Messages

1371

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Mach 3 freezing if left on for 30 minutes

« on: August 22, 2020, 08:42:08 PM »

Hi,
I use Windows 7 Embedded Standard (32 bit) as OS on my machine and it does not seize up or stall,
it stays on and powered up for days/weeks at a time, I never turn it off. The only time it stops is if there
is a power cut.

Craig

1372

General Mach Discussion / Re: Can a Lenovo X220 laptop be used as a CNC controlling computer?

« on: August 22, 2020, 08:37:30 PM »

Hi,
Mach3's parallel port does not like, and may not even run on a laptop.

You should have no problems if you use an external motion controlller like an Ethernet SmoothStepper
or a UC300.

Craig

1373

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 with windows 10

« on: August 22, 2020, 08:35:17 PM »

Hi,
slight amplification:

Mach3's parallel port will run on 32 bit Windows7 or earlier and does not like laptops.

Mach3 will run on any Windows 10 PC including laptops BUT ONLY IF you use an external motion controller
like an Ethernet SmoothStepper or a UC300.

Craig

1374

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Command to disable Z Axis

« on: August 17, 2020, 04:12:40 AM »

Hi,
the simplest way would be to have the Z axis stepper enable separate from X and Y axis enables and then you could
alternately enable or disable the Z axis stepper drive at will.

Craig

1375

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Suggestions on Spindle

« on: August 16, 2020, 07:05:24 AM »

Hi,
I use a spindle by a German manufacturer Mechatron GmbH:

https://www.mechatron-gmbh.de/en/

Great quality but not cheap.

This Chinese manufacturer has a good range and good quality but not the ultra low prices you might
expect from a Chinese maker, you just don't get quality without having to pay up:

http://www.jian-ken.com/

Craig

1376

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Suggestions on VFD

« on: August 16, 2020, 06:59:14 AM »

Hi,
I personally like Delta products. Taiwanese, manufactured in China, good quality and support at a good
price, no bargain basement prices, but good prices.

Hitachi also have a good name.

Craig

1377

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: question

« on: August 15, 2020, 08:59:48 PM »

Hi,
no, a Mach3 Brain cannot be used in Mach4.

Mach4 has both a PLC, a superfast equivalent to a Mach3 Macro Pump, and PMC, a Lua equivalent of a Mach3 Brain, ie
ladder logic. Aside from those two features in Mach4 you can craft your own M3, M4's etc, so you may find that you
don' need any of the extra frilly stuff.

Craig

1378

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mapping PMDX-424 inputs to Homing Proximity sensors

« on: August 08, 2020, 06:26:25 AM »

Hi,
ther are plenty of Lua examples in the LuaExamples folder in Mach4Hobby.

I often have this link open when I code:

https://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/

You should make yourself familiar with:

"C:\Mach4Hobby\Docs\Mach4CoreAPI.chm"

Craig

1379

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: load g code

« on: August 08, 2020, 06:14:10 AM »

Hi,
you need to use a wxWidgets File dialog.

There is an example in this file:

"C:\Mach4Hobby\LuaExamples\ProbeToFile\m401.mcs"

Craig

1380

General Mach Discussion / Re: machine movement

« on: August 08, 2020, 06:08:41 AM »

Hi,
there are any number of posts on this forum about those boards, also called RnR and who knows how
many other names, they do work but they are a headache at best.

Are you that attached to it or would you consider buying a decent European or US made board, like an
Ethernet SmoothStepper or a UC300? They work as advertised and the manufacturer WILL support you to get it working.
Both these manufacturers (Warp9TD and CNCdrive) have their own dedicated forums to support their products.

Craig