Messages

4391

General Mach Discussion / Re: Emulating G31 probe input with keyboard, should it be possible?

« on: May 02, 2012, 11:40:24 AM »

THe g31 cannot be emulated without the driver loaded and running. SO if you are running in simualtion mode (no driver loaded) then no.

(;-) TP

4392

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: How can I have a G-Code program load and run another G-Code program

« on: May 01, 2012, 06:14:10 PM »

YOU may want to try the other method

Loadfile("C:\Mach3\Gcode\PushStick.tap")   'Load new file
While IsMoving()
Sleep(1000)
Wend
DoOemButton(160)  ' Regen toolpath
While Ismoving()
Sleep(5000)
Wend
DoOemButton(0)     'Start program


(;-) TP

4393

General Mach Discussion / Re: Max CL and Step/direction Hybrid

« on: May 01, 2012, 06:03:22 PM »

DOn't think so(;-)

(;-) TP

4394

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pause Mach3 with miss fire?

« on: May 01, 2012, 11:07:38 AM »

HIYA Ian,

Lets see add that tip into the Mach3 CB notebook

GoodTip #7342

SO when are you going to write a book for us lost souls that cannot program???  I hear the title "Programming Mach3 CB for Dummies" is available.

It would probably be less work for you(;-)

THe plasma process is fairly simple to remember it is getting MACH3 to read the plasma torchs MIND  is the problem. The best cutting is done on a foggy night AFTER 11pm in months that contain the letter "R" while standing on 1 leg and 1 eye closed.

Thanks, (;-) TP

4395

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pause Mach3 with miss fire?

« on: May 01, 2012, 09:23:39 AM »

HIYA IAN, Does that cause a one sec delay in motion??  IF you wait up to 1 sec before motion after the arc starts you may have created a big divot in thin guage metal.
We have the SAME type problem with the slowdown routine for arcs and circle. There is a small delay in motion while the macro runs and makes the cut UGLY.

With Guage metal thinner than 14 we run with NO intentional pause after the arc fires.

THe reason for the 2 step approach with if is IF it sees the signal first test it exits without running the rest of the code. Least time delay. BUT I can see where it may MISS the signal on some systems by asking too soon.

Plasma CAN be a tricky critter.

ALSO some of the THC's plugin WILL "override" anything you try to do. The plugin I run automatically will HALT the system on arc loss or no arc on start.

Thanks (;-)TP

BUT I LIKE the code

DUH, I see where it will start as soon as it sees the signal(;-). The plasma side has lots problems with pauses and delays. I still see MACH3 ignore m3s from time to time AND has delays of motion after the m3 starts. COuld be MACH could be plugins??  COuld be multiMUXed hardware ?

(;-) TP

4396

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Mach3 tracing out weird paths

« on: April 30, 2012, 02:54:42 PM »

Looks like Crop circles or incorrect IJK mode.


YOU can use either the R or IJ method for arcs BUT you must tell MACH3 whether it is INC or ABS   IJK.  The two have to talk the same language.

It should have been defined in the safety block of Gcode to set the correct mode. Previous programs may have left it in an odd state.

G90.1 ABS IJK
G91.1 INC IJK

(;-) TP

4397

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pause Mach3 with miss fire?

« on: April 29, 2012, 02:22:41 PM »

Anitdive does not work in this case as it it based on progammed feedrate verses actual.  IN this case teh Feedrate is correct to commanded so the antidive does not kick in. That leaves it cutting with the WRONG arc voltage for the lower feedrate and the head will compensate by going lower.

MOst do not have a manual override for the THC. ADN in most cases it is not needed for simple corrections to feedrate based on arc angle and span.

It is NOT to correct fine detailed artwork but just to correct things like small holes and an ocassional small tight arc.

On my machine I just layers the areas to be adjusted by tool# and I have MACH3 so that it CAN modify the ARC voltage based on Tool# so it takes care of itself. Most do not have those options and just need a simple fix.

(;-) TP

4398

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th axis setup

« on: April 29, 2012, 12:36:27 PM »

MOst Cams you can change the output code to suite youself through the POST processor.

(;-) TP

4399

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pause Mach3 with miss fire?

« on: April 29, 2012, 11:33:41 AM »

With air plasma some machines struggle cut wise with small radius cuts such as cirlces. EVEN the advise for Hypretherm is to SLOWDOWN the feedrate to improve cut quality of the small holes or arcs.

With most THC you cannot reprogram the Arc voltage on the fly so when you slow the feedrate down it effects the cutting as the cut parmaters are no longer correct. The easy fix is to turn OFF the THC when you slow down to stop the head from diving into the material.

AND there are problems even with that approach with MACH3 as when you command a macro to turn OFF the thc there is a small dwell involved and it creates a divot in the material from the axis being stalled from the dwell while the torch is still ON.

I had talked to Brian about it but have not heard back from him about a solution. I had hoped we could get a new Gcode to turn the THC on/of internally wilthout the DWELL from an outside macro.

(;-) TP

4400

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th axis setup

« on: April 29, 2012, 09:47:27 AM »

RUDI I do not know of any way to change the MACH3 toolpathing.  IF you want the toolpath to match the RC you must change RC.

IF you want to ignore the MACH3 tolpathing and want the RC to MATCH the AXIS direction then switch the direct of the axis  so it follows RC and you ignore MACH3 toolpathing.

Your choice, (;-) TP