Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Re: peck clearance height

« on: March 16, 2016, 05:16:28 PM »

Go to Config drop down menu; Ports and Pins; Mill Options; General Options, and look at the box for G73 Pullback, and enter a value.
This may be the problem if you find .25 there.

32

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle for Chinese 3040

« on: November 05, 2015, 10:17:57 PM »

For cutting aluminum, you could use a 1/8" 2-flute carbide cutter, at max rpm about 10 or 12K. I think it would cut OK with a depth of .05" to 06" per pass, just watch your feedrate until it is dialed in. Also, keep the cutter extension as short as possible for rigidity.
If you are going to be cutting the aluminum, an air/mist coolant blast on the cutter will keep the flutes free, and lubricated. If you try to run it dry, or just using plain air, the flutes can clog and snap the cutter.

Check out the mist coolant systems that use pressure coolant mixed into the pressurized air stream, and directed out of a .040" nozzle. This kind of mist/coolant does not fill the surrounding air with mist, and leaves very little liquid on the surface. They work great.
There are a few diagrams on the web, on how to make your own mist coolant system.  The commercial one's are fairly pricey.

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: Elgamill cnc retrofit

« on: November 05, 2015, 12:45:58 PM »

There has not been much mention of the Clearpath/Teknic brushless servo motors on this site, but they are an amazing evolution in motor control. Watch the video on their website, and log into the site and register your name. After you register, you can do comparisons of the many motor combinations they make, and look at the rpm/torque curves for the various voltages and motor sizes.

The motor driver electronics is built into the motor, and can be tailored through a PC program connected to the motor electronics by a USB connection. Once the factors have been qualified in the PC program, while the motor is connected to the machine, the motor goes into a setup mode that sets the software factors automatically, which takes about 5 to 15 minutes.

The company is so confident of their motor design, the have a 90 day period during which you can either return the motor for a 100% cash refund, or do an exchange for a different motor type/torque/rpm factor for your application.

Their engineering is clearly a quantum advance in brushless motor/control design.

John

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle for Chinese 3040

« on: November 05, 2015, 12:21:19 PM »

There are lots of spindle motors on Ebay that will fit. A 400 watt should do most of what you want to machine. I have a 400 watt motor on my small router, and it is 12,000 rpm max. The hp factor is 746 watts = 1 hp. You can get a variable speed controller board that will accept a pwm signal, and control the rpm from Mach3 also.

35

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: October 23, 2015, 09:49:32 PM »

Hello Ger:

I understand what the line is (the clearance plane), but in all my running the macro for two days, over and over testing changes, that never happened. When the tool jammed into the touch plate, I was really surprised. It immediately retracted and lifted the touch plate up as it was stuck on the end of the center drill.

I also had added the line, Code "G53 Z-.2" after the original macro line to move to the clearance plane, which was 1".

It looks to me like it was on it's way to Z0.000, and maybe even jammed the center drill further up into the Albrecht chuck. Pretty spooky.

It may have been a quirk, but the beginning of the line is ,  Code "Go Z" ..................

Since I am modifying the macro to set quick change tools in a milling machine, and the spindle stays in the same X-Y location, the move up to just below the Z machine home is for changing out the tool holders, as I have a big quill with 6" of travel. There is no need for a clearance plane like a router with two touchplates.

All things said, I really like the macro.

John
 

36

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Setting up a touch plate for TLO

« on: October 23, 2015, 05:04:52 PM »

Update to my question about a multiple tool offset macro;

After spending quite a few hours with the 2010 "Simple" tool setting macro, I have modified it to my satisfaction.

John

37

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: October 23, 2015, 05:00:58 PM »

Hello Ger:

I spent more time today on modification to the 'Simple" tool setting macro, and have it setting a "Master" tool to Z0.000, and the subsequent cutting tools with a question box "input tool number", and auto setting the tool length offset. I checked four tools after running the macro by putting them one at a time in the spindle, and doing a MDI to rapid to the offset the macro put into the tool table. I moved my test surface away from under the tool (a short block of wood, cut clean and square) and then slid the block under the tool when it stopped. They all fit great, which proved to me the mods work properly, even one of the cutting tools was shorter than the Master edge finder probe, and had a negative offset.

