Messages

641

General Mach Discussion / Re: Trying to make NC

« on: December 20, 2009, 12:00:20 PM »

Any way to tackle it, machining something like that is going to take some time, especially if you are after a quality job and are using a very small step over distance.  I think those programs you have  basically just create a bunch of Z points in space and the machine just goes from point to point....Sort of like cutting an arc in the XY plane that consist of a bunch of short line segments.  

When I was doing a lot of this sort of thing, I generated a point cloud then created a surface in Rhino using the point cloud then generated a tool path on the surface.  The resulting machine time was quite a bit shorter.  I know it's expensive, but if you ever get the chance, try the face wizard in Artcam.  It creates a true 3D relief model.  BMP2XYZ and similar programs just convert levels of grayscale to a z height.  Darker = deeper usually.

642

General Mach Discussion / Re: One more attempt at Z zero macro!

« on: December 19, 2009, 12:53:42 AM »

Are you using the tool database and tool offsets?  Each tool should be set up in the database with an offset relative to a referencing tool or probe.  I used a 1/2" round bar with a point machined on one end for referencing.  Once the machine is referenced using the referencing tool, after a tool change Mach applies the offsets for that tool.  I never zeroed the Z with an actual cutting tool, always the referencing tool. 

I sold the router a couple years ago and don't have the tool change macros that I used anymore, but I think it's all in the Mach manual.  Look at the G-code section for tool change and tool offset code.

643

General Mach Discussion / Re: X,Y,Z axis do not work, Spindle does work

« on: December 11, 2009, 11:40:59 AM »

I'd look at whatever all 3 axis have in common, such as the motor power supply, breakout board or possibly the driver board is it's a multi axis board.  I guess it's possible, but I wouldn't suspect Mach as being the problem. 

644

General Mach Discussion / Re: G31 scanning slow z speed?

« on: December 08, 2009, 08:15:12 PM »

I noticed a similar issue. The plunge speed on a G31 seems to be OK but the Z acceleration on the plunge move appears to be that of the X and Y axis.   The retract move is normal.  X and Y acccel is set at 8 and z is 30. I didn't notice this until I lowered the X and Y accel. I do have a feedrate command in the G31 line. Probably work on this more tomorrow.

645

General Mach Discussion / Re: Breakout Board recommendation?

« on: December 07, 2009, 02:44:07 PM »

If you haven't bought drives yet...and your using steppers...and those steppers draw less than 3.5A per phase, the Gecko G540 combines 4 drives and the breakout board in one small package at a very attractive price.  Not a UK supplier, but postage to the UK isn't that bad.

646

General Mach Discussion / Re: DXF file for Rack & Pinion

« on: December 06, 2009, 02:47:03 PM »

McMaster usually has models for some of their products as well.

647

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Conditional gcode execution is possible in Mach3

« on: December 06, 2009, 11:07:38 AM »

You can execute conditional G code inside vb scripts. I have a part program that exists entirely in a macro file. There are a number of conditional statements based on parameters and variables set at run time. The code that is visible in the G code window is simply M802. Everything else happens inside the M802 macro.

648

General Mach Discussion / Re: how to hook up a e stop

« on: December 03, 2009, 08:57:23 PM »

An E-Stop is for an emergency when things go very wrong and you need to stop it in a hurry.  It should be a big red button always within reach of the operator.  If you have to hit the E-Stop you can pretty much count on what ever is on the table to be scrap.  Just rehome, figure out what went wrong, fix it, load another blank and have another go at it. 

649

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home switch override

« on: December 03, 2009, 04:35:58 AM »

I'm not really having a problem. I just wanted another 1/8" or so if it was possible. No reason other than a little distance between the switch and ramp.

650

General Mach Discussion / Home switch override

« on: December 02, 2009, 09:48:54 PM »

When the machine homes and hits the switches, it backs off a little as to deactivate the switch.  Is there a way to increase the amount it backs off or is that hard coded into Mach.  I haven't noticed a setting for that anywhere.

Thanks