Messages

591

General Mach Discussion / Re: G76 Lathe Theading Problem

« on: December 25, 2015, 02:24:08 PM »

(;-) THAT is not telling you if the Sensor is working correctly or not. The screen led cannot keep up with the pulse rate and will just flash randomly. LOOK at the actual spindle RPM is it stable or does it vary a great deal. IF the RPM is not stable then the threading will not be stable as well. It is trying to follow the RPM.

Most people do not use the latest Version(066)  as it appears to be unstable and they may have broken more than they fixed. Most use a much earlier ver for turn and threading. Do a search and you should find the info.

(;-) TP

592

General Mach Discussion / Re: More inputs and outputs needed in Mach3

« on: December 25, 2015, 02:15:13 PM »

Just becasue you shielded them does mean you will not have ground loop problems . Ground loops are teh biggest probelms with CNC as you are interconnecting many differnce electrical schemes into one coorrdinated system. AND most boards are NOT designed to avoid ground loops and MOST have no idea what they are or what havouc they can create with electronics.

Most constantly confuse ground and common(DC) when they assemble a machine . They are 2 totally different critters.  

It is funny that some OEMs constantly have Com problems with USB and some NEVER have com problems with USB (;-)  

(;-) TP

593

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch issues

« on: December 25, 2015, 12:53:39 PM »

mIke the main problem you have is YOU are expecting the machine to do everything to protect itself from YOU (;-) That is not going to happen unless you program it to do so.

Yes Mach3 will run without the Machine turned on and so will just about every other CNC controller in the world UNLESS it was setup NOT to. You CAN set up Mach3 to do so as well. By the way that is called a feature not a defect ( offline/online)

The CNC world is NOT going to change to suite your mentality. It has been using the same terminoligy for about 50 years now.  The thinking has been IF you are not smart enough or willing enough to be able to LEARN the trade then it is best you take up Golf or knitting BUT bewarned THEY have their own unique terminoligy as well , Knit 1 pearl 2(;-). Besides the functions are NOT as exagerated as you make them.  A car brake and a CNC machine brake are the same thing (;-) .

When you learn to conform to the CNC world and NOT expect it to conform to you THEN you will start having Fun with it.

(;-) TP

594

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch issues

« on: December 25, 2015, 12:06:25 PM »

That is NOT what that means. It simply mean that IF you hit a limit and mach3 stops YOU must be carefull about what direction you tell Mach3 to go in to back off the switch.  After you override the limit switch function to back off you can move in any direction. It is up to YOU to move in the correct direction to properly back off the switch.

The first thing you need to learn is to program the machine to stay inside of the table boundaries  . You cannot cut a 12 inch part with a 10 inch table boundary. And you must center your work inside of the boundary.

After you get that pounded into your head you will never touch a limit switch (;-).

As to switch functions there are Homing functions AND there are limit functions. They can USE the exact same switch. How they react depends on what mode the switch sees when it trips.  IF the switches are only setup as home switches THEN they will NEVER work as limit switches. and vise versa.

One thing you must understand about CNC is that the machine is basically as dumb as a box of rocks. It is ONLY as smart as teh person programing or driving it.  THAT is what makes the learning curve so steep. You have to learn about 3 disiplines at the same time in order to use it.

Best to take your time and learn one step at a time. Patience is the key word here. Reading and studying is the next important step. AFTER that it becomes a piece of cake and YOU become a geewiz and will have a ball working with it.  BUT without the learning period you are simply DOOMED to a world of frustration.

595

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting 2 different size cuts on each side of machine

« on: December 24, 2015, 04:49:21 PM »

IF it were a pinion gear problem then you would see the error everywhere . The rack on the right hand side is pointing as the Problem  As teh left hand side cuts correctly.  I would seriously look at gear clearance all the way across that rack. IF you can then switch racks from side to side and see IF the problem follows the switch.  I think IF you look closely at the tooth clearance on that rack then the problem may show itself.

What you are looking for is the gear pitch diameter that is what sets up the motion. It is the point where the gear tooth is making constant contact with the rack tooth. 

596

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 execute code only if I press down a pedal, Possible?

« on: December 24, 2015, 01:46:11 PM »

Please not that this does NOT qualify as a certified safety device function. It cannot replace the need for  a physical safety stop function in any situation.  It was simply a function Art added into Mach3 as a conveniance to users. Nothing more.

(;-) TP

597

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with machined parts wrong size

« on: December 24, 2015, 01:41:41 PM »

I would FIRST check the GCODE program for errors. Then work out from there.

(;-) TP

598

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 execute code only if I press down a pedal, Possible?

« on: December 24, 2015, 10:49:37 AM »

It simply stops the execution of Gcode while it is active.

599

General Mach Discussion / Re: Getting 2 different size cuts on each side of machine

« on: December 23, 2015, 08:11:21 PM »

OK Mach3 software has NO idea if you are on the left or right side of the table IF you use the same Gcode. So that tells me you have a mechanical problem on the gantry drive mechanism not being the exact same on both sides. Is the gear rack full length across the gantry or 2 piece. If 2 piece where is the split ?  . The amount of gear clearance WILL change the pinion pitch circle diameter of teh gear and rack so it could change the exact motion from the left to the right side if there is MORE clearance on one side compared to the other.

Check in the formula section of config and Make SURE there are no values in the formula lines.

600

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Macro Help

« on: December 23, 2015, 05:40:14 PM »

Good Job (;-) TP