Messages

5791

General Mach Discussion / Re: long pause on tool change in simulation

« on: November 27, 2008, 11:56:55 AM »

A lot of things don't work correctly in Simulation mode. It used to work fine, but I noticed it acting up somewhere around V 2.040. I used to use it all the time prior to 2.40 for testing code, but ever since then, I've needed to install the driver for accurate testing.

5792

General Mach Discussion / Re: making parts to size on customer prints

« on: November 27, 2008, 09:33:14 AM »

in mach when starting cutter comp is it necessary to have both an x and y move?  or will just one of them suffice set cutter comp? 

Just one should be fine, but make sure the lead-in move is at least as long as the tool radius, and preferably in a location where the comp can be easily applied.

Here's how I'd code a simple arc with comp.

G40
G20
M3
G0 Z0.1250
G0 X0.0000 Y0.0000 Z0.1250
G1 X0.0000 Y0.0000 Z-0.2500 F50
G42P0.125
G1 X0.0000 Y0.3750 Z-0.2500 F150
G2 X3.0000 Y0.3750 Z-0.2500 I1.5000 J-1.8670
G40
G1 X3.0000 Y0.0000 Z-0.2500
G0 X3.0000 Y0.0000 Z0.1250
G0 X0 Y0
M5
M30

Just a note. Mach's comp has been constantly evolving over the past few years. In it's current incarnation, it can behave differently in different situations. Notice in the pic and code that I posted, how comp is applied. The tool moves along the programmed path, until it's diameter is tangent to the arc. At this point, comp is applied. Then, notice that comp is turned off when the tool's diameter is tangent to the lead out move. At one point, comp was applied the same way it is turned off in this example. The tool would move from the programmed start point, to a point where it was tangent to both the lead-in move and the first comped move.

Now, I did a little testing. Basically the same code, but without the arc. Notice now, the the way comp is applied and removed is exactly the opposite of the way it is with the arc. Now, comp is applied during the lead in move, moving to a point where the tool is tangent to the lead-in and the first comped move. But during the lead out move , the tool actually travels along the programmed path. Here' the code:

G40
G20
M3
G0 Z0.1250
G0 X0.0000 Y0.0000 Z0.1250
G1 X0.0000 Y0.0000 Z-0.2500 F50
G42P0.125
G1 X0.0000 Y1.1045 Z-0.2500 F150
G1 X3.0000 Y1.1045 Z-0.2500
G40
G1 X3.0000 Y0.5698 Z-0.2500
G0 X3.0000 Y0.5698 Z0.1250
G0 X0 Y0
M5
M30

Now, the last pic is a drawing I did showing how comp used to work, and how I hope it works again at some point. I believe that the comp should be applied during the lead-in move, and removed during the lead-out move, as shown in the pic. And hopefully it works the same whether the first comped move is a straight line or an arc, NOT diffeent as it apparently does now.

5793

General Mach Discussion / Re: making parts to size on customer prints

« on: November 27, 2008, 09:00:08 AM »

i am also under the impression that the wear offsets don't work.  is this correct?

No, the wear offsets in the tool table don't do anything.

5794

General Mach Discussion / Re: making parts to size on customer prints

« on: November 27, 2008, 08:56:04 AM »

# different ways to use comp:

G42 by itself uses the diameter in the tool table of the current tool

G42 Dx use the diameter in the tool table of tool #x

G42 Px.xx where x.xx is the tool diameter.

It looks like in Rich's example code above it calls Tool #0, so I don't think you'd get any comp with tool #0 being the current tool. Unless you used the D or P option.

5795

General Mach Discussion / Re: setting a permanent home point

« on: November 25, 2008, 08:58:16 AM »

Set the Home offset to -10, and your zero will be 10mm from the switch. Then, just home, and goto zero.

5796

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Vista 64bit

« on: November 22, 2008, 08:10:14 AM »

With a laptop, the only way to know for sure is to install Mach3 and try it.

5797

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: DXF import into Lazycam

« on: November 22, 2008, 08:09:24 AM »

Also, make sure you save as v12 .dxf

5798

VB and the development of wizards / Re: MsgBox()

« on: November 21, 2008, 01:33:20 PM »

It used to be on either the download or docs page, but I don't see it anymore??

5799

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Vista 64bit

« on: November 21, 2008, 09:03:55 AM »

I don't believe Mach will run in 64bit Vista, but what other alternative software does?

5800

General Mach Discussion / Re: Soft Limits

« on: November 18, 2008, 08:53:50 PM »

Limit switches are at 0 in machine coordinates, and can't be at -2. I think the soft limits need to be in machine coordinates as well. Also, your Z min needs to be less than Z max. you have them backwards.