Messages

191

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G73 hiccups

« on: October 03, 2013, 04:39:01 AM »

Thanks for that. I learned something new today.

192

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G73 hiccups

« on: October 02, 2013, 05:32:52 PM »

There is a CNC G-code Wizard that enables you to write custom G-codes of any kind. The Wizard is not free, but they offer a 30 day trial.
www.cnccookbook.com

My first CNC mill many years ago had (3) canned cycles for drilling;
G80, straight hole drill, no peck.
G81, Peck drill with full retract.
G82, Peck drill, partial retract.
The G-codes had all the parameters after the G-code, in ( ) parentheses that were set-up so you could enter your own variable values for the specific drilling action: hole depth, chip break distance, number of pecks to bottom of hole, full retract or partial retract, dwell at bottom of hole, and feedrate of drilling. The company is no longer in business. I thought all the G-codes worked that way until I had to retrofit my older machine to Mach3. 

Regards,
John

193

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G73 hiccups

« on: October 02, 2013, 01:46:48 AM »

Mountain Man:
The drill cycle G83 is for deep holes, with full retract each peck. G73 cycle is for a short retract to break the chip, but not a full retract. Perhaps you have given the parameters the wrong values. Check the use of the R,L,Q parameters in the G-code description list. The "Q" parameter is a "delta" increment along the Z axis, according to my G-code list.
Personally, the descriptions in the listing could have been done better, such as showing a list of the R,L,Q parameters for drilling type, with an example. There are better descriptions than what is in the Mach3 listing.

John
 

194

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: T A B

« on: September 23, 2013, 04:21:57 PM »

Hello Naijin:

May I suggest CamBam for Tabs. They have a demo to try before you buy.

After loading CamBam, go to the Help menu at the top right of the page. Open the Help file, and several major sections appear. The second major section is Machining (CAM).

Scroll down this section to the heading "Holding Tabs."

Click on the Holding Tabs heading, and the Tabs description process opens.
The entire process of creating Tabs is explained in clear detail, with graphic pictures of sample code, and several views of types of tabs, including color 3D pictures.

Tabs can be dragged about on your drawing for better placement after they are created, or singly deleted to suit.

I think the effort that went into making and documenting all the CamBam functions is simply superb. There are no cryptic explanations, just clear, detailed, instruction.

CamBam follows a methodology of creating CAM programs from your drawings, and is well worth study to understand how it works.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

John

195

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: 4 axis mill 3D model software

« on: September 07, 2013, 04:36:22 PM »

Also, have a look at CNC Wrapper. It is a Gcode conversion program for $25.00.

http://www.cncwrapper.com/index.htm

196

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: 4 axis mill 3D model software

« on: September 07, 2013, 02:21:49 PM »

Hello pakirk:

Have a look at Desk Proto V6.

http://www.deskproto.com/products/newinv6.htm

Look at the page for pricing. They have a "Hobby" version license for the multi-axis at 248.00 Euro, plus VAT. 
I am not a user, but have seen it mentioned on a web site dedicated to multi-axis machining; a non-Mach3 European web site.
It looks impressive.

John

197

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Run macro "M5" from button push

« on: August 31, 2013, 03:41:41 PM »

Hello again BR549:

I will explain about my M5 macro, but I have to do a job with the Mill, and install the components for a customer in another city.

Hopefully, I can learn a little more about Mach3 and macros, of which I still understand only the minimal basics. To answer your question, a description of how I built the retro-fit, and what has been done is in order.

Looking back, I now feel my Mill retro-fit project was short-circuited by adding in so much I/O i.e., Cubloc PLC and Modbus. It is easy to get enamored by having almost unlimited I/O, when only the basic machine control is actually necessary. It is very possible a partial re-wire would make things better.

Simpler is better, as they say.

I will get back to this post in a few days.

Regards
John

198

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Run macro "M5" from button push

« on: August 31, 2013, 01:18:50 AM »

Well, I spent some time playing with brains, and inputs. I made a brain as per TP's suggestion, and it tested ok watching all the stuff flash on the brain view. However, with the spindle running, nothing happened.

Next, I wrote a simple brain that turned on (Output 3) as the brain terminator, and this worked OK, but now the M5 from the MDI line would not stop the running spindle. So, I checked the the brain enable box, to disable the brain, and now M5 worked again, when the spindle runs.

Apparently, using Modbus + a brain to activate Output 3 with my panel push-button, interferes with the M5, which also has to activate Output 3. I also tested M3 with my panel buttons, and the same thing happened.

The Spindle CW push-button brain was a short one line, like Spindle Stop push-button brain, only difference was Output 1 as the terminator. This Spindle CW push-button would start the spindle, but now entering M3 on the MDI would not start the spindle. As before, I disabled the Spindle CW push-button brain, and now the M3 worked again from the MDI.

As TP says, I can use the block delete for test runs.

The M3 macro is the standard M3.

The M5 macro contains;

ActivateSignal(Output 3)
Sleep(4000)
DeActivateSignal(Output 3)

Both M3, and M5 macros would stop working when I used the Modbus/Brain enabled buttons to Start Spindle, and Stop Spindle.

To use the push-buttons, in addition to the standard start/stop functions, I will have to forego using Modbus. After all, it is just turning on/off two small relays.

The additional code in the M5 macro was necessary to get the M5 to function with Modbus. This was implemented a couple of years ago, when I retro-fitted the controller, and the Cubloc Modbus hardware. My first screen set was the MSM set.

I believe if the panel Spindle ON/OFF pushbuttons are wired into the dspmc I/O board, and set-up in ports and pins to activate a trigger #, they would not interfere with the regular function of M3 and M5.

At least, I learned what works. As things stand, my machine and Ger's 2010 screen are working superbly.

Thanks again for all the good suggestions.

John


 

199

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Run macro "M5" from button push

« on: August 30, 2013, 01:00:43 PM »

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I will write a brain as suggested by TP.
My M5 macro already has DoSpinStop() as the first line, and when that was all in the M5, it would not work from program or MDI.
Sounds like the spindle toggle thru a brain will do the job.

I want to be able to push a panel button to turn off the spindle when doing a program dry run, leaving the tool holder out of the spindle before doing actual cutting. When I built the panel, I put six buttons in a row above the four main Cycle Start ... etc., buttons, for coolant and spindle actions. My two CNC mills are commercially built, and they both have/had the above mentiond buttons. I used the spindle OFF button often.

This mill was my first CNC, and I retro-fitted it to a dspmc controller, modbus, and Mach3 after the original control "expired" a few years ago. A touch screen might have made things simpler. As you know, when doing actual machining, keyboards and coolant on fingers don't work well together.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will post what worked.
 

200

VB and the development of wizards / Run macro "M5" from button push

« on: August 30, 2013, 02:08:53 AM »

Is there an explanation better than the Mach3 Programmers Manual for turning off the spindle by a pushbutton?  It appears that there is no OEM code to shut off the spindle. My M5.m1s macro contains the following;

ActivateSignal(Output 3)
Sleep(4000)
DeActivateSignal(Output 3)

The M5 activates a relay, that drops out the Mag Contactor for the spindle motor

When the spindle is ON, doing a MDI; M5, works just fine. When the program is running, M5, and/or M30 also turn off the spindle.

I would like to also have available a panel button that will run a Brain to do the same thing;  run the M5 macro.

I have looked in vain for an OEM code for "Spindle OFF" that will work in a brain.
There are OEM codes for Spindle ON, Mist ON, Mist OFF, Flood ON, Flood OFF, ................etc.

I read the section on "SetTriggerMacro", and it is certainly not user friendly. The example goes into using OEM Code 301, and says to assign the M5 macro to "SetTriggerMacro(5). Nowhere is it explained where to write the sentence "SetTriggerMacro(5).
I understand the programmers understand all this perfectly, and like to write in terse, minimal sentences.

My pushbuttons work via Modbus. I have everything working imaginable through brains, and OEM codes, except turning OFF the spindle.

I would appreciate a "heads up" where to learn how to do this.

Thanks
John