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Messages - garyhlucas

181
If you are talking about jogging manually it is not possible to jog along a curve as the X and Y feed rates are changing continuously. Even if the machine could do it, you would need an analog joystick with two axis to do that.

182
I live in Hightstown NJ. Call me I may be able to help you out 609-647-0450.

183
Does it do this if you have Single Block on and you step through the program one line at a time?

184
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Probing after a manual tool change issue
« on: August 14, 2017, 06:43:36 PM »
Thank you Gary. That is simple enough to do.
But I would have thought there would be a way to re-probe after a program has been stopped.
I have never seen a CNC that could do that, lots of things to consider to prevent a crash. If your tools bottom in the spindle then they may repeat on length. In that case you could use tool length compensation and preset your tool lengths. Then during operation you simply have the tool change position high enough for you to remove and install the tool and then you just press start to resume the program. The key here is repeatable tool length

185
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Probing after a manual tool change issue
« on: August 14, 2017, 01:17:50 PM »
What you are experiencing is why they make spindles with tool holders instead of collets so they can repeat. So you need to break your program up into separate programs, one for each tool. Set a tool and run the program for that tool. When it finishes load the next program and the next tool and set the tool length. Lots of times it is easier to run all the parts on tool 1 then install tool 2 and run them all again. This assumes your workholding is repeatable.

186
On a CNC knee mill I used a post it note. Wrote down the scale position on each slide and the dial position each time I set zero. Would hold position for weeks!

187
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Sewing Machine
« on: August 09, 2017, 08:33:29 PM »
For the control side I would divide and conquer. Use Mach 3 for the pattern motion in X and Y. Use an Automation Direct BRX plc to control the stitching motor synchronization. High speed inputs from two quad encoders on the X and Y axis can be summed to give the PLC the linear speed. Then the PLC can use the high speed outputs to drive the two motors in synch with the linear motion speed.

188
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Sewing Machine
« on: August 09, 2017, 08:27:53 PM »
I think the way to do this is to build a square truss. Use  4 - 40mm square Bosch, or my preference Palleti rails. Take 25mm round tubing and flatten about 25mm long with an 8mm hole for a bolt into the slot of the 40mm rails. Then zigzag bend it for the diagonals of the truss.  When you assemble it you simply adjust a pair of rails for exact spacing and straightness. Make two straight pairs, then assemble into a square. Some corner to corner diagonals inside the truss make it torsionally stiff. Very light, very stiff, very straight.

189
I would be interested in seeing photos of your current control panel and wiring. I have done controls for a very long time and some of the stuff I see on homebuilt CNC and 3d printers I am truly amazed it works at all. Glitches like you describe are nearly always wiring problems.

I use CamBam to program for Mach 3 and a large industrial CNC. A fellow named Karst on the CamBam forum has created a plugin that allows you run GRBL right in CamBam! It looks like he did an awesome job too. You might take a look at CamBam and his plugin.

190
I think you are doing this the hard way. As I understand what you are trying to do you don't need coordinated motion, just X then Y and positions. This isn't CNC, this is basic machine control. You probably want this to work every day reliably for years and years.  You are trying to kludge up a controller with a PC as a critical part.

Use one of the AutomationDirect DoMore BRX plcs with free programming software. Free tech support too.  They have high speed I/O for up to 250 Khz step rates. Lots of I/O available, industrial reliability, talk serial, ethernet, modbus etc.