Messages

2221

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Keyboard Emulation

« on: May 03, 2014, 04:53:50 PM »

HIYA" Fastest1" press the disable button at the lower left of your screen THEN the Mach plugin config is accessable. That got me as well untill Steve explained it.

(;-)TP

2222

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Keyboard Emulation

« on: May 03, 2014, 04:48:54 PM »

Craig Here is an example of an early plasma screen with teh Row of function buttons on teh right. The working screen had a row of 24 Function buttons F1-F24 they controlled all teh MAIN CNC functions from teh Fkeys.

WOrks VERY well on a control panel with NO MOUSE. It does have a thumb stick but that is clumsy as well but better than a mouse(;-).

2223

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Feature Request

« on: May 03, 2014, 03:52:47 PM »

HIYA Steve, IF the #vars are processed at look ahead time(buffer load) HOW are you to use variable that are not updated until a line is processed. Take for example.

N001  G1 X12 Y0
N002  G1 X [#5601/2]

 Lets say that the #5601 is the A axis current position value. The value is NOT known until the N001 line just above it is processed and motion stops. Then the N002  line values would be

N001 G1 X12 Y0
N002  G1 X6

That is not a great example just a simple one that deals with #vars that are system #vars

HOW is that going to work out with look ahead . Normally a control emptys the look ahead and drops back to real time in that instance.

Yes I agree with your idea for #var values AS (comments) on the same gcode line. BUT not if the user has to control it. It should be an auto function with no input from the user.

 FOR example

#100 =24.000
#101 =48.000
G1 X12 Y0 F10
G1 X#100 Y#101    ( X24.000 Y48.000)  

THAT would be great for Conditional / parametric programmers.

(;-) TP

Then it shows up in the Gcode window automatically. Brian and I discussed this long ago (;-)

BY the way IS THERE a list of System # vars  for Gcode USE??



(;-) TP

2224

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Comments about Mach4 in Demo

« on: May 03, 2014, 02:11:02 PM »

From my experience running $150,000 routers with proprietary controls, I'd rip out 90% of what's in Mach3. You'd get rid of 90% of the support issues that new router users have.

That is because people REFUSE to learn anything anymore, they EXPECT the machine to do it all for them with NO energy output required on their behalf.

Little do they know IF it keeps up the machines will totally replace them as worker. No job no food no house, just live in the woods and eat grass and bugs.

(;-) TP

2225

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Comments about Mach4 in Demo

« on: May 03, 2014, 02:07:45 PM »

Router what is a router ?? Is it one of those PC networking thingies that direct traffic??

(;-) TP

2226

General Mach Discussion / Re: Kerf problems on multiple parts

« on: May 03, 2014, 01:08:18 PM »

With tool COMP you MUST allow room for and program for a leadin and leadout for the G41/42 call. IF not you get what you see as the G41 takes the first move after the call as THE leadin to move into comped position so it "will" cross the line to the other side if you do not program a proper lead in /out.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

2227

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mill GCode Manual G12-G13

« on: May 03, 2014, 12:47:52 PM »

HIYA Brian I am not really complaining just reporting what I see compared to what I have seen else where.

Use the feedback as you wish.

What manual did you use for comparison Fanuc has not had a G12/13 for many years now. Not all things Fanuc are good to use(;-)

Just a thought, (;-) TP

2228

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Comments about Mach4 in Demo

« on: May 03, 2014, 12:42:52 PM »

New School , so what if I crashed the machine and ruined the $1000 part I am still FAST 90% of the time.

Old School, Well that just cost me $10,00 for repair and 4 weeks down time on that machine. NO vacation this year AGAIN.

(;-) TP

2229

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Probing and reporting

« on: May 03, 2014, 12:31:01 PM »

HIYA Craig, All it really needs is an option switch settable in the System parameters ( say #9999 =1 to turn on #9999 = 0 to turn it off) to allow an error IF the G31 reaches the endpoint of the call without a trip. AND stop the Program from continueing.


Keep it simple and easy to deal with

2230

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Probing and reporting

« on: May 03, 2014, 12:05:32 PM »

HIYA DAVE , Yes a skip command is what it is BUT when used in a probing situation it is consider and error IF the g31 reaches the endpoint without a trip.

It means you did not program the parameters of the routine correctly OR you have broken the tip off.  Writing the endpoint values to a point file CURRUPTS the data as the POINTS are not real.

Simple example You are probing a hole and you did not program the movement far enough to get to the other side of the hole so when it gets to the endpoint it records the endpoints as NORMAL but in reality it is an ERROR you need to deal with so Mach4 SHOULD alert you to the error so you can fix the problem.

Other example, You create a probe routine to check features on a part. Somewhere the tip gets broken YET the routine runs on for another hour gathering USELESS endpoint data.  Would you not want to be alerted to the problem at the FIRST error ??

3D probing, Missed points and using endpoint data CURRUPTS the point cloud . Some routines run for HOURS gather useless data IF not programmed to reach the entire shape profile to be probed.

SO yes in probing with G31 it is considered an ERROR to MISS a trip and write the endpoint values.


HIYA Brian, A protect move with a probe is where you are moving across a part in a routine with G0 or G1 OR jogging from point to point and the tip strikes the part accidently. The Machine MUST stop on the probe trip in order to try and save the TIP/PROBE from damage. AN emergency STOP is needed and the program cancelled from continuing.

We have talked about this before (;-) Scott and I had a version of this running in MACH3 via a plugin script. AND it works FINE here. Just like the big boys do it.


 (;-) TP