Messages

121

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can I change the display to show X and Z axis instead of X and Y?

« on: October 30, 2014, 04:20:41 PM »

I am curious how you programmed the arc, without using G18.

John

122

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 / UC100 Connection lost?

« on: October 29, 2014, 01:40:48 AM »

It may be the USB cable. In another forum, the problem of frequently losing connection with the computer was found to be external noise from overhead light fixture, and a high quality USB cable with double shielding was the solution. They had a video that showed the action with two types of cable, and switching the light fixture on and off.
Also, many have found that the Ethernet connection to be far more reliable than the USB, in the controllers that make both types, like the Smooth Stepper.
Noise problems can be very elusive, but have been one of the most frequent problems on the Mach3 forum.

John

123

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help With G Code

« on: October 28, 2014, 07:35:53 PM »

Hi Wade:

The format for a repeating loop is as follows:

G0 G49 G40.1 G80 G50 G90 G98 G20 (inch)    (Basic set-up codes)

M6 T1               (Tool change, Tool #1
G43 H1             (Load the tool#1 length offset)
M3 S800            (Turn on spindle, 800 RPM)
G0 X0 Y0 Z.1     (Rapid move to X0, Y0, Z.1 position)
#10=[0]           (Parameter #10 starting value; will be used for stepping the X axis in .01 increments)


M98 p1000 L20         (Do a subroutine with label 1000, repeat routine 20 times; The letter p precedes the 1000)
G0 Z1.5 M5               (Loop is finished, and Z moves up clear of work, spindle off)
M30                         (Program end)      

(subroutine to cut a ramp)
o1000                      (Label 1000, indicated with a letter o, not number 0)
G1 X#10 Y0 Z0 F20   (Move cutter to X0, Y0, Z0 at feedrate 20; X holds value of #10, which is 0)
 Y.1 Z.5                   (First cut motion at feedrate)
#10=[#10+.01]        (Increment parameter #10 by .01)
G0 X#10 Y0 Z.1        (Rapid back to X.01 Y0, Z.1, and X is now at .01 because #10 has been increased after cutting action)
M99                         (Return to beginning of subroutine)                          

This is the general format for a subroutine. It is safe to feed the Z axis down to the starting point, versus making
a rapid move all the way to Z0.

Don't forget the subroutine starts with the letter o, and the label number can be any number you
choose, it just has to have a letter p preface.

John

124

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can I change the display to show X and Z axis instead of X and Y?

« on: October 27, 2014, 03:39:43 PM »

Hi Neil:

From reading your post, it sounds like you are trying to machine an arc in the X/Z plane, or the Y/Z plane, but you do not refer to the G18 or G19 code at all. Mach3 is capable
of machining an arc/radial  path in all three planes of motion:
X/Y plane, G17;
X/Z plane, G18;
Y/Z plane, G19;

Mach3 will display these three planes, and show the cutter path as it moves. You do not change anything in the Mach3 display.

You can read how to program the various planes in the Gcode reference files in the Mach3 page, starting with the G02 Code section.
Since the planes other than G17 are seldom used, there are no references to them, or programming, other than the above mentioned
definitions of G-codes.
 

John

125

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Run from here" bug in combination with tool change

« on: October 26, 2014, 06:07:14 PM »

It sounds like you are doing the RFH with a tool in the spindle,  somewhere in the program after the tool change operation. Perhaps I am mistaken, but RFH has never given me a problem, but follow a basic convention in all my programs as follows.

1. Before all M6 T## H## commands, I put a G53 Z-.05 line in.

   This moves the spindle to it's highest point, .05 inch below the Machine 0, before the tool change cycle.
   This is exactly what Hood is suggesting you do; in fact I learned this method from him in another post some time back.

2. The line after the G53, and before the M6 line,  I add; G0 X## Y##, position that moves the spindle closer to the front, away from the work surface.
    This moves the spindle out where my longest tool is easily put into the spindle, which might have been too close to the work before.

3. I preface the G53 line with a (Tool 6 - Boring Head) or some such tool name in parentheses , so when I scroll down to do the RFH line I can easily find the
    place I want to go.

4. This "name line" is the program line I use for RFH.

Doing the RFH

Remove the tool from the spindle.
Scroll to the name of the tool, highlighted.
Click on RFH
Do all the OK's for preparation move.
Machine goes to tool change position, and calls for tool change.
When proper tool is in spindle, hit Cycle Start. Spindle starts, spindle moves back to the work, and program starts where you want.

