Topics

21

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 toolchange for dummies???

« on: February 20, 2011, 03:38:29 PM »

Hello!

I have done several stepper/mach3 conversions to some of my machines. I most recently converted a Hardinge CHNC Lathe circa 1980.

I have removed the original toolchange internals and now have an 8 position turret that raises and lowers with a 4way solenoid. I have just finished making an 8" .375 pitch timing pulley that fits around the base of the original rotating turret (for stepper motor indexing of the turret)

Within the next few days, I will have an A axis G203V wired to the stepper that will index the indexer.

can you please tell me (in a nutshell) how I can get mach to call for and then execute the toolchange? I feel really lost.

Also, might you have a sample of code that you use to change tools?


Again, for clairity, heres what I want to do-

Call for tool change in G code to tool X
Move to safe tool change position
Activate turret air solenoid (raise)
Index turret to position X
Deactivate turret air solenoid (4 way valve will automaticly lower and lock turret)
Continue executing G code

I hope you can spare a moment to help me...I have almost got the toolchanger ready, and cant figure out how to run it!

Best,
Nate.

natefoerg@gmail.com

22

General Mach Discussion / can threading be done in mach without an index pulse?.

« on: December 23, 2010, 08:24:42 PM »

I am dying to figure this out.

I want to know if I can thread without an index pulse just "relying" on the spindle to keep in correct position. I have a lathe that has a stepper motor on the spindle for indexing and threading (if I can figure this out)

Originally, I thought that I would use the stepper on the spindle as an A axis and write the code for threading and indexing by hand.

Is there a way to run the stepper as the spindle motor (yes, I can configure it this way, I know) and then use the threading wizard? I have tried just this, and I cant keep the thread synced... I have a powerful enough stepper running on the spindle, I dont know why mach cant just assume that when I tell the stepper (spindle) to do 30 rpm, it does exactly 30 rpm. when I run the threading wizards program, the thread looses position.

How can I get mach to believe that the rpm is 30 without an index pulse?

Is their a setting that would allow me to not be reliant on an index pulse? and for mach to just believe that the rpm is as it should be?

before you ask, my index pulse generator is cooked.

Additionally, how would I write code that would work in machlathe that would use A as the spindle and as an indexer (rotation in degrees) I assume that I would have to write the code as "circular interpolation" can this type of code be read by mach lathe? or do I have to execute it in mach mill?

any ideas???

23

General Mach Discussion / Hardinge CHNC retrofit. ASD drive (old school) and threading...

« on: October 28, 2010, 08:55:09 PM »

Hello!

I have a Hardinge CHNC lathe that I have running steppers, smoothstepper, G203V's and mach 3.

I have not had good results using a inverter duty motor and a VFD, probably has to do with the fact that I'm not willing to spend big money to get a really nice big VFD and motor.

Since my motor was bogging down under any mild or greater cut, I have decided to go old school with the spindle control. I have a Adjustable Speed Drive, like the drive found in a bridgeport series 1 2hp mill head.

This ASD will allow me to rotate the ASD dial and change the speed manually. I don't need computer control of the speed. what I really need is torque for cutting...the ASD should give me what I need.

Since this lathe does not have backgear or changeable pulley ratios, the ASD should give me enough torque at lower speeds to let me thread without losing spindle sync.

OK, enough background, here is my question-

I will have manual control of the spindle rpm.
If I use my tach (optical pickup) on the spindle, I should be able to dial the ASD to a set speed for threading. lets just say 300RPM. the ASD should hold the 300rpm fairly well, and only vary +/- 5 or 10 RPM.
I can then tell the mach threading wizard that I want to thread at 300RPM.

With the Tach pickup sending pulses into mach, will mach have enough info to keep the feeds synced with the spindle RPM, and not loose the threads position?

I guess what I don't understand, is with mach threading normally, the spindle speed is controled via a 0-10V signal. If that signal is not present, and the spindle speed is set manually and fixed, how can mach know where to keep the bit. How, if it cannot alter the spindle speed can mach keep the thread synced? Can mach see the spindle speed as stable at 300 and just keep the timing correct to cut the thread?

now that I think about it, how does mach keep the thread synced with the spindle? does it modify the spindle speed (0-10V) or does it modify the feed speed of X and Z and when it leads into the cut? does Mach modify both?

