Messages

261

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Recommended CAM Software

« on: November 23, 2018, 06:35:09 AM »

You're not going to find anything that uses all 4 axes together without spending a lot of money.

MeshCAM will do indexed 4 axis, where the X and Y are doing the cutting, but not the A? I would think the DeskProto method would be better, as you are not recutting areas as you would be with indexing.

If you register Fusion 360 for a hobby license, it's free. But it doesn't support continuous 4th axis either.

262

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and Inkscape to Create GCode?

« on: November 20, 2018, 02:14:16 PM »

You're likely using a 3rd party plugin or extension to create the g-code? It sounds like the format of the g-code is incorrect for Mach3. Different machines use different variations of g-code.
You might want to look at Vectric's V Carve Pro.

263

General Mach Discussion / Re: Set up 2 probes at same time in Mach 3

« on: November 16, 2018, 06:46:00 AM »

I'd just use a Brain like I suggested earlier.

264

General Mach Discussion / Re: How to use OEM301

« on: November 15, 2018, 06:32:12 AM »

Looks like the Wiki is now gone, so can't look it up.

Is OEM301 used for OEM triggers, like I think?

If so, it's not terribly useful, as it only works with one input.

265

General Mach Discussion / Re: G-code limit in Mach3

« on: November 14, 2018, 06:00:32 PM »

Hi,
there is no line limit for a licenced copy of Mach3.

Actually, I think it's 10 million lines.

As you've seen, Mach3's toolpath display does not deal with large files well.
I turn it off for any files over 250,000 lines.

266

General Mach Discussion / Re: Radius to end of arc differs from radius of start line

« on: November 14, 2018, 11:52:23 AM »

Change IJ mode to incremental, and reload the g-code. If that doesn't work, then it may be an error in the g-code.
Can you post the code?

267

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and G68.1 coordinate rotation

« on: November 14, 2018, 09:27:37 AM »

and one question that pops up often enough is this scenario

To be honest, I think this is far more rare than you may think. I've been following this forum for about 10+ years, as well as other forums where Mach3 is used by a majority of the members, and I think I've only seen a machine like this maybe twice?

Mach3 has no special support for this, so it's up to the user how they set up the machine. It's either setup like a traditional machine, with the horizontal spindle moving up and down, or the Z axis becomes X or Y, with the gantry moving along the Z axis. (Basically just rotating the machine 90°)

With the first, getting g-code from a traditional CAM program would be very tricky. With the second, it's just standard code.

268

General Mach Discussion / Re: Go to Zero not working Mach 3

« on: November 14, 2018, 07:12:31 AM »

It's better to be in Machine Coordinates, provided you have a Z axis home switch, and use it.

269

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Controller and drivers

« on: November 13, 2018, 03:10:47 PM »

If you aren't plugging all 3 cables into the MB2, then you wasted your money on the MB2.

270

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home slave with Master + Gantry squaring

« on: November 13, 2018, 03:09:17 PM »

X for me has always left right and Y front back on every machine I have owned. The machine I have now is the same?

It just depends on where you are standing.
X is always left to right.