Topics

11

Building or Buying a Wood routing table.. Beginnners guide.. / Building or buying, an operator control panel ?

« on: October 23, 2013, 10:46:51 AM »

Dear all.

I really don't know what to decide ;-)

Initially I planned to design and build my own control panel.
Green, yellow, red push button with integrated Light. (17x17mm in size)
MPG wheel, and rotary switches for Feed, jog override...
4x20 LCD panel for feeds and speeds DRO


However i can also find "Ready made" control panels from PoKeys and CNC4PC
But, I'm missing som key function, like "Ignore Tool change", Zero XYZ,
Touch probe, and some other functions.

And, these ready made panels, have functions that I never come to use.
"Learn" is one of them.

Regarding price, I think it wil be approx. samesame....

What have you done ?, what would you do different ?
Should it be a combo of the PoKeys 48key panel + my own buttons for my customization ?
Please give me the best of your experience..... show and tell what you have done......
using the std. mach screen, different combos, what works for you....

I'm using the machine in my garage for wood routing, and light alu-milling.
So of course the panel must be 'perfect' ;-)

Best Regards, Bo Andersen.
Hoping to gain more knowlegde.

12

PoKeys / Possible glitch in MACH3 plugin, with LCD panel attached.

« on: October 23, 2013, 10:34:58 AM »

Dear All.
Have a PoKeys56U, hooked up to a Parrallel 2x16 LCD panel. (And nothing else)

Line 1, Column 1: Does not seem to be updated when running/configured via MACH3 plugin.

The char is kept in the same state, regardless of what is input, either User input or DRO input.

Have checked with the Pokeys software 'LCD test' and here it updates just fine.

Can anybody confirm this ?

Best Regards, Bo Andersen.

13

PoKeys / How to setup rotary encoder as MPG ?

« on: October 14, 2013, 11:11:18 PM »

Dear all.
PoKeys 56U, MACH3 plugin, all works like a charm.
Not using the PulseEngine, this runs via. 2x Parallel Ports

I have setup a rotary encoder on pins 1+2, and the encoder function works.
Have tried on different DROs

1) Where/How do I set it to control movement of the selected Axis (MPG mode)
Right now I can only select "Step" and "Cont." jog modes and not "MPG"

2) Is there a DoButton function that acts as the "Shift key" aka.  enable Rapid Jog override ?

Best Regards, Bo Andersen.

14

General Mach Discussion / How to edit/add keyboard shortcuts for "Button Scripts" ?

« on: September 29, 2013, 03:10:00 PM »

Dear Forum.
I'm running the Big-Tex Blue Screen set.
Where some customized appears: "Initial Zero Setup" and "Tool change zero"
I would like to add some keyboard shortcuts for those as minimum, but also for other function.

Is that possible ? and how do i get started ?

Further I'm looking at the PoKeys56U, the idea is to have a custom controlbox wired to PoKeys, and run some of the scripts.
Will I need above shortcuts be needed for that, or is there a "DoButton" command for the scripts ?

Best Regards, Bo Andersen.

15

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / G41 and profiling gives rounded corners with "Exact stop" ?

« on: July 02, 2013, 03:05:33 PM »

Hi All.
Rather newbie to Mach3, and G-code.

Hand coded below:
Idea is to profile a 50x50 square, using climb mill, and G41 tool offset.
While doing so the toolpath is correct but rounds the corner with same Radius as the cutter.
Have tried:
Change settings to "Exact stop"
Add G61 to the init code
all gives rounded corners ?

If i change tool cutter radius to 0, I get sharp corners.

Code: [Select]

M06 T01 (Tool change #1)
G41 P5 (Left tool compensation, Radius = 5)
M03 s27000 M08 (SPINDLE AND FLOOD ON)
G00 x-5.0 y0.0 z0.0
G01 X0.0 F500.0
Z-1.0
Y50.0
x50.0
Y0.0
X0.0
G00 Z50.0
G40

M00

Where did I go wrong ?
Best Regards, Bo Andersen.

16

Mach Screens / Help: Laser zero, travels incorrect distance. (Big-Tex screen)

« on: June 09, 2013, 01:33:56 PM »

Dear All.
(Warning: Newbie)
I'm running the latest MACH3 version and using the Big-Tex blue screen set for probing.

Now. I'm using a USB-endoscope (webcam) to zero in on my work piece.
In the "Settings tab" in enter the "Laser offset" fx. X=10, Y=10
Back on the "Program Run" tab, i click on the "Laser Zero" button, and expect the Y and X axis to travel 10 units (mm i my case)

However: X travel 6.1275 and Y travels 0.41something. ??

I have tried saving, changed back to normal screenset, which also states correct offset, back again, open/close, reboot.
It somply dosen't care about what i enter as offset.

The axis are calibrated, and moves correct via MPG / G-code.

Any suggestion ?