 2011, 11:10:26 AM »

If all you want to do is execute specific G-code on a button press, why not just use...

code "X1Y1Z1"

Inside a script?  Is there some reason why this won't work in your application?  If you want to use just one script for many buttons and set variables on each button press, there is also an easy way to do that.

326

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 2 Question

« on: September 02, 2011, 10:19:49 PM »

Not at all.  You can use as many axes as you need...up to 6.

327

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 2 Question

« on: September 02, 2011, 09:03:25 PM »

The number following "Mach" does not indicate the number of axes.  It is the major version number.  Mach3 is the latest.  Mach4 is coming.  They are all capable of controlling 6 axes.

328

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 4.0 Rev Update

« on: August 28, 2011, 02:42:37 PM »

 I have changed Mach3's Gcode interpreter to output all moves
in machine position .

Does this mean that we'll no longer be able to jog to position, zero all and run a program?  If that's the case, how do you jog to position on the sheet and run the program from there? Something we do every day in plasma cutting as we're rarely working with full sheets.   

329

General Mach Discussion / Re: G code goes crazy on small detailed drawing ONLY. help !!!

« on: August 24, 2011, 08:49:25 AM »

What do you mean by G-code went crazy?  If the contours are closer than the diameter of your bit, CAM will likely create some unexpected results as it can't cut between two contours that are closer than the bit diameter.  To see if that's the problem, just reduce the bit diameter in CAM and see if the code looks better.

330

General Mach Discussion / Re: News for plate burners(;-)

« on: August 19, 2011, 08:55:46 AM »

FlexiSign also works very well, and outputs a good quality DXF.  Most of my drawing is technical in nature, so I mostly use Rhino.  The full blown version is expensive, but they have a version called FlexiStarter for $99.