Messages

2251

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3

« on: July 21, 2019, 03:28:45 PM »

Hi,
you should probably start a new thread on the Mach4 Discussion board. Any replies to your questions now concern Mach4 alone.

Craig

2252

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 configuration soft limits

« on: July 21, 2019, 02:43:02 PM »

Hj,
yes, it is common to have the soft limits be the maximum work envelope.

Note that Soft Limits only make sense if your machine is Homed (or Referenced), ie you have home switches configured
and use them.

Craig

2253

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cincom citizen L20 control conversion

« on: July 18, 2019, 03:43:55 AM »

Hi,
use Mach to generate two or more numbers, each one representing the speed of a spindle.
Those numbers are transmitted to  a PLC which turns those numbers into analogue voltages, one
for each spindle. Thus you could have a number of spindles up to the number of independent
analogue outputs of your chosen PLC.

There are PLCs which can generate step/direction signals. Whether any  (affordable) PLC has more than one
step/direction output pair, and whether they can be synchronized is more than I can say.

For example, if I require a 1500 rpm CW (M3 S1500), how would this code be translated for the PLC.

In short, you can't transmit that to a PLC. The S word is the speed of the ONE spindle defined in Mach and it does
not need to be transmitted anywhere. The primary spindle 'consumes' this signal.
The speed of secondary or tertiary spindles would have to be set by defining  numbers which are subsequently
converted to either analogue outputs OR step/direction signal pairs, should your PLC be capable of that.

Quite frankly you are pushing, or trying to push, Mach3 beyond its intended capabilities. You might get a result
but I think it will be long, difficult and error prone. I wish you luck.

You could use out-of-band axes as provided by Mach4. They can be made to be free running with a little cleverness.
They are not coordinated axes however.

Mach3 and Mach4 are limited to six coordinated axes. Thus if you have five axes for motion that allows one
coordinated axis leftover. That axis could be a rotationally synchronized spindle. Further spindles could NOT
be synchronized in the same fashion because there are no further coordinated axes left.

You can have positionally accurate out-of-band axes in Mach4, we would call them 'indexable axes' but not coordinated.
For example if you commanded a two positional jogs for two out of band spindles, say one to rotate 3600 degrees, ie 10
revolutions at a speed of 360 degree/sec and the other 7200 degrees or 20 revolutions at 720 degree/sec they should
arrive at their respective destinations at the same time. What could not be guaranteed however is that they will maintain
perfect 2:1 positional accuracy throughout the move, even though they would end up in perfect 2:1 at the end of the move.

Craig

2254

General Mach Discussion / Re: plasma on off

« on: July 17, 2019, 02:50:32 PM »

Hi TPS,
does Mach3 have an out-of-band axis/axes?

The problem with PWM is there is only one channel.

If not then maybe a Modbus connected PLC would work, or use Mach4 out-of-band axes.

Craig

2255

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cincom citizen L20 control conversion

« on: July 17, 2019, 02:20:16 PM »

Hi,
Modbus.

Craig

2256

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cincom citizen L20 control conversion

« on: July 17, 2019, 02:39:24 AM »

Hi,
use an analogue capable PLC.

Craig

2257

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cincom citizen L20 control conversion

« on: July 16, 2019, 07:11:27 PM »

Hi,
neither Mach3 or Mach4 are natively multi-spindle CNC solutions.

Mach4 has up to six out-of-band axes, one of which is the nominal spindle. The spindle has a number of programming APIs
which make it useful as a spindle with all the features you would expect, including PWM. The remaining five out-of-band axes can be jogged
using scripts, the PWM function is not available for any out-of-band axis other the the spindle. Thus they would require step/direction
control. They are naturally suited to indexing (driving to a position and halting) rather than free running. They can however be
made to free run with a workaround.

I don't think Mach3 has out-of-band axes in the same manner, I'm hoping a Mach3 expert will jump in and answer that.

Craig

2258

General Mach Discussion / Re: plasma on off

« on: July 16, 2019, 07:27:45 AM »

Hi,
whether my opinions are justified or not is probably less important than the question....

Does Mach3 have out-of-band axis/axes?

Craig

2259

General Mach Discussion / Re: plasma on off

« on: July 16, 2019, 06:24:55 AM »

Hi,
in order for a stepper to run it needs a stream of step pulses. If you could pulse an output pin of your controller
fast enough you could make the stepper move, faster the pulse rate the faster the stepper. You will not be able to
pulse an output pin anything like fast enough to make it useful using ordinary means.

If however you connected the step and direction pins (two outputs) of the A axis say, without coupling it to an axis
then the stepper would accelerate, run and stop on command and at commanded speed. If you wanted to run it
simultaneously with the X,Y Z axes then the feedrate  limitation I mentioned comes into play, namely that the feedrate
will be determined by ALL the axes not just your free spinning stepper.

If you want a free spinning stepper that can run at a commanded speed that is set independently from the feedrate
that governs the coordinated motion axes then you need an out of band motor.

I'm not sure whether Mach3 has that functionality but Mach4 does, in fact you can have up to six out of band axes, one
is considered the spindle, so five independent step/direction controlled axes.

Mach3 development stopped six years ago, its so damned buggy, VB is so clunky and slow, the Modbus plugin is a nightmare....
get into Mach4.


Craig

2260

General Mach Discussion / Re: plasma on off

« on: July 16, 2019, 04:58:28 AM »

Hi,
Mach has up to six coordinated axes. If you call a move like:

G1 X10 Y15 Z-5 A270 B90 C60 F100

Then all six axes would move together, the X,Y and Z move linearly but A,B and C rotate and their destination is
A=270 degrees, B=90 degrees and C=60 degrees. All the axes will move at a rate so that they all arrive at their respective
destinations at the same time. Thus some will move fast and some will move more slowly to stay in synchronization.
None of the axes will move faster than 100 units per minute, as per the F word in the command. The axis which has the longest
number of units to travel will travel at 100 units/minute whereas the other axes will move somewhat slower.

If you called two moves:

G1 X 20 Y-10 Z5 F50
G1 A360 F1000

Then the machine would move first with the X,Y,Z axes coordinated at 50 inch/min. When they get there THEN the A axis
will rotate 360 degrees at 1000 degrees/min. Thus you have two different moves being concluded at different
feedrates but you cant have both moves happen simultaneously without defining a feedrate that covers ALL moving axes.

Craig