Messages

971

General Mach Discussion / Re: Multiple Head Router

« on: June 15, 2010, 07:25:56 PM »

I'd had spent about 30 seconds looking at the file but seen there were no comments telling me what you were trying to attempt.

I always felt that if a programmer didn't write some notes/comments to remind him of whats going on why should he expect others to try to read his mind. Use line numbers or at least use a Block line number. Makes it easier to find code.

Spend the time to document and write your code in sections. Use M1 (Optional Stop)and "/' (Block Delete) at the end of sections. Makes it easier to prove out a program. and you don't just jump to a new spindle and tool without making sure it is ready and safe to cut.

In the years to come you will find it worth while.

972

General Mach Discussion / Re: Multiple Head Router

« on: June 15, 2010, 06:50:48 PM »

yep those are the buggers, work great, and there are a bunch of em.

973

General Mach Discussion / Re: Multiple Head Router

« on: June 15, 2010, 06:33:09 PM »

As far as the tool lengths and diameters they are in the Tool offset file. When a tool is called up it looks in the table for its values. It sure doesn't care what spindle it uses, the workoffsets will take care of the position in X & Y  of the spindle to table position. You will have to do some careful touch offs for each spindle to a relative point to see what each spindle position is to the first one. Once you know the offsets of each spindle and the spindles dont get moved its just a matter of checking one and calculating the rest. There is some fancy and cool ways to do this in a script but this is the basic idea to get you going. Guess Id load each tool in the spindles and touch off the first call it Zero touch off the rest and enter in the differences for the tool lengths. Maybe i'm all wet but thats the quickest way to get a handle on it that I see. Any more and I charge by the hour.  just a joke.

974

General Mach Discussion / Re: Multiple Head Router

« on: June 15, 2010, 06:09:21 PM »

Why not just create workoffsets for each spindle call them G61-G67 for simplicity? When you call a new tool/spindle a new workoffset can be called too. That way you can go back to any spindle and tool and use it again in the same program. All that can be done in the gcode then.

975

General Mach Discussion / Re: Multiple Head Router

« on: June 15, 2010, 08:49:25 AM »

I'm a little new to this but my understanding and experience leads me to:

A macro m61-m67 created that also has the spindle position and gets tool offset.
Do you call a tool change for the spindle used?
After all everything is just a variable and is calculated at runtime.

What are the red buttons?

Are those air driven spindles? I assume you have a macro that turns on a valve for the spindle you need, and then turns the others off?

Cool idea just seems a little expensive and a loss of axis travel. ( not sure how soft limits would handle this, but it should  )
Tool change time is almost instant.
Out of the box thinking, and Using what one has is always smart.

976

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Re: Can anyone make a "normal" windows screen design please? 0:-)

« on: June 15, 2010, 08:25:52 AM »

I like what your attempting ger21, Very interested in beta testing it and also adding several of my screen features to it. Keep up the good work. Whole new way to view and interact with mach3.

977

General Mach Discussion / Re: Different use of Mach3 (dispensing)

« on: June 10, 2010, 11:42:10 AM »

Why not just use a canned drilling cycle and by varying the drill depth (Z Axis) it would dispense varied amounts based on depth of Z. Doesn't it just fill a plunger of some type? Has some interesting applications.

978

Machscreen Screen Designer / JogBall Issues

« on: May 18, 2010, 02:34:41 PM »

I've done a search but found nothing on this topic. So I beg for assistance.

I have found a Jogball screen that I copied and pasted into a screen for my set.
The Issue is I have one jogball that gives me a B & A but I can not see how to set it to B & C.
The only options I have are XYZ not sure how someone created a B & A Jogball. I like it but I really need B & C.
Whats the secret please.

By the way; I do love MachScreen... Thank You Klaus
keeps getting better with every release.
Thanks for any guidance on this feature.

One more thing is there a limit on screen physical size (MB) and how mach3 preforms?

979

Brains Development / Using Timers to create a second button feature

« on: May 14, 2010, 05:18:53 PM »

I've been doing some testing of the use of writing brain routines. Came across this nice feature I use, thought I'd pass it on to others.

By using a one shot timer, an input can be used to trigger another event. I show the use of four here. But I really like the ability to use the MPG Mode cycle button as a hidden feature behind the G90/G91 button. Holding down the button for a full second, steps the mode button one time. A press of less than one second toggles the G90/G91 mode back. Note: I use LEDs to see status's of several conditions.
Just a way to get a little more use out of limited space on a Teach Pendant, Good luck and have fun.

I'm still learning about brains, finding some bugs, and lots of limitations, but that's how you learn to use tools.
Ya-Nvr-No.

980

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Detecting Button Presses

« on: May 10, 2010, 09:32:21 PM »

I started looking into this issue but found your zip file is no longer available. Thought id attempt to try to solve this through a plugin. Wanted to get an update on your progress. And any info that might be handy. Thanks for what you did post.