Messages

11

General Mach Discussion / MX4660 from Leadshine

« on: March 05, 2015, 05:36:19 AM »

Has anyone tried out this recently available multi axis driver.

12

General Mach Discussion / Re: Discombobulation

« on: October 17, 2013, 03:55:07 PM »

Rich thanks for the clarification.
TP I hear you loud and clear, on my mind too! Will have to wait till funds are available.

13

General Mach Discussion / Re: Discombobulation

« on: October 16, 2013, 07:36:17 PM »

Does the variances above relate to  an accuracy tolerance that the machine is capable of?
Over the last weeks, I'd written movement commands checking limit of travel and the  axes for any adverse movements in the motion of the motors and mechanics. Whilst cutting I had picked up 2 "hesitations" when the Y axis was travelling out to it's limit. Having then stripped, rebuilt and re-aligned the Y and Z, the movement commands were run again and so far nothing adverse detected. I can now get back to where I was and concentrate on what I was originally planing; getting my spoil-board setup and finish all the bits and pieces I need for completing my table and ready for "production".
While running the above commands, (I had also adjusted the "feed-rates"). I find that the maximum rate is around 1600 mm/minute. Should I be expect to get more (in free travel, no cutting), would I need more, or is this the limitation of the motors and drive system and or controller board. The table is rack and pinion driven with Nema 23 motors and using the dreaded Toshiba blue controller boards.
With the spoil-board, my aim is to have guides/stop-ends of aluminium angle (9 x 9 x 3 mm) running along the home side of the X and Y axes, the work zero set further in. The desired effect is to have a buffer zone between the work zero and home, having a rest for stock material to butt against, giving me a small area of "waste material".
I also wish to install an Auto Zero touch plate for the Z axis to reference it to the top of the material and set the limit of travel to the top of the spoil-board. It will be appreciated if I can get pointers to  installing an auto zero Z and installing the necessary macros, where to source and also whether someone has had experience in installing it with the Toshiba controller board and obtaining a pin to run it.

14

General Mach Discussion / Re: Discombobulation

« on: October 16, 2013, 04:02:24 PM »

TP
Thanks for the heads up, I was obviously looking at the posed question from the wrong angle; I' m telling this machine to move by X, it must by all means do! Between submitting my post and reading your reply, has given me time to mull this over in my noggin. I came to the conclusion is that I'm looking at less than a ball hair's difference, I should live with it as it's not actually that bad. Reading your post gives me better assurance and understanding of what is happening at the individual step level and piece of mind that M 3 picks up the under and overs and accommodates for them.
In the last 2 weeks or so I have some weird stuff happening to me, and every time I returned to a particular point or problem I was facing something new without getting back to the previous days problem. It eventually mean me stripping my Z axis off the Y, re-looking at all the mechanical's and rebuilding the machine.
During this time I had thought that some of my problems could be "noise" related and started noticing settings like debounce and ways to overcome dirty signal or signal loss. Given all this going on and also trying to make some headway in defining the work area of my table, soft limits, trying to get my spoilboard surfaced etc, started to put me into an information overload, at times it really felt as if my head would spin off.
I thank you for the peace of mind......... I still hav'nt reached a state of "nirvana", but geeting there hopefully.

15

General Mach Discussion / Discombobulation

« on: October 16, 2013, 09:57:37 AM »

A few months back, I started setting up my router and Mach 3 together and running through the set up of Mach 3. Since then I have cut a few parts, needed for completing the mechanical side of the table (brackets, Thein dust separator lid, etc). Running the machine to get more of an understanding of the programs (machine control and CAM). During this time I was using any piece big enough to act as a base for cutting on. Having obtained a "permanent" spoil-board,started to look at the table set-up again, and go into setting limits a permanent dedicated work co-ordinate zero position. Simultaneously setting up the parameters for surfacing the s/board, using 1 of the wizards to set the parameters. This brought up a whole rats nest of questions and discoveries. Discovery #1 was that the figures input into the wizard for distance travel for example was not what was generated in the code-box of the program run screen. My feeling for now is that this is a possible programming issue of the wizard. Discovery #2 was that if I input figures in the G54 fixtures of config. The axis moves to the work co-ordinate zero for X and Y. The machine co-ordinates for the axis read as follows (DRO's): X input 12.5 ~ DRO reads 12.4499 ...... Y input 20 ~ Dro reads 20.0040. The DRO readout at home in work co-ordinate read the same figures, but a (-). which is correct. The Question is why are the DRO's not reading the same as input figure. Is this a motor tuning issue and have to look at the steps per. Is it the kernel setting (M3 suggests 25 000 ~ Toshiba blue board recommends 35 000 ~ Mine set to 25 000. Should I look at the stepping go from 1/8 to 1/16 for instance. Where am I going wrong!
It would also be appreciated for further information of "debounce"  what it is and how to apply it.
I have also been having difficulty coming to terms with the setting and using of soft limits. This I will leave for now.
Guys your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Gary

16

General Mach Discussion / Re: DRO readouts for Home to maximum limit of axes

« on: June 06, 2013, 07:16:04 AM »

Hi
it would be appreciated if some kind soul would check my calculations. Formula are one of my weak points.
My set up is as follows:
The dreaded TB6560AHQ blue board set to: 75% current; fast decay; 1/8 micro steps.
Motors: 1.8 deg Steppers.
X & Y Axes: Rack and pinion:- module 1.5, pitch 4.71; 18 tooth pinion; 60 tooth pulley on pinion; 20 tooth pulley on motor.
Z Axis: direct drive:- 1/2" - 10 -  5 start acme screw.
All my work will be done in millimeters and have converted the motor revs/unit to metric [i.e. 2revs/(inch or 25.4mm) =0.0787401revs/mm].
According to my calc the M3 steps/unit are:
X & Y: 400
Z: 126
Some how my fuzzed out brain managed to get the same figures using the calculator, but would prefer someone to confirm I was on right or wrong track.
Tks
G

17

General Mach Discussion / Re: DRO readouts for Home to maximum limit of axes

« on: June 05, 2013, 11:40:16 AM »

Hi Hood
I thought as much. I had originally used the xcel calculator and manual calculations when originally setting up a few months ago.
I will recheck my calcs and see where I went wrong
Regards
Gary
.

18

General Mach Discussion / DRO readouts for Home to maximum limit of axes

« on: June 05, 2013, 11:33:37 AM »

Hi
When jogging from home to the full extent of my table ( home to limit switch) the DRO's give different readings as to what the size of the table is.
I have M3 set to mm and the size of the table is approx 1500 x 1500mm with the z travel being approx 150mm. The working area is 1200 x 1200 x 100mm.
The DRO's read the following at the limit switches.
X  388.2416
Y  398.0899
Z  -131.0635
They all travelled from home.... i.e. 0
 

19

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home/Limits

« on: April 17, 2013, 09:03:43 AM »

Hood
The setting in general config did the trick.
Thanks a mil, seem to be on right track
Gary

20

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home/Limits

« on: April 17, 2013, 07:34:22 AM »

my last sentence above should read: "does one need to zero the axes.... jog them to zero, zero each of them and then refernce the axes?"