Messages

81

General Mach Discussion / Re: Disabling an axis via mach

« on: August 18, 2010, 03:18:55 PM »

Do you use the dispense function in the same programs where you use the spindle function? If the answer is No then you could have 2 XML files configured and one would come up with the dispenser function  and the other would come up without the dispenser function. Otherwise you would have to go into the configuration and disable the C axis there.

Does this C axis configuration cause a preoblem when you jog, or does this only work under program operation?

82

General Mach Discussion / Re: Axis Calibration - Set Steps per Unit on Slaved Axis

« on: August 16, 2010, 10:40:16 AM »

What are the specs on your computer? You may need to look at what is going on in your computer and see if that is affecting A. There have been comments that 3 Axis will work fine, but that a fourth axis requires just a little more computer, or you need to look seriously at the optimization of the operating system (are you running XP or 2000) and other details like that.

83

General Mach Discussion / Re: twinned motors; 2 sharing 1 driver

« on: August 16, 2010, 10:34:56 AM »

2 drivers off of 1 signal is a much better solution than 2 motors off of 1 driver.

84

Sieg Machines / Re: KX3 spindle running slow

« on: August 13, 2010, 10:01:15 AM »

I had a problem with mine when I first set it up. It ran at max speed at anything over 2000 Rpm.

My numbers under Motor Tuning/Spindle are - Stepps Per 1175, Velocity 857.4, Accel 212.76596, Step Pulse 6.

Under pulley 4 I have mini speed 100, max speed 5000, ratio 1.

The number you want to mess with is the steps per number under motor tuning.

85

General Mach Discussion / Re: Hobby CNC Spindle Motor Choices

« on: July 26, 2010, 12:08:34 PM »

You might take a look at wood routers. Look for one with a collet type bit holder.

I have a Dewalt- the spindle is almost 3/4 inch in diameter and has a very nice collet just like a milling machine. AND it releases without having to tap on the spindle like some collets I have used.

The price might be a bit over $200 but it is rated 2HP and I have abused it for close to 10 years now and it is still solid.

Has a variable speed pot on the router (nice for working in plastics) and a soft start. I got mine as a factory reconditioned unit.

There are a number of manufacturers who produce similar units.

86

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 for embroidery machine

« on: July 26, 2010, 11:57:23 AM »

I am familiar with embroidery amchine as my wife has 2...

I have also thought of using a program like mach for a quilting machine - similar process, just differnces in the amount of detail.

My thought is that the easiest way to do the operation would be to have a sensor in the sewing machine main shaft and use it to inhibit motion when the needle is moving down. I don't know how quickly Mach would respond to that signal. The other way would be to stop at the end of every move and cycle teh needle. That might be more like the way the original embroidery software worked.

It would be more work... But seeing as you have already created teh software to convert from DST to G-code - you might look at some existing sourcecode for a CNC control (there are a couple out there for DOS) and modify it so that the needle finction doesn't have to be explicitly programmed - it is a added function at the end of every move.

I have worked a little trying to decode the Janome format and there are 2 types of moves - a stitch or a position. A position move leaves a thread that needs to be cut. Kind of like G00. All the other moves would be G01 with a stitch at the end.

87

General Mach Discussion / Re: z axis driven pump: pressure regulation /logic input question

« on: July 26, 2010, 09:38:15 AM »

Sounds like you just need an output on/off. 

If i understand correctly - you are extrududing some material - you need to extrude at some pressure. It sounds like you need to have a signal for extrude on/off and then let the pressure control be part of the extruder and don't worry about it being an axis. Axis's are for motin in the X Y & Z planes. Is the extrusion amount in any way deopendent upon what Z & Y are doing, or are they supposed to be programmed so that they are moving at the proper speed so you get the correct deposition?

Otherwise you are going to have to always be moving Z in large enough moves so that it can provide enough volume to exceed the pressure which would be better done with just on/off control.

88

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Creating GCode to cut a solar dish mold.

« on: July 23, 2010, 04:17:52 PM »

Actually it isn't that hard - you would basically cut a bumch of circles with the z calculated off the radius to give you the right focal length. Don't have to be too picky witht he roughing cuts, but you would need to keep the radius changed small for th finish cuts. A ball nosed endmill (the larger the better for finishing)

89

General Mach Discussion / Re: What speed computer are you running with Mach?

« on: July 22, 2010, 11:36:40 AM »

1.8 Ghz Dell Optiplex GX260 with 256 Mbytes (8 used by the video) not connected to the network. Have CAD and other software on the machine but I don't use anything else when a CNC program is running. Would like more memory but that is what I could get out of a free computer here at the school. Use a USB stick to transfer programs.

90

Sieg Machines / Re: Seig X3 configured in INCHES.

« on: July 20, 2010, 11:08:09 AM »

As with most things in the machine would there is the ideal and then there is what you really end up with.

I started out with 12700 as my step count and was coming up a gnat's eyelash short so I played with the calcualtor and some more movements and came up with 12776 and am able to get parts to the size I expect.

Sorry - it is Adam Stevenson over on the Seig site got rather upset when I suggested that the KX3 could be configured in Native Inch. The way I see Mach3 is that it is able to configure the machine however you want it to be configured and however works out easiest for you. I have worked with a coiuple systems that did enforce a set of units (generally the one's I didn't care for in the application...) and seeing as how we do have a conversion factor from millimeters to inches (and there are many more counts per inch than millimeter) it is a rather painless thing to have 2 configurations - 1 inch and 1 millimeters.

I am comfortable in either units, but seeing as how I have worked most of my life in inches it is just easier for me to visualize what i am doing in inches. Having my machine default to inches is just easier. (and I am probably a bit lazy...) I figure there are a few others out there who don't really want to be bothered in having to deal with those silly little millimeters and would just rather think in inches. Mach doesn't really care and as long as teh numbers are correct the result are correct. I see it more as a customer service thing. It used to be that the customer was always right, and you tried to deliver what teh customer wanted, even if you had other preferences. This customer wanted a machine that was native inch. And you never tell a customer it can't be done just because you see no need for it. He has different needs than you do.