Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problem with "Cycle Jog Step"

« on: October 09, 2021, 12:27:46 PM »

That sounds rather bizarre. Make sure the mechanical system is correct, because if there is any mechanical problem the motion system will not correct for it. Is this motion showing up on a DRO or on an indicator?

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 has control but steppers run one direction only

« on: October 06, 2021, 07:46:12 PM »

You have not setup your jog keys.

13

General Mach Discussion / Custom Control Panel for Mach3 (and maybe Mach4)

« on: October 05, 2021, 09:23:14 PM »

Started playing with an Arduino Micro controller. It can be programmed to function as a keyboard device. About any keyboard key code can be sent, the board has enough pins to handle a Cycle Start button, A FeedHold button, a Stop button, Jog Keys, Jog Mode, Jog Enable toggle and others. AND No Special Drivers needed. Plugs into a USB port, is programmed using Arduino.

Just a little something to think about.

14

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Seig 2.7

« on: December 14, 2020, 10:43:16 PM »

Have been using my KX3 still with Mach 3, and have gotten used to how fixture offsets work. It sounds like you are a bit earlier in the learning curve, and here a few things that I have found work. I have moming set up on my machine so machine zero is in the same place after a reboot. Then when Mach boots up it is in G54. I leave G54 as x 0 y0 z 0 and never change them.  I can then move the machine around to wherever the physical startpoint is for the program I want to run and then making sure there is a G55 or greater near the start of the program I then enter the numbers for X and Y into the work offset I will be using and then select that work offset in MDI and X & Y will then be 0. I have an unused tool holder - I have Tormach tooling and 1 10mm holder and no 10mm tools) and that is my reference tool or tool 0 (zero). I then use that tool to set Z. For preseting tools I have a short cyling=der I can set my tooling on, and with my height gage set to zero when set=ting on top of too zero I then measure the length of my tools and enter those lengths into the tool table.

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: M3 not working, but M4 is working. Both use same output for analog signal

« on: March 21, 2019, 09:07:00 PM »

Sorry for the delay - Changed nothing and now M3 works.Rebooted teh machine several times the first day and no change - Went to the shop the next and wanted to try some thread milling and it works just fine...

16

General Mach Discussion / M3 not working, but M4 is working. Both use same output for analog signal

« on: March 17, 2019, 10:20:35 PM »

Had an interesting one today. Went to run the spindle and got no output from M3. M4 works just fine, as I have no relay connector for reverse so it gives me forward... Both are assigned pin fourteen, port 1 and M3 worked just fine a couple days ago. I am using a Smoothstepper and have made no changes to its config since M3 last worked.

17

General Mach Discussion / Suggestion for PCI Parallel Port

« on: December 07, 2018, 10:25:46 PM »

I have been having problem with Mach3 shutting down Generally just after a tool change. I wind up back at Windows with no errors. I am running a Sieg KX3 with an Ethernet Smoothstepper. I have reloaded Mach3 and it still acts up.

I want to try and simplify things to see if I can isolate the problem.

18

General Mach Discussion / WHat options work with Mach 3 and Analog servos

« on: May 01, 2016, 01:25:04 PM »

It has been a few years since I have been active here on this forum and my present job may afford an opportunity to convert/update a machine and so I am looking for information.ideas as to what might be the way to go.

I am working for a small granite counter top company and they have several older Italian made CNC profiling machines - kind of like a cross between a router and a mill. One of them uses Yaskawa drives, so a stepper interface is no problem there, but the other uses Fagor drives, and from the documentation they are analog only. The third machine uses Siemens, and everything is integrated and not much hope for that machine without doing a complete drive replacement.

Okay... What are the options for interfacing Mach 3 with analog drives? And what are the options for being able to interface to more inputs/outputs? And what other questions might I ought to ask?

19

Sieg Machines / Re: Z Axis only travels in 1 direction

« on: February 27, 2013, 03:43:01 PM »

Check your motor configuration for the Z axis. Make sure you have the correct pins selected for Step & Direction.
If the Direction pin is not being toggled then z will only move in one direction.
What configuration are you using?

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: stepped motor soft start

« on: May 01, 2012, 06:28:42 PM »

Stepper motors do make noise. You are hearing the the motor line up the magnetic poles. At low speeds you have max torque and the noise is louder than at higher speeds. The other reason for the noise can also be mechanical/structural. The machine structure is resonating and amplifying the sound of the motors. Its a fact of life with steppers. Stiffen up your motor mounts.