Messages

6471

General Mach Discussion / Re: Retro fitting a Fadal/Haas ect.

« on: August 14, 2010, 10:51:21 AM »

Yes they can be cheap BUT if you are starting from scratch(no motors drives etc) it will be VERY expensive to get it back up to runnning condition. Commercial drives and motors of the "size" needed to run them are NOT cheap.

Just the drives here for a Mazak (rebuilt drives) run $1800 each plus your old drive.  AND a set of old 34 steppers and geckos won't get the job done(;-)

Now if you have the drives and motors you will need to get an analog conversion to run them from mach as mach only does step and direction in native mode.  So what seems like a cheap retrofit can really ADD UP in a hurry

Not saying it is not a good idea it IS A GOOD IDEA, but double check your cost BEFORE you jump into the fire. Been there done that as well.

6472

General Mach Discussion / Re: Retro fitting a Fadal/Haas ect.

« on: August 14, 2010, 10:37:30 AM »

Hood when you are working with a 24 T changer that needs look ahead or hot swap then it gets very complicated for VB to handle in a fast action function. as the tool changer needs to run WHILE mach is running Gcode. If you notice I said WORK AS IT SHOULD (;-) I just assumed the OP wanted it to work close to what the original machine was like. So far I have never seen a MACH tool changer(mill) work well with just mach I/O and VB. I have seen a plugin tool changer function work just a well as the commercial machines

Now if you can handle a "very" slow tool changer function it can be done

But that is just my opinion, others may vary

6473

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 11:50:25 PM »

Single block does work with a canned cycle, But you have to turn it ON before the cycle starts. Mach runs a buffer system and you cannot undo the loaded buffer to be able to single block after the buffer has already loaded.

6474

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 10:17:06 PM »

I am testing it as a brain (;-) I will let you know if it works.

A vb script would be way too slow to sense the changes

6475

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 07:46:32 PM »

IF we look at a Userled as a trigger and Zfeedrate as a trigger

Then look at  Zposition(a)  &  Zposition(b)   and

IF (Userled>0 )  AND  (Zfeedrate>0)   AND  (Zposition (a) > Zposition(b))    then  ActivateSignal(output3)

That should work as a brain to trigger the BedLock anytime all the conditions are met.

You would just need to turn on the UserLED by a Mcode  just before the G81 cycle.

Then if the led is on and the Zfeedrate shows movement AND the Positions show it is going DOWN then it turns ON the Bedlock. Otherwise the Bedlock is OFF

6476

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 06:02:20 PM »

I think we may be able to do some along that line we will have to built a routine modual that can TELL if the axis is moving down or UP or is not moving .

I'll take a look.

6477

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Break-In Wizard

« on: August 13, 2010, 03:05:37 PM »

Good Job Swaggs, Why don't you drop that into the Mach TOOL BOX in the downloads section so it does not get lost in the shuffle.

(;-)

6478

General Mach Discussion / Re: Retro fitting a Fadal/Haas ect.

« on: August 13, 2010, 03:01:03 PM »

WHile is is simple to get basic functions working xyza axis control it can be a BEAST to get all the other functions working as they should. It will require knowledge in using a PLC and ladder logic for the tool changer AND a plugin to get the tool changer function working as it SHOULD.

Mach is very usefull but it does have its limits. There IS a reason that proprietery controls seem very complicated. They have to be for a reason.

For applications that need a GOOD analog solution Keep a watch on what SteveM is doing with the MESA line of motion controls(PCI and USB). These controls have been used in the emc world for a while now and are very good quailty and a fair price to boot. MANY COOL options available as well. Things like rigid tapping and electronic gearing are possible. Steve has been working HARD to get the plugin up to speed.

Just a thought

6479

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 02:42:52 PM »

OK here is another way that is very close. This way the param values remain modal until you change them . You just have to add the M81 to each drill point.

HUM, BUT there is a "BUG" in MACH that prevents us from using this approach. When Mach see the empty Q parameter call it should call "null" BUT instead it calls  -1.  The P and R work as they are suppose to.     THat puts a monkey wrench in the works, Close but no cigar again.

G0X0Y0
M81 X1.000 Y1.000 P-1.000 Q0.010 R.500 F5 S1000
M81 X2.000 Y2.000
M81 X3.000 Y3.000
M81 X4.000 Y4.000
M81 X5.000 Y5.000 P-1.5
M81 X6.000 Y6.000 Q.1 R1.000 F4 S500
M81 X7.000 Y7.000
M81 X8.000 Y8.000


The Mcode M81 code is this:

'M81 , Macro for G81 function
SetVar(300,(Param1))
Sleep(10)
Setvar(301,(Param2))
Sleep(10)
SetVar(302,(Param3))
Sleep(10)

ActivateSignal(output3)
Sleep(1000)
Code"G0 Z#301"
While Ismoving()
Sleep(20)
Wend
Code"G1 Z#300"
While Ismoving
Sleep(20)
Wend
Code"G0 Z#302"
While Ismoving
Sleep(20)
Wend
DeactivateSignal(output3)
Sleep(1000)
End         

6480

General Mach Discussion / Re: VB or Brains Question

« on: August 13, 2010, 01:44:16 PM »

Are all the holes in one program the same depth,feed retract etc ?? If so there is an easy way  Or if there are groups of the same do you group them as such?