24

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 digitize wiz, import points into bobcad?

« on: September 20, 2010, 02:39:45 PM »

anyone have a script or an easy way to import the XYZ data that the Mach3 digitize wizard creates into Bobcad ver 23?

I have tried 3 diff point cloud programs, and they all either crash or cost hundreds of dollars.

anyone have any ideas?

25

General Mach Discussion / G31 does nothing, in probing wizard and MDI...HELP

« on: September 18, 2010, 09:56:50 PM »

I have been trying to figure this out for hours.

I have been searching this forum, google and cnczone, and have found no answers.

I have a renshaw probe set up on my 3 axis bridgeport, i have it running through a SS breakout board, a Smooth stepper and in to mach 3. The probe is functional. I can get the diagnostics "digitize" led to light when  i manually touch the probe.

first I tried the wizzard for digitize and the Z never drops (with G31) to touch the item im digitizing. Then I tried the digitizing plugin, but I get a strange error. much searching has led me to believe that the plugin cannot be used with current version of mach 3.

So, I went back to the wizzard thinking it was the settings I was entering into it. no such luck. more googleing led me to test if G31 was working in MDI. I tried it a dozen times in MDI and the machine and mach DRO does not move with the G31 command. i tried it for x, y and z, G31 does nothing. no machine movement, no dro changes etc...

All this leads me to believe that for some reason G31 does not work. I have searched for hours, checked my settings over and over, and I cant figure out how to get G31 to work.

I hope someone here can help. I sure could use it.

26

SmoothStepper USB / Hair already gone. pulling teeth out next...spindle tuning issues...

« on: June 30, 2010, 07:18:21 PM »

Well, after several days of screwing around with my setup, I am at a complete loss.

here is the setup-
Mach3 3.042.040
SS Vo15ogx2
CNC4PC index pulse board
CNC4PC C6 speed control board.
Automation direct GS2 110v in 220V 3ph out VFD.
1 HP marathon black max inverter duty motor.
approximately 1:6 reduction between the spindle pulley and the drive motor pulley.
1.5 inch 1 slot disk on the back of the lathes original tachometer assembly.

I have things up and running. motor is running through the VFD controlled by 0-10Vdc (although i cannot seem to get more than 5V actually) from the C6 board.
the index pulse board is recieving and and transmitting pulses just fine- AFAIK.
I can see my actual spindle speed in mach, but it has no relation to the M3 S*********x command thats imput.
I have tried everything I can find. I have adjusted Spindle motor tuning, C6 boards output voltage, index debounce, SS setup dialog adjusted "step and direction" pulse width, pulley ratio etc..

I have fiddled with the settings so much, that i cant get them back to even being useable (if even innacurate) i could use a baseline for all of these different settings. unfortunately, the automated spindle setup does not get things working even close to what they should be, and to compound that, I cant find out anything about the "PID" settings, what they should be, what they even are etc. the mach3 lathe manual does not even appear to refrence PID. and I have searched the web with no luck.

I have read the mach3 manual, and I cannot seem to find any reference to what the "steps per" should be under motor tuning/spindle. intuitively, I would think that it should be 1/rotation with an AC motor. unfortunately, this setting seems to make the spindle not move at all. 60 seems to work reasonably well, but this bares no relationship to anything i can think of, and so im guessing is incorrect.

In general, I find the SS documentation poor, the Mach3 doccumentation slightly better, but both have really dropped the ball when it comes to helping me setup a VFD controlled spindle.

Any help would be GREATLY appriciated! I certainly need it.... 

27

General Mach Discussion / M3+ Smooth stepper new install and have no feedrate override...

« on: May 28, 2010, 11:01:06 AM »

I had a laptop meltdown a few days ago, I have moved everything over to my other laptop and did a fresh install of mach 3 and the smooth stepper driver and plugin.
everything appears to work except for I dont have feedrate override control.

The FRO control does work when running a program though.

I have gone through everything, reinstalled etc... I cant figure this one out.

I used to be able to jog with hotkeys and just use FRO to scale down my speed from my 75IPM rapids. Now I cant do any moves (outside of running code) that arent at 75IPM. makes setup a real bitch...

I hope someone can help, I am quite frustrated.

Best,
Nate.