Hello Guest it is March 29, 2024, 11:05:24 AM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - chriscpmtmp

Pages: 1 2
1
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 29, 2023, 09:20:19 AM »
I figured this out.  The USB cable is very sensitive to placement.  I moved the connection to the front of the PC and kept the parallel connection away from the power supply.  I ran a job today and it works.

The nice guy at UC100 support said if the driver screen works in Mach3, then it is NOT a counterfeit.

One small thing, the manual control with the keyboard is not exactly like the old PC.  Like the fine control to zero out.  It needs more technique now because it moved a lot more.  Close enough though. 

2
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 22, 2023, 02:47:09 AM »
I'll try there.  In the meantime, I ordered a refurbed old PC.  I need to make some stuff for customers.  I had hoped to move to more modern hardware, so basically do it sort of right. I'm guessing I really need a new controller, but that is a whole different level of troubleshooting. I used a machine at a shared shop for some tests.  It was way better.  More industrial, not PC at all.  But it relied on running filed from a USB drive.  I'm thinking of moving to something like that. 

I'll try their forum.  Thanks.

You certainly need to install  special Mach3 plug in but no requirement for a special USB driver.  Good support available on the CNCDrive forum.

3
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 22, 2023, 02:43:38 AM »
I did install the driver.  Before that there was not control at all.  Now it is just erratic. 

Hi,
if I'm not mistaken a genuine UC100 requires that you install a specialist drive on your PC whereas the Chinese clones rely on the PC's existing USB interface.
Were you required to install such a driver?

Craig

4
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 22, 2023, 02:42:51 AM »
Well I moved to the uc100 a while back when I ditched the xp machine for a win10 mini.  I just had to move the XML file to the new machine and the licence and it just worked. Is yours a genuine uc100?  There are apparently many clones around.
Thanks.  I'm close, but just not quite.

5
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 21, 2023, 08:52:22 AM »
Looks like I'm in trouble then.  No comments. 

6
General Mach Discussion / Mach3 + NEW UC100 - erratic operation
« on: May 20, 2023, 07:13:13 AM »
My old XP computer died last week.  I tried a newer PC with a fresh 32-bit WIN10 and a PCI parallel port, but no luck.

So I bought a UC100.  I thought it worked after a quick test.  I had control of x,y,z on the keyboard. But then when I went to use it this morning, it's not right.
 
On a ref-all-home, it stopped on the Z.  Like it went past the switch.  Someone else said they had a ground issue after going to the UC100.  I'm not sure how to trouble shoot that.

After more testing time, it seems like I need to start with moving one way on X with the keyboard before using Y or Z.  But then is stops after a few short moves and I loose control.  I can't just run a program either - the spindle CW F5 button flashed and MACH stopped at around the 3rd line.

I think I'm close.  IS there something to setup up after moving to the UC100?   This is an old K2 machine.

7
This was just what it needed.  Thanks!

YOU would  set the Rapid down in config motor tuning Z lower the vel number. THAT is what limits your top rapid speed.

(;-) TP



8
Thanks everyone.  I see now, the shift does override.  I like the idea of slowing down the jog, then toggling, but the mouse in my setup isn't the best.  I started with in on a shelf with my KB, but it was stressing my wrist.  So I bought a wireless mouse, then just set it on the table to use it, then move it to the side when I start the program.  So I do KB commands as much as possible.  I'll probably live with the fast jog on the shift.  It worked pretty well today.  I ran the machine a lot.

The question about feedrate, jog and rapid is correct, I was getting them mixed up.  I thin the feedrate is set in the g-code.   It would be nice to dial the rapid down.  Is that a separate adjustment?  Its only moving down a couple inches, so there is no rush.

9
This is a nice technique.  I'd still like to slow the Z-jog speed down though.  I had a Z-plunge that messed up a piece.  Its just sooo fast.  In the menu that pops up with the tab, I turned everything down to 50%, but its still going fast.  Is there another place?

Another question that sort of relates.  I use this setup to make guitar bodies.  I use a fixture from the front and one for the back.  The front is pretty forgiving, so long as I run all the front programs in one session.  The back needs to be pretty accurate.  My machine give inconsistent ref-homes.  They are close, but not close enough.  So I drilled a couple holes in the fixture with a .5 inch bit and marked them.  Then I try to line up the .5 bit in the hole, then adjust the offsets until its right on.

With the jog going to .005, its a lot easier to get it lined up.  But is there a better way? 

Terry didn’t mention it, but when jog is in step mode, you can press the shift key and then the page down and the Z will rapid. When the tool gets close to the work let off the page down to stop it, then tap it to move incrementally to touch off.  Works great.
HTH,
Al


10
I just got my Mach3 install finally running.  I learned to use my machine on Mach2.  I did some basic cuts in Mach3, but need some help making it user friendly.

The first thing is, how do i make the Z-axis jog more touch sensitive?  That may not be the right word, but I use that to set the tool on the wood surface.  Its just way too jumpy.  I slowed down the jog speed to 60%, but that doesn't seen to make the jog go just a little with a bump of the page down.   

Pages: 1 2