Messages

411

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 for press brake controller?

« on: June 01, 2015, 10:16:35 AM »

Mach 3 does coordinated motion control through G code. It doesn't sound like you need coordinated motion except for the two linear axis. So it looks to me like you could do this job better with a PLC with a couple of motion cards and an HMI screen with a recipe function.  Fill in the recipe with the parameters for a job and the tooling then step through the moves as you bend. I think a relatively inexpensive PLC from AutomationDirect could do the job.  Mach is quite good as a mill or lathe controller but this doesn't look like a good application for it to me.

412

General Mach Discussion / Re: newbie - limit switches

« on: May 27, 2015, 11:45:23 AM »

Hitting a limit during operation says something bad just happened, so don't try moving anything.  So you have to override the E-stop function and take responsibility for jogging in the correct way to clear the problem. Note that after an E-stop Mach 3 no longer knows where it is.  So you must reestablish your X0,Y0,Z0 positions.

413

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Poor Axis Performance run g-code

« on: May 23, 2015, 01:55:06 PM »

Are your tool paths lots of short arcs or line segments? If they are and you have full stop mode selected the motion will stutter as the axis start and stop at the end of every segment. Use constant velocity contouring instead and Mach 3 will keep moving as smoothly as it can.

414

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cutting Aluminium

« on: May 09, 2015, 03:18:58 PM »

If you clog up an end mill throw it in some lye ( sodium hydroxide) and it will dissolve it right off without damage to the cutter. Small machines are a bit of a problem with spindle speeds.  You really want a high speed spindle because you don't have the ridgidity to use large cutters, yet you'd like to be able to drill a good size hole, which takes torque.  My homebuilt CNC has a minimill spindle at 3800 rpm, and a router from 8000 to 35000 rpm. Its not real stiff so in aluminum the router is way better.

415

General Mach Discussion / Re: I have CNC'ed my cold saw

« on: May 08, 2015, 09:32:50 PM »

I'm doing a 7500 gallon per day waste treatment system right now. Two blowers, 3 pumps, 5 VFDs, 11 motorized valves, 4 solenoid valves, 3 flow meters, 3 analytical instruments, 3 float switches, two level transmitters, 3 capactive proximity sensors, a PLC, HMI, and a cell modem.  Will run 24/7 for many years.  It turns sewage into crystal clear almost drinking water!

416

General Mach Discussion / Re: I have CNC'ed my cold saw

« on: May 07, 2015, 07:13:37 PM »

You guys both did a nice job on your saws. However firing up a pc to cut a piece of metal just seems over the top to me. I have Mach 3 running my homebuilt Cnc which of course needs coordinated motion. However I've already had PC problems  that I had to deal with. Contrast that with all the machines I built using PLCs that have been running for 15 years or more without ever being shut off. In a very short time a PLC will be shown to be an easier and cheaper solution for a saw.  Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

417

General Mach Discussion / Re: AC Servo Spindle and ESS

« on: April 14, 2015, 07:34:26 PM »

That is why he needs the macro, to issue the feedhold then the stop after the speed is down low enough.

418

Brains Development / Re: EStop and IsMoving Timining

« on: April 14, 2015, 07:29:01 PM »

NEVER push the big red button while moving, unless you really really really need it to stop!

419

General Mach Discussion / Re: Shift key "sticking" but not stuck during jog.

« on: April 14, 2015, 07:27:11 PM »

Yes, I've reported this problem and had it verified by several other people so I disabled using the shift key because it was so dangerous.  If I remember right it happens when you release the arrow key before you release the shift, or maybe it was the other way around. But it was absolutely repeatable, and only my E-stop that cuts power to the drives would stop the motion.  This is with a Xelifeng motion board, but the problem was shown to happen with smoothstepper and parallel ports.

420

General Mach Discussion / Re: How do you have your CNC accessories wired? (Dust collections, vacuum, ect?)

« on: April 14, 2015, 11:28:17 AM »

I have a separate Plc to handle all buttons selectors and additional outputs. So Shop vac operates from toggle action push buttons on two sides. Selector inputs go to plc so if I don't like the way something works I change code not wires.