Topics

31

General Mach Discussion / Spindle speed crossover eliminating

« on: July 16, 2014, 05:26:57 PM »

Mach3 turn 062 .

I have the spindle setup on a spindle v4 card, all working good - however I have some speed crossover. E.g set the spindle at 300rpm and it will read 280, set to 1600 and it will read 1640, with a sweet spot of approx 800 rpm where s800 yields an actual speed of 800 rpm.

Is there any way or something I am missing to get the crossover lower or even eliminated?

Thanks
Rimmel

32

VB and the development of wizards / Tooltable import export and reset macros

« on: July 13, 2014, 09:50:34 AM »

OK after getting cheesed off entering tool tables on my lathe I decided to create a couple of macros that would let me export and import said tool tables.

I got started after reading Keithorr's original post on here from way back in 2008  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,4290.20.html

Files:
Export.txt - exports the tool table to semi colon delimited text file called ToolTable.txt to the C:\Mach3 directory
Reset.txt - resets the Mach3 tool table to default
Import.txt - imports previously created Tooltable.txt file

Usage:
Change the text file names to a valid macro file name e.g. M205.m1s and execute

Bugs/Problems:
There seems to be no facility in Mach3 to read or save the Tip Direction or the Post settings in the macros language.

Also the VB Scripting language in Mach3 does not seem to support the Split() function which was a bit of a headache so I had to mackle together a couple of functions to perform the same action with the functions available. One line of code turned into lots  


They are fairly basic with no error checking to speak of. But they may help someone.

Cheers
Rim

PS theres an extra ";" at the end of each line in the tooltable.txt, leave it in - it was easier to make the code work. I could have fixed it but the extra lines of code didn't seem to warrant it.

33

General Mach Discussion / M6 for lathe different for M6 for Mill?

« on: July 07, 2014, 04:24:56 AM »

Hi, just started played with my Mill.

I have noticed that the Mill with take "M6 T01" to change the tool but the Lathe will only