Messages

171

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fadal VMC Retrofit,Mach4,dspmc,Tool Changer& Control Panel Buttons. Use PLC ?

« on: September 13, 2017, 06:41:50 PM »

My homebuilt CNC has an old PLC in it in addition to Mach 3.  It controls the limit switches outside of Mach 3 to prevent crashes that might be caused by a Mach 3 issue. The door switches and the key lockout go through the PLC. It controls the lights in the enclosure, the shop vac, the air compressor, which spindle is in use, whether I am using air, coolant or both, whether I am using it with a lathe spindle, whether the stepper signals got to the lathe or the 3D printer head, and the temperature of the print head and print bed. Lots of stuff that I can easily reconfigure at any time.

172

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Fadal VMC Retrofit,Mach4,dspmc,Tool Changer& Control Panel Buttons. Use PLC ?

« on: September 13, 2017, 03:08:21 PM »

I like the idea of the separate PLC but I would not use a Click. I'd use one of the new BRX PLCs from AD. WAY more capable, way better programming software. Ethernet, Modbus, RS-232, RS-485, analog I/O in and out, high speed inputs for encoders, high speed ouputs for stepper or servo. The cost of the PLC is nothing compared to programming cost on a one off. The BRX will save you time and money. Visit the Host Automation forum to see how thrilled everyone is with these PLCs

173

General Mach Discussion / Re: Speed up my cnc machine

« on: September 12, 2017, 01:37:49 PM »

In the real world machines with high acceleration and deceleration run rings around ones with low accel/decel. Machining is a drag race not going around a track. Unless you doing very long cuts, or lots of air cutting you seldom see the top speed. So for most parts working at getting a really high top speed at the expense of acceleration is counter productive.

174

General Mach Discussion / Re: Speed up my cnc machine

« on: September 10, 2017, 11:27:29 AM »

I believe that is way to fast a pitch. You will need much larger motors to get enough torque. The full step size will be 0.0025 which even with micrstepping will be very coarse, so you'll need gear reduction which defeats what you are trying to do. A pitch of 0.200" or 5mm per revolution would be better.

175

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 how to manually moving x axis or y axis very fast

« on: September 10, 2017, 11:15:42 AM »

Do NOT use the shift key to put jog into rapid! There is a known bug that causes many machines to randomly take off and run without stopping until it crashes. Happened to me while showing my grandson how to use the machine and then he was too scared to try any more. Smashed the part, moved the vise, broke the tool off. My machine is pretty quick with 300 ipm rapids.

176

General Mach Discussion / Re: Rich is the Man...

« on: September 08, 2017, 06:17:03 PM »

Thought you were going to say "Rich is the man that owns a CNC".  Yes Rich does help out a lot of of people.

177

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: What economical progam do I need to do this ?

« on: September 08, 2017, 09:48:50 AM »

I use CamBam running on the machine along side Mach 3 with no problems. CamBam impressed me enough to buy a second copy which also runs on the PC control of the big machine at work. The advantage of having both programs on the machine is quick changes and reposting to Mach 3. Forty free sessions before you buy, a fabulously helpful user forum and lots of scripts and plugins, plus a useable CAD functionality. What's not to love?

I've done plenty of G-code programming, life is too short not to use a CAM program today.

178

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / Re: Hall Effect for Spindle Speed Feedback

« on: September 05, 2017, 09:12:06 PM »

Hall Effect is the method of detection. Typically those sensors have some standard transistor output sinking or sourcing. Industrial stuff usually works over a range of 10 to 30 vdc, while most hobby boards use  5 vdc so that may be an issue, or not.

179

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motion controllers - Take me to school

« on: August 31, 2017, 05:56:02 PM »

I have Leadshine as well, no problems at all.

180

General Mach Discussion / Re: Motion controllers - Take me to school

« on: August 30, 2017, 01:02:52 AM »

What do you expect AC servos to do that you can't do with steppers? My homebuilt with THK linear rails and ball screws will rapid or cut at 300 ipm and never misses a step. I have a USB motion board, 906 oz/in motors, 68 volt power supply and 80 volt digital stepper drives. Do you need higher performance than that? Is you machine stiff enough to handle higher speeds?