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Messages - garyhlucas

231
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 slows down at each point
« on: February 27, 2017, 02:09:53 PM »
Seems like the angle setting of zero has Mach 3 only doing continuous motion if the line segments are actually in a straight line but what you are cutting has gentle curves. So try putting in a small angle 5 or 10 degrees maybe.

232
We have a Servo 5000 mill. Google Servo Source. Talk to Everett he likely can help you.

233
General Mach Discussion / How many Mach3, Mach4 users?
« on: February 19, 2017, 12:23:28 PM »
On the pro forums mention of Mach3,4 often brings a derisive response. There are things Mach3 can do that the pro machines often can't, like run a million line program, and store every program you have ever made right on the machine, and tailor the CNC to a configuration that does something special the machine builder never envisioned. The most qouted issue is that it is not a closed loop control. However my homebuilt milling machine was cutting all day yesterday at 200ipm with 300 ipm rapids and when I check position it certainly hasn't missed any steps.

So with that said, I'm willing to bet the number of Mach 3 users may be a really large percentage of all CNCs in use. Anyone know?

234
Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Help Motion Steps Overflow
« on: February 13, 2017, 10:31:05 PM »
I would think that relates to an acceleration or deceleration rate rate set too high.

235
I believe you can get this done easily by laying out a rectangular pattern the size of the surface of the cylinder.  Then get a copy of a program called wrapper that maps the Y axis to the C axis.  If you aren't using a CAM program you really ought to. I did a lot of manual G-code programming in the past at my job. I don't bother anymore because I use CamBam a $150 program that does the job much faster and better.  I usually single step a new program and if it goes where I expect in the first few lines I'm cutting material.

236
General Mach Discussion / Re: Centering a cylinder with a probe Mach 3 2010
« on: February 07, 2017, 02:54:04 PM »
In theory only 3 points are need to locate a circle but the math is more difficult. Four is easier if a pair of points fall on the same axis line because you just add the location of the probes axis together and divide by two to get the center along that axis. You don't even need the probe diameter to do this. I pick up hole centers all the time  manually using an edge finder using this technique.

237
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 ruining parts
« on: February 07, 2017, 02:44:32 PM »
So your machine has a torch problem and you blame the software not the torch? I can tell you that run from here does work. However you need to aware of a couple of things. Are you hitting STOP when the torch screws up? If so that is a problem because STOP will cause the machine to lose position. Instead always use FEED HOLD. Feed hold properly decelerates the motion and position is maintained. Then you can hit STOP and proceed to run from here. One more thing, Run From Here asks a question, can't remember what it is. Try answering NO and see what the results are with your hand near tge E-stop. Hope this helps. Please report back.

238
General Mach Discussion / Re: About the motors
« on: February 05, 2017, 09:02:50 AM »
The torque fall off is primarily due to back EMF reducing the current to the motors. Higher voltage drives and power supply make a big difference. My machine has 80 volt drives and a 68volt power supply. I am running a job right now at 3000 mm/m and slowed it down from 4000 only because there are lots of small details.

239
Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: mini CNC 3040
« on: January 30, 2017, 07:27:29 PM »
We have a tiny 3020 machine. Fairly solid at that size and I think it would engrave SS. However we do engraving on our big mill and on sheet metal name plates a spring loaded engraver does a lot better because the metal is never flat. Don't know where you'd get that for your spindle.

240
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 lathe with stepper spindle
« on: January 27, 2017, 10:55:15 AM »
The deal is this. You've probably seen Tormach's Duality Lathe.  I have a similar set up except my home built CNC machine is constructed like a horizontal boring mill (HBM) with a table that does not move.  The spindle though can be oriented as in a horizontal mill or a vertical mill. 
So I have a stripped down Harbor Freight 7 x 12 lathe  with just a headstock and tailstock that mounts to the table.  A Tormach 0XA toolpost is mounted behind the milling spindle for lathe work.  I have a large stepper driving the lathe spindle through a 8mm x 30mm timing belt with a 3 to one reduction.  So this makes a pretty nice fourth axis.  However my experiments indicate I can easily spin the lathe at better than 500 rpm, and the driver I used for the stepper can actually handle a really big stepper if I want.

So what I am trying to figure out is did I miss that the Lathe version of Mach 3 can drive a stepper spindle where the Mill version cannot.  If it can't I have finally come up with a plan B. I found a little board that will accept PWM input and output pulses to drive a stepper at a continuous speed.  My machine has a Xuilifeng 4 axis motion card that has the PWM spindle too.  So then mach 3 will run the spindle as if it is an ordinary spindle motor.