Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: June 05, 2012, 02:44:00 PM »

Hi Rich
well I ran the test with a pointer on the shaft of all the steppers and they all show an error in the direction which would be up. I also tried a different power supply, no change. Finally deleted the xml file and reconfigured every thing. No help. Would reloading mach3 be of any help?

dray

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: June 03, 2012, 06:38:00 PM »

Hi Rich
I ran the test that Automation suggested. With the stepper removed from the z axis and a pointer on the shaft and a mark on the housing. The stepper is set to drive a 16 thread acme shaft. If I have it run a 50 cycle test to move up .0625" (1 full rev. of the motor) it always has a .004" error in the up direction. So I tried the test in a down direction and it still had an error of .004" in the UP direction!! This happens at 10"/min or 40"/min. Accel. doesn't seem to effect it either. If I double the cycles of course the error doubles. Any ideas?

dray

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: May 30, 2012, 08:51:58 PM »

Hi Rich
Thanks for your responses. The z motor is direct coupled to the lead screw with out a bearing. Before changing the lead screw it had a bearing on the motor end and had the same problem. The z motor is a 290 in/oz motor which replaced a 90 in/oz motor which had the same problem. It has not improved with a stronger motor but I have 1 more 435 in/oz motor which I will install on the z tomorrow. I will check backlash as you said but have varies values with no effect. The ps is only running z during the loop test, I would like a better one but that may have to wait. Thanks again.

dray

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: May 30, 2012, 12:47:23 PM »

Hi Rich
hope these work this time

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: May 29, 2012, 12:25:13 PM »

Thanks Guys
When it is running the loop test it is not cutting wood, just going up and down. I have tried all kinds of vel. & accel. settings. No change. I will raise the kernel freq. and see if that does it. If it has an effect I'll post the results Thanks

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: May 29, 2012, 10:01:22 AM »

Hi Rich
yes the steps are correct for a given distance. New acme lead screw and delrin nut. It would seem to me that back lash would not cause an up word drift. There has been 2 times when it cut 3d reliefs just fine. I've checked the y axis is level with the table. The z lead screw is a 3/8x16 thread and the pulses per inch are set to 25600 pulses. Kernel is set at 25000. The steppers are 200 steps per rev and 435 in/oz The machine works fine on other types of cuts. The problem is only apparent when cutting 3d surfaces with lots of up and down movements in the z axis. I can plane a surface, vcarve and do pockets with out any issues. Also I am using 1/8 steps. Tried 1/4 steps no help. I'm beginning to think steppers do not do 3d well. But the 2 that cut nice says that may not be so. When this happens the lines of code are calling for the bit to be in the material but it is cutting air. Thanks for any and all suggestions.
dray

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis moving up

« on: May 28, 2012, 01:07:08 PM »

I have done that and did not help. I even hung a 3 lb. weight on the z axis and no help. Tried step pulse width no help. If I run an up and down loop on the z of .1 inch it will climb .04 to .05 inches in 500 cycles of the loop.

18

General Mach Discussion / z axis moving up

« on: May 28, 2012, 12:09:36 PM »

When cutting 3d my z axis works it's way up out of the wood. I have tried lots of changes but nothing has helped so far. Help please!

19

FAQs / Re: No file/load dxf option, only ENTIB. Whats this?

« on: June 17, 2011, 07:35:43 PM »

I just installed mach3 on my computer and I have the same problem. No import at all but I have Entib. If I click it a video type page appears. Also when I start mach3 it first gives a popup about an error for a dll and than one about xbox360!! So far have not found a cure. dray