This is assuming you have run the whole program before without tools, and with tools, proving there are no "gotcha's" ready to crash you tool.

Mach3 has some various little problems, but RFH is not one of them.  I find having all my tool changes (for a knee mill) with this kind of additional
stuff, like the G53 moving the spindle way up, and moving away from the work to be a simple, and safe way to proceed through a program.

Just because you think the RFH should have all the right numbers in it's memory, at any given point in the program, it may not.
A lot of things Mach3 does are not documented, or totally sensible to our way of looking at things. It is an elaborate machine program, that has evolved over the years. With a conservative, cautious approach, Mach3 is a superb, amazing machining program that can be depended upon.

John

126

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lot of problems with Mach3 and CSMIO/IP-A

« on: October 26, 2014, 04:48:37 PM »

Regarding probing functions and G31, there are very extensive PDF files on the web site;
http://www.calypsoventures.com/forums/

Dave Bagby, programmer and author of the MSM Screen Set has provided PDF files, detailing how Mach3 interfaces to the real world. Included are some simple
graphic menu boxes showing the various levels of code interfacing inside of Mach3.

He is a professional programmer, and has written extensively about the inner process of Mach3.
 
Unless a controller manufacturer follows the parameters set down in the Mach3 programmers guidelines, various functions such as G31 wll not work.

It might be worth taking some time, and reading about these functions, and what vendors have followed the Mach3 specific conventions.

John

127

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rotate Mill head

« on: October 24, 2014, 03:01:36 PM »

Here is the G18 sample.

John

128

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rotate Mill head

« on: October 24, 2014, 02:59:30 PM »

Hi QA:

Perhaps I should have gotten more information before posting a reply i.e., G18 and G19 codes.  The two replies by magicniner and garylucas are correct about a new mill profile. To bore a hole parallel to the X axis clearly requires a rotating spindle at 90 degrees to the standard mill configuration.

However, the Z axis can make an arc in combination with either the X axis, or the Y axis. These are two different effects in CNC machining from boring a hole.

Attached are two short files demonstrating G18 and G19. You can see the motion in the tool path window.

John

129

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Partial Circular Pocket

« on: October 24, 2014, 01:50:56 PM »

Hello Keith:

I played around with your problem, making an island .5 OD, and a circular cut-out 3.0 inch diameter, using a 1/4 end mill. I got the direction of the cutter wrong in my first tries, but it worked. I edited out the necessary lines of the Circular cut-out and both routines had the same depth. With the NFS Wizards, you can quickly see what is going on, and go back and edit the input file, and run it again. We're talking minutes to de-bug and do a virtual "run" of a strange program combo.

One of the nice features Ron built into many of the wizards is the variable to change the ramp into the work. You can make the ramp a small angular number, and the tool will spiral into the final depth, or plunge straight down if that suits the situation.

I have been using the Newfangled Wizards for a while now, and they are well worth the price. I use them nearly every day, for all manner of quick tasks.

Considering how much money I have invested in machine tools, CNC machines, tool holders, collets, rotary tables, motors, amplifiers, and various software, over the years; the Newfangled Wizards was the best $50.00 I ever spent.

You might give the CAD program "Draftsight" a look. It is produced by the parent company of Solid Works, and is free. All they ask is for you to register your name and email with them, and it is good for a year. It has a huge database of videos available, and is their effort to get people into Solid Works. It is an absolutely 100% professional level program, and is used world wide.

I use CamBam to machine the DXF files produced by Draftsight, and find them to be a very powerful combination. I bought CamBam and Cut Viewer together, and can see a virtual image of my machining program in real time, before I cut the actual material.

If I had to do a machine job similar to your standing island in a circular cut-out, I would draw it in Draftsight, output the DXF to CamBam, and watch the virtual machine process in Cut Viewer.

John

130

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Partial Circular Pocket

« on: October 24, 2014, 02:49:16 AM »

Hi Keith:
I would use the Newfangled wizards to do this job, with a little editing.
You can first make a Circular groove wizard, cutting the OD of the shape, giving the tool dia, X,Y coordinates, and circle diameter. You can specify the tool to spiral into the final depth.
Now you have the little center island, with a groove around it.
Next do the circular cutout wizard, with the same X,Y coordinates. Since the wizard starts in the center, you can watch the motion on the tool path, and note the line of code when the tool is past the center island.
With the Newfangled wizards, the two programs will be posted into the same program.
Edit out the lines you noted, when the tool is clear of the center island.

John