Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Re: re:CNC Lathe program

« on: July 29, 2012, 06:07:07 PM »

Iges files contain only the surface. They are hollow loke a chocolate bunny. When converting to a drawing, only the surface limits will be shown. My Edgecam does the samw to me.

For lathe work I normally draw the 2d and olny half the part.

Hal

32

General Mach Discussion / Re: offsets

« on: July 29, 2012, 05:51:48 PM »

You will need G40 thru G42 in your program. G40 turns off the offset.
As you look down the cutters path G41 moves the cutter to the left and G42 to the right.

Note: You should have a G40 at the start of the program and at the tool change.

Under the Config tab is Tool Table. There is the tool length and diameter settings. Some people use the wear diameter and lenght offset and some do not.

Hal

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 29, 2012, 11:02:17 AM »

I am glad you are up and running. Happy machining!

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 28, 2012, 04:48:08 PM »

Most eBay seller list the machine a .002 for repeatablity. Switch the X and Y wires.

You may have to change the direction configuration. This would say if it is in the control box or the machine.
If it stays in the X it is the motor/axis. If it moves to the Y axis, it is in the box/computer.

35

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 28, 2012, 04:02:53 PM »

How does the graph look. Flat as a pancake or shakey like an eathquake? Flatter is better.

Try setting X and Y zeros. Without a tool, run the program. Stop after the rough passes and recheck the X and Y.
Run the finish pass and recheck positions.

My Sherline with a Flashcut control would loose steps if I would program a speed over the motor tuning speed. I changed to a 540 Gecko. Several post have had the Blue box replaced with a different control system.

36

General Mach Discussion / Re: 20 yr old cnc control needs replacement, and i need help.

« on: July 28, 2012, 03:54:21 PM »

I am glad your mill is up and running.

Watch the Fanuc parts to see if they are selling, and not just listed. If you part it out you could be left with white elephant parts ono one wants. If the servos work keep them. There are seveal motion control board that will work. Are the drivers digital or antilog?

37

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 28, 2012, 03:14:13 PM »

"Run As Administrator" needs to be set for the Driver Test. The Running Under Vista thread has several topics for this issue. In the DOWNLOADS and under MACH3 is a listing for Vista and farther down is the Optimising file for XP, but some programs may apply. Read both files before starting.

Issues in Vista and Win7 are close to the same.

For my mill I ended up with an XP PRO refurbish desktop.

38

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 28, 2012, 02:09:35 PM »

Fisrt issue is the driver test. This is the interface between the Mach3 and printer port. I went through three computer before I had one to run the driver test correctly.

What operating system are you running?

There is a .txt file that has the directions for optimizing the computer. Laptops have issues with Mach3.

39

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash compensation

« on: July 28, 2012, 01:48:31 PM »

Yep backlash issues.

The heavy cuts force the axis to one side. The lighter cuts allow the float of the axis to show up. You need to get machanial backlash out of the mill as possible. This may include the lead screw and nut. Check the gibs. Slop there could show up as backlash in the other axis. Sloppy will give you greater speed.  Any flex in the Z axis?

Try a circle cut. Is it round. Is it round?

40

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW WITH MACH, HAVING ISSUES

« on: July 28, 2012, 01:36:28 PM »

How does the driver test look? Is the X axis the only one not repeating? Have you optimised the computer for Mach?

Run the driver test in the Mach folder.
Check the computer for Quicktime and such listed in the optimiser.
Check the axis for any binding.
check the feed rates in the program. I had the same problem and was over feeding my setup.
Any cutter comp in the program?

Hal