The cutting tool setting section of the macro keeps repeating, i.e., a question box.

I suppose the E-stop is the simplest solution to aborting the action once the probe sequence starts.

I encountered one mishap during my testing. After my tool #1 (a #3 center drill) did the second probe touch from .05 above the plate, it punched down into the touch plate, and then retracted. The conductive surface is a copper clad board glued to a steel block. It didn't bust the center drill, just a rapid jog down, and then retract up.

After the probe cycle there is the line:
Code "G0 Z" & ZClear ' Retract to clearance Plane

I think the machine read the "G0 Z" and moved, before getting the whole context of the line. Maybe I am wrong, but I deleted the
line, and replaced it with; Code "G53 Z-.2", which rapids up to .2 before the Z home position.

Lots of hours spent, but works like a charm now.

John

38

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: October 23, 2015, 01:15:17 AM »

Hello Ger:

Since I made the post, I spent some time studying the Simple macro print out. I have made some mods and separated the new code by
very visible long lines of ***********************.

In between these sections, I added some code snippets copied from some old code made by TP that did the adding TLO stuff. I removed nothing from the original code. So, all the mods are visible, with explanations.

I tested it as I went, with a desktop mini router on my desk next to the computer. When it looked like it was working OK, I put it on a USB memory stick, and went out to the CNC mill in the shop for the big test.

I copied and pasted the macro section that moves the spindle down, to a second section labeled N2:, which is for setting the working tools offsets. Both sections use message boxes.

There are a few bugs yet to fix, but it seems to put the TLO and tool number in the Mach3 tool table.  I put shims of different thickness's
on top of the touch plate in the desktop router, to simulate different tool lengths.  All of the working tool lengths are set relative to the
Z0.000 home, set in the first section that sets the Master tool. I am using an Edge finder for the Master tool.

My next task is to get the macro to stop if I want to terminate it. Right now, it just keeps on running. Also, putting in the tool diameter.

I will send you my modified macro when it is working 100%.  The original macro is totally bullet proof, which I really like.

John

39

Finished Screens / Re: Mach3 2010 Screenset - Now available

« on: October 22, 2015, 02:45:43 PM »

Hello Ger:

The "Simple" tool setting macro works absolutely perfectly in my mill for setting the present tool in the spindle. The machine uses the dspmc controller, and has quick change tooling, the Quick Switch 200 spindle tooling. The controller is the Vital Systems dspmc, and uses analog servo drives.

I understand the 2010 screen set is for routers, however it is my screen of choice, as so many people attest to.

Do you know of any mods of your macro for multiple tools, and setting the offset into the Tool Table?

Thanks,

John

40

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Setting up a touch plate for TLO

« on: October 22, 2015, 02:34:58 PM »

Since my first post yesterday, I reduced the ohms resistor to 160 in order to get the voltage closer to the 24 volts of the system. It now reads slightly below the system.
Also, I tried the tool setting macro in the 2010 screenset, as I use that screen. The screen set was developed for routers, and not mills with quick change tooling. However, the primary macro, called the "Simple" tool set macro will move down to a touchplate, and using the plate thickness value entered into the screen tab, will set the tool in the spindle to the work surface.

I ran the "2010" macro, and it set the tool, in this case an edge finder, to the exact work surface, and retracted to the also preset height above the work. The macro worked perfectly without any strange movements multiple times. In his manual, Ger says these macros in his screenset are modifications to the Big Tex screen, and other mods done by
that Mach3 guru, poppabear.

However, I am still looking for a macro that works for setting tool offsets into the Tool Table, and has the reliability of the 2010 macro.

John