Messages

5391

General Mach Discussion / Re: Turning ON Tool Change and Safe Z Positions

« on: August 11, 2011, 10:26:01 AM »

Be aware before you crash the machine(;-) that those coordinates need to be in MACHINE corrds not users coord. The machine needs to be refhome at startup to insure the correct positions BEFORE that function is used.

To get Machine coords jog to where you want it to be then from the main screen select machine coords and use those values. that way the machine MOVES to the correct spot regardless of the user offset and tool fixtures being used.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

5392

General Mach Discussion / Re: Macros And Buttons - Strangeness Abounds....

« on: August 11, 2011, 10:17:53 AM »

Lost Mach syndrome been there done that one.

(;-) TP

5393

Mach3 under Vista / Re: "Bad character usedLine 0"

« on: August 10, 2011, 11:38:50 PM »

That is a DXF drawing file not a gcode file. Mach3 cannot read it directly.

(;-) TP

5394

Mach3 under Vista / Re: "Bad character usedLine 0"

« on: August 10, 2011, 09:34:58 PM »

AND what was the code on that line??

(;-) TP

5395

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G40, G41 and G42 have no effect.

« on: August 10, 2011, 09:27:54 PM »

hIya, Rich that is a great example, probably the best example i have seen on the web. I will file that away in my examples file.

Now "kidding of course" do you program the gcode for that gear by hand or use one of those fancy CAM thingies.

(;-) TP

5396

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool radius compensation

« on: August 10, 2011, 09:17:57 PM »

HI, Mach cannot automatically do tool comp on its own. The tool comp process MUST be programmed into the Gcode itself and the tool tables kept updated each time a tool is changes out or resharpened in your case.

Using tool comp the MACHINE compensates for the change in diameter from the programmed values. IF the tool is now smaller it moves closes to the work to follow the profile. If larger then it moves way from the programmed value of the profile.

SOme CAM programs can not do machine tool comp they only do the tool compensation in creating the original cut profile base on a tool size you specify.

You may be able to SET the TC option in your CAM and use it on the machine.

(;-) TP

5397

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z axis when setting coordinates

« on: August 10, 2011, 08:29:54 PM »

Hot wire cutters are special things programing and control Wise. It requires that 2 sets of axis's are slaved at times and independant at times to create special effects on moves that are never used on a normal CNC machine.

Cones are an example. You can work out some special moves but some are beyond normal cnc controllers.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

5398

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool radius compensation

« on: August 10, 2011, 08:17:40 PM »

I t most likey is a tooling or machine riggidity problem. BUT the corrective actions  are

1 recam it with a different tool diam to compensate.
2 recam it and use tool comp code then do the comp from the tool table values
3 Use the Scale options on XY to enlarge finished hole
4 Sharper tools?
5 change feeds and speeds
6 use a cleanup pass to comp for flexure

Just a thought(;-) TP

5399

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: How to- USB powered LCD display of DRO`s

« on: August 10, 2011, 05:58:02 PM »

The Macro pump can be used as a monitor to monitor things and then do other things based on events. It runs as a continous loop so it is always on duty. Min update set at 10hzs. You have access to most Mach functions . The main flaw is no threading control and slow updates.

IT can be a very powerfull tool.

The brains WERE to improve the speed of the macropump by 100 fold and create a Ladder like logic  BUT as it turned out the update speed is the same basic speed as the macropump10hz and nowhere near as flexable as the original MP. Ladder type logic does fit some functions better though.

In a nut shell, (;-) TP

5400

General Mach Discussion / Re: Has anyone gotten this email from the Machsite conserning emails?

« on: August 10, 2011, 04:31:26 PM »

Thanks GUYS I did not look forward to the options. It just sounded weird to me.

(;-) TP