Messages

921

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 20, 2015, 10:35:27 AM »

OK here is a thought,

We create a new verison of MACH4 called Mach4 EASY.  It is a simple version of Mach4 with basic Gcode features. It uses a simple USB control box that DOES NOT require any setup from teh user. It is like a new USB printer just plug it in.  The Control box has terminals for the machine setup AND a diagram as to where everything goes.

4axis
home/limits
probe
spindle control

It is ALL predefined .

Mach4 EASY would be a basic 1 screen control AND have an integrated version of MILL wizard AND you can add moduals for things that are developed for the USERS that want something special. It would have a Modual importer to load the addons. Plug N Play.

For the DIY group  You BUY Mach4 EASY and it comes WITH the USB card  Ready to plug n play  OR you buy a new machine with it already installed ready to cut.

Later  on IF you think you need to be a CNC Master you could UPGRADE Mach4 to the Commercial (Mach4 C )or Industrial ( Mach4 I ) version.

MOST would never need to upgrade(;-) But you do have that option.

Simple and EASY , (;-) TP

922

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: High feed speed on router results in rounded edges

« on: July 19, 2015, 03:54:54 PM »

You need to set the acceleration values higher to account for the higher speeds . The faster you go the higher the acceleration requirements are to help prevent corner rounding.  For what you are doing I would keep raising them until I started getting position errors from the servos.

A machine that has LOW acceleration values HAS to round corners it has no choices to OTHER than to run exact stop mode and THAT slows down the cutting down  sometimes dramatically as it has to start and stop at each segment of code.

I think the real problem was your machine designers were not really machine designers just parts assemblers.

(;-) TP

923

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 19, 2015, 03:37:20 PM »

Rich the sad part of that story IS that the degree only means you showed up to class, passed a test AND paid your tuition on time. It does NOT mean that you could even design a toothpick. The world has seriously dumbed down a lot.  BUT the machines HAVE gotten a LOT smarter (;-) We are Borg,You will be assimilated, resistance is futile.

I think IF one were to design a new controller it would NOT need all the  advanced bells and whistles that ADD huge complexities to the Source code and slow the running of the control down for things like 3d work.  I have proven to myself that there is really not much that I cannot create with basic Gcode calls.  AND never use ANY advanced Gcode calls.  AND do it just  as fast OR faster .

That is BASICALLY what the 3d printer dudes did and it sure seems to work ok for them as they tend to process a Megaton of micro segmented lines /points into smooth flowing shapes. And can do it all with  a BeagleBone(;-)

THe early CAD I used was just a command line input ONLY and it all came on 1 floppy disc.  But then again I remember paper tape nc machines AND it would surprise you as to how MANY extreme torerance things are still created from a TAPE driven CNC machine only now the paper tape is Kevlar tape. But it still uses the same old hole pattern technology as the OLD NC machines did.

(;-) TP

924

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 19, 2015, 01:08:09 PM »

RIch that is funny as you just decribed the growth path of PRINTERS/Plotters (;-) in the OLD days to plot you had to load the paper, program the plotter as to WHERE the paper was located THEN define the size of the paper and WHERE the plotter was to begin the actual plot. Then DEFINE which PENS did what. ALSO the OP needed to learn all the ERROR codes involved so he could fix the problem to get it to actually plot.

SOUND FAMILAR ??

Plotting was more a Black art than a science .

 Today you simply fill up the tray or Roll . The printer KNOWS what size paper is in the machine, can find the corners all by itself KNOWS where to pint it to and KNOWS the all the pen color choices.  The op just creates a drawing and presses a button grabs a cup of JOE and the MACHINE does all the rest.  THe Print Driver does ALL the hard work and teh CAD produces ALL the need code to draw the shape.  It will EVEN email/text you when it is done.

Does THAT sound familar  

CNC is at that point where it needs to be more like a modern plotter/printer.  In the DIY world ALL the pieces to make it work that way have already been developed they just need to be assembled into one Controller.  SOme are clser than others to where they are in that quest.

The OPS just want to USE it not earn a Doctorate Degree in Machine design/programing.

BUT to SOME the doctorate degree IS the HOBBY not the use of the machine.

NOW back to the question, WHAT do you actually USE feature wise to do your work ??

(;-) TP

925

Newfangled Mill Wizard / Re: Help installing millwizard license

« on: July 18, 2015, 07:51:42 PM »

WHERE did you save the license to???

(;-) TP

926

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 18, 2015, 07:42:16 PM »

First you need to figure out WHAT you can make with your upper end controller  that I cannot make with my lower end controller (;-) I have been working at that for over a week now. The answer has been very surprising so far EVEN for a mid range commercial operation. The group fed in some surprises as well Several reveiled that it would surprise everyone(and it did) as to HOW FEW of the advanced  CNC features they actually use Day to Day. And they had been at it for over 30 years and still going AND have no plans to change the strategy as it makes GOOD money.

Now would that work for EVERY situation ? NO but for the vast majority it would.

How important do you think G17/18/19 is ??

(;-) TP

927

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 18, 2015, 05:09:46 PM »

Come on Guys I KNOW there are more than the 5 of us here. WHAT do YOU say ??

SPEAK UP

(;-) TP

928

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 18, 2015, 05:08:06 PM »

OOPS don't really need teh canned cycles at ALL CAM  will do it all quite nicely.

That is my WANT sneaking back in there.

(;-) TP

929

General Mach Discussion / Re: IF you had a NEW controller whta would it do/not do ?

« on: July 18, 2015, 04:53:27 PM »

HIYA Gerry , I have found that WANTING features and actually USING features tend to be 2 very different things.  It is like buying a new car Why buy a new Porche when a standard sedan will do the same job at a fraction of the cost and complexity of owning.

That would be apples vs oranges.  

I have been setting down and actually taking things and creating and running code to test the theory. I don't NEED a great deal of the features in Mach3 just to create accurate parts. The is the main theme of the discussion WHAT do you actually need to make parts.

G00 yes
g01 yes
g02 yes
g03 yes
go4 yes

G10 NO
G12/13 NO

G40 -49 NO

G50 yes
G54-59 NO
G68 yes

G80 /81/83/71/84 yes
the rest of the canned cycles NO

M98/99 subs NO

G65/66 macros NO

#vars NO

Wizards NO (use your conversational cam )

Screens sets other than a basic  function screen NO
 MOST Other controllers are doing FINE with a preset functions SCreensets Most do NOT have a screenbuilder or even need one. All the basic functions are all ready on screen.

Sit down with a stock 1024 screenset and then strip out everything you do NOT need. You will have a LOT of room left over (;-) I know I did. AND could still cut parts out just fine. ADN when I mean strip out I mean strip out. NO background stuff JUST the basic DROs buttons and inputs.

IS it a different mind set YEP. But so is the mind set of the newest generation of DIY CNCers.  Dorthy we ain't in Kansas no more .  

(;-) TP

930

General Mach Discussion / Re: ref to all problem

« on: July 18, 2015, 02:56:58 PM »

 The copy of the software you received is an illegal pirated copy of Mach3. You need to buy a legal copy of the license to run Mach3. The pirated copy will do all kinds of strange things. AND no one here will help you without  knowing you resolved the license problem.

(;-) TP