Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Arc Question

« on: December 23, 2012, 07:49:04 AM »

This seems to do the trick:
G18 G21 G40 G49 G64 G80 G90 G94
G0 X0 Z0
G1 X20 F200
G1 Z-10
G2 X20 Z-50 R100
G1 Z-30

This was done by substituting my values into one of the routines at the end of the Arc Motion document, also same as Hood's suggestion. However it only works with the 'reversed arcs in front toolpost' box unticked in Config. This is a bit of a pain because I have other arc routines written with the wizard and I think they won't work now. However, it would be easy enough to change the config when I need to use those routines.
The important thing is that having got something to work, I can play about with the other sample programs knowing that I have a fallback position.

So, thanks to Hood and Rich, not for the first time!

BTW Rich, I would buy a lathe CAM package but I actually work in wood (making bagpipes) and much cutting is done using a parting off tool, using the sides of the tool in both Z+ and Z- directions. This would make any metalworker wince and is not catered for in any normal CAM package!

Cheers
Richard

12

General Mach Discussion / Lathe Arc Question

« on: December 22, 2012, 03:36:10 PM »

I need to turn some shallow 'inward' arcs- a bit like a file handle-- in bar stock.
I've read the Lathe Arc Motion document several times but it's pretty difficult stuff.

As an example, an arc 50mm in length from z-10 to z-60 (so G03 anticlockwise?) at a radius of 600mm in 20mm diam. stock.

I thought this would do it, assuming the cutter is already at X20,Z-10:

G03 X20 Z-60 R600

When I tried this on the MDI ( just simulation) the Z value is getting bigger (closer to zero) so something is wrong. I have ticked 'Reverse Arcs in Front Post' in the config, before that X was also getting bigger.

Any suggestions? I am probably missing something obvious, not for the first time.

Thanks for any comments
Richard

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Last line of code (M30) does not load

« on: August 06, 2012, 03:33:22 PM »

Thanks (again) Hood!
I knew it would be some detail like that, been driving me crazy!
Cheers
Richard

14

General Mach Discussion / Last line of code (M30) does not load

« on: August 06, 2012, 02:46:44 PM »

I'm writing a number of short simple routines, typically about 60-70 lines. I'm writing by hand in Notepad. They all end M5, M30 ( on consecutive lines). When I load them into Mach (turn), the M30 is always missing. However other routines I have written load normally, the only difference I can see is that the new routines have quite a few comments in brackets to remind me what I'm doing.
This happens on the work machine (win2k) and on the laptop (win7) I use for reference in the house.

Anybody got any ideas?
Thanks
Richard

15

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power cut caused mach3 problems

« on: May 17, 2012, 04:11:35 PM »

Thanks Hood. Useful comments. I particularly like this bit:
"As long as the axis are going in the right direction then the settings dont really matter"

That's really what I wanted to hear!

Cheers
Richard

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power cut caused mach3 problems

« on: May 17, 2012, 12:38:07 PM »

That is correct.
Weakness? maybe but its just the way things are done at the moment. I use the Industry Controls version of Mach on one of my mills. When wanting to change any config settings you have to first choose to enable it from the Config menu then you can gain access to normal config settings. Once you have done what you want then you have to save and close the config options  before you can do anything. This is the way it has to be to save config without shutting down Mach and  is likely the way it will be handled in Mach4 as well.
Hood

That sounds good, thanks for the help.
I changed the dir setting and restarted mach, all works fine. However I took a look at my settings and it seems to me they are a bit of a mess. This is what I found:

Motor Home/Soft Limits:
             Reversed     Home Neg

x             tick             cross
y             cross           tick
z              tick            cross


Motor Outputs
            Dir Low Active
x              cross
y              tick (after recent change)
z             cross


It looks to me like some of those settings cancel each other out (if that makes sense) but I can't figure out which. At the moment, Z increases as the head rises, X increases as table moves to left and Y increases as the table moves out away from the column. The orientation of the work matches that shown in Draftsight and Sheetcam, but I can't help thinking there's something wrong somewhere. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Richard

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power cut caused mach3 problems

« on: May 17, 2012, 03:38:40 AM »

Had you kept Mach running from the time you changed the Dir active setting to the time there was a power cut?
Hood

That's posible... can't actually remember. Is the xml file only updated when Mach is closed? If so, I'd say that was a weakness- much better if it updated whenever a config dialogue window is closed.
cheers
Richard

18

General Mach Discussion / Re: Power cut caused mach3 problems

« on: May 16, 2012, 05:04:10 PM »

Hi,

Had a Power cut while Mach 3 was open and the PC switched off suddenly. When started back up the home and fixture position was different. Also the X axis has switched, i.e. when jogging X go's in the opposite direction now. Also I have a 'Normal Condition' LED flashing on the Home Page ( when clicked it says 'Axis are not re-fed to normal position').

I had exactly the same problem after a power cut, only mine was the Y axis. A few days previously I had changed the Dir Active  setting to reverse the Y axis but it had reverted to the original setting after the power cut. Seems like it didn't load the most recent .xml file? Why should this happen? Any other explanation?

Thanks
Richard

19

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Locating a pocket on Z axis

« on: April 06, 2012, 09:47:00 AM »

I thought I would give an update rather than just leave things hanging.
I am using Sheetcam and I have discovered that I can get the offsets I need by specifying the start depth of the pocketing operations. So instead of chaining the wizards and using Mach offsets, I'm drawing a simple dxf and importing it into Sheetcam.
It's working well... until the next problem!
Cheers
Richard

20

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Locating a pocket on Z axis

« on: March 16, 2012, 01:23:24 PM »

Thanks a lot! I'll hve a go later, will report back.
Cheers
Richard