Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Origin position -x keeps creeping when returning back to Zero----HELP !!!

« on: February 01, 2008, 12:15:12 AM »

 :(I did several tests and the machine will not return to it's origin....I have cadded out a 5x5 square and turned it on a 45 degree angle flat on the table, I mark Z position by touching down on my surface. Then the bit starts it's cutting on the middle line which is what im looking for is alignment when the bit completes it's cutting, but what im getting is the alignment is not lineing back up to it's starting cut, and it's off in the -x position by about 1/16th and when it returns to it's zero position it's also off by 1/16 in the -x.

Each time i run the program it creeps another 1/16th in the -X.....and the DRO reads x-0 y-0....My y position is perfect. When i run a circle it seems all proper except when it returns back to origin....

We know it's not mechanical....we have checked all our setting that we know, we ran the program on our other CNC's and it works 100% on them...So is it MACH3...something weve missed....

As A NOTE: if we touch down and set x0 y0 and make a program to move 12" in the positive x and return back to it's origin it's out by maybe 1/64 without any real cutting at all, and if we keep running this program it just keeps adding up the negative error an moving a 64th back more each time.

thanks Jeff

12

General Mach Discussion / Error when machine goes back to part origin after job

« on: January 27, 2008, 11:13:42 PM »

We have our system finally setup with Mach3 and when doing test cuts as the machine finishes and moves back to it's part origin it is not going to the exact starting point.

The bit always ends up 1/8 past it's original x position...the Y looks correct...We know it's not hardware...we have calibrated the software and now we are lost on this strange problem.

The DRO's are reading 0,0,0 x y z, but the bit is ending up at approx  -.120 past our original starting point. We are not on the limit switches as the test are in the centre of the table.

P.S.  I went back and wrote G code for a 5x5 square, and ran it...when i ran that code it was also was not in the correct origin when it finishes, each time it runs it adds just a little more error it seems in the -X direction only.....

This is a servo system, we have checked for back lash and thats not the problem...


Thanks

13

General Mach Discussion / I purchased the AlphaGraphicDesigns screens but not showing in Mach3

« on: January 07, 2008, 04:18:50 PM »

When i load the screens from AlphaGraphicDesigns.com not everything is displaying like 50% of the items are just blank...My systme is set to 32bit colors...
Anyone know what im missing...something that should be so simple is not that simple it seems.

Maxy

14

General Mach Discussion / Z sees home switch but not backing off ..New setup X & Y working HELP!!

« on: January 04, 2008, 12:47:25 AM »

The subject says it all...what am i missing ?? setting etc..........Thanks

15

General Mach Discussion / Testing Y Axis Mach3 not homing or seeing limit switch

« on: January 01, 2008, 11:11:49 AM »

We are testing the (Y) axis only and move onto the limit switch which is indicating in mach3's screen.
We then move off the switch and press Ref (y) to zero our position.

Next we manually move the (Y) away from the switch about a foot or so.

Then we tell mach to go back to our Ref position....by selecting ref all it shows on the screen counting back to our position
but the (y) axis is not moving back at all. We can move it using only the keyboard arrows or MDI commands.

If i goto MDI and type in G0 Y0 mach then works correctly by going back to it's home position.....

we have traced all the cables and the pins which are working.

When we manually hit the limit switch the indicator on machs screen is working.

What is seems like is that Mach3 is not seeing the values that we have set in the software settings...

Does mach need to have a Z home first before the others work ?  (this is a 3 axis machine but we have only setup the Y axis for
testing.

So what am i missing

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach is not seeing the limit/home switchs keeps travelling HELP PLEASE !!

« on: December 31, 2007, 09:35:42 PM »

This is a 3 axis machine and we are only testing the Y axis switch....so how does mach or where does it save or get it's Ref data from ?..

As like i said...we ref off of the limit switch by pressing (Y) button to Zero the Y position. Then when we move away
from the switch , we should just press REF (Y) and it should return to it's positon of Home that we originally selected as our reference.

it seems that mach does not know where to find our home position we selected, however on the mach screen it indicates that it has
moved *********.xx position when in fact it has not physically moved at all.

So it's like geting it's data from where ? we have tried selecting the DRO auto to be on and this made no difference.

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach is not seeing the limit/home switchs keeps travelling HELP PLEASE !!

« on: December 31, 2007, 09:01:34 PM »

So heres the break down...

We are testing (Y) and move to the limit switch which now lights up on the mach screen..
We then press Ref (y) to zero our position off the switch.

Next we manually move the (Y) away from the switch about a foot or so.
Then we tell mach to go back to our Ref position....by selecting ref all it shows the count back to our position
but the (y) axis is not moving back at all.

If i goto MDI and type in G0 Y0 mach then works correctly.....

So what am i missing ?

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach is not seeing the limit/home switchs keeps travelling HELP PLEASE !!

« on: December 31, 2007, 08:22:01 PM »

We have tried that and YES the Mach software does indicate with the yellow Flashing display LED...We are using an accu opto breakout board and spoke with them on the wiring and confirmed that we are wired up correctly...

Our procdure is:

We are using the Ref Y button on the diagnostics screen in mach to send the (Y) axis towards the home switch... Is this the correct procedure and way to set it

Jeff

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach is not seeing the limit/home switchs keeps travelling HELP PLEASE !!

« on: December 31, 2007, 07:39:20 PM »

Hi there, just figured out the advanced options to send email.....

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach is not seeing the limit/home switchs keeps travelling HELP PLEASE !!

« on: December 31, 2007, 07:22:10 PM »

No We do not see it...and we set Mach up on another computer to rule out possible port problems..but got the same results. We have traced all our wires back to our cards and everything is 100%, we have come to the conclusion it is software related. Port is set for ecp/epp...

We have spent 3 days now and no luck......