Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 26, 2010, 10:24:37 PM »

Well... getting pretty good at solving my own problems... I reloaded Mach and used my last know XML with the "good" settings from "latest documents" file on the PC - that got me back to having the LEDs on my Pins N Ports current state in diagnostics. Now it is running like a champ again but it seems like it needs frequent reboots - I have no idea if this will be stable enough for a real plant environment... we will see, after Friday it's out of my hands 

I would still like it to fire faster as any move laterally (X direction cross table) puts my staple slightly off because the tables are moving faster than the head can fire causing the pattern to shift. I either speed up the fire rate or slow the tables down to get them in sync... the problem is the patterns I am doing are 900 code lines long - about 1 min 20 secs, which is a pretty long cycle time in a manufacturing plant... so there is no choice but to fire faster.

To fire this faster I went from G4P1 to G4P0.00001 - this made a big difference... but I tried P0.000001 and there was no difference... should I just keep adding decimal places? or is there another setting I should tweak?

22

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 26, 2010, 06:17:43 PM »

OK - So I am back at the shop today... Got to give props to Hood - that M11/M10 worked a treat once I had Z axis enabled... set G4P0.00001 and it fires my air cylinder like a paintball gun.... Thanks Hood - your the MAN !!!

We did some testing - no problems... exactly the way we need it. We then had to shut down to do some electrical hook ups... fired back up and now a huge problem ! lost the former setting even though we saved at exit... now on the diagnostics screen our pins/ports are not lit up even thought we have settings on that page? is this a hardware problem?

My controllers are lit and my parallel port is lit... is it possible there is a communication problem with parallel port?

I have rebooted and I still can't seem to home the system... I can jog and zero but it won't home - I think I can get all my home and limits back but I was under the impression that those LEDS on that diagnostic screen had to be lit up... if the motors are moving I should have LEDS on pins n ports on the diagnostic page - no?

Any help appreciated...

This seems to be our last hurdle - I got my screen minimized to a run only screen and locked out so if I can get back all my former setting it will probably run good again.

23

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 23, 2010, 07:39:00 PM »

Great - Thanks for all the info...

I am really learning a lot on this first build and hope all of this will be used the next time we retrofit a machine... we have plans to build a few more for personal use - mill, lathe, plasma

Now I can't wait to get back there and sort this out!

Cheers, Alex.

24

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 23, 2010, 03:59:40 PM »

I think I just answered one of my questions on my own... the lock feature allows loading programs, but locks out changes being made to the setup- great.

Now I need to only show one screen... Is it possible to only show the Program Run screen?

There is a screen discussion sub forum, I will look in there to start...

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 23, 2010, 03:44:10 PM »

OK under Pins N Ports/Motor Outputs - When I enable Z with a green check mark do I also have to specify step pin # and dir pin #? what is that? and do i have to enable a Z home? seems confusing because my Z is a dummy axis...

I can't check M11/M10 till I get back to the machine on Tuesday...

As far as locking out the settings - I need my operators to be able to load 3-4 different G code programs... will they still be able to load programs from the file menu?

I will try the Lock feature here at home on my PC.

Thanks.

26

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 23, 2010, 10:50:22 AM »

One other thing - I also need to know how I can lock off the software within the screen so no one can mess with the settings once I get it all set up... I can lock the Windows with a password, but I need to be able to lock that XML down so all my operator can do is run different G code programs.

This machine is going onto a plant floor but will be run on a limited basis (prototype testing) and not on a full production basis so there will be all kinds of people capable of screwing with it when were not around.

Anybody have an idea?

PS - once I get it all finished I will post some pictures or video on this site once the owner gives me permission.

Thanks.

27

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 23, 2010, 10:41:58 AM »

We had to shut down testing the other day so the machine could be disassembled for painting... my partner's shop is a two hour commute for me to work on it.

I have an XML file I started with the other day - I did save the changes I made before we shut down but I forgot to save the latest to my USB key before I left for the day. I got the machine to home and zero repeatedly and I also set my soft limits to be in the correct range after uncoupling the motors and jogging into that range manually.

I have to rewrite some new G code because we changed some fixtures around.

I need to get all this sorted out by Tuesday morning when I go back to the shop. If you could look at this XML that would be great because I am just starting out on this software and slowly learning it... I had no idea how many setup parameters there would be with this package before we bought it - I thought it would be much easier! Any help would be appreciated.

Here is what I started with yesterday:

28

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 21, 2010, 08:25:44 PM »

Tried M11/M10 code exactly as you wrote... still no results and no lights on output 1 on diagnostic page... I have not checked motor output if enabled... here is a screen shot of my spindle setup - everything set to Zero...

I will keep trying but that's it for tonight... it's 8:30 and I have been on it all day - time for a Scotch !

29

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 21, 2010, 06:59:57 PM »

Sorry for the confusion... that sample was only one of the versions I tried... I also tried this with no effect :

G90
N1 G0
N2 X0.0000 Y4.4625 F50.000
M11P1
G0Z0
M10P1
G0Z0
N4 X0.0000 Y4.9325 
M11P1
G0Z0
M10P1
G0Z0
N12 G0
M0
M30

I also tried a version of the above only with P1 after the M codes... no G0Z0 - no change...

I think the only difference I see is a slight Z value and it has no G4 dwell in it... was not sure how critical it was... anyways it skipped right over this also... none of the other suggestions worked and I do have the solenoid right at the trigger and only running about 6 inches of airline, so there should be no mechanical delay. I will try exactly what you suggest as code.
I also looked at that spindle setup and again did not see anything glaring... will try to post pic of the screen - working on a minimal PC setup...

Thanks.

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: custom application

« on: October 21, 2010, 02:00:35 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions... will try all out within the hour.

sample of code:

G90
N1 G0
N2 X0.0000 Y4.4625 F50.000
M11
M10
N3 X0.0000 Y4.6975
M11
M10
N12 G0
M0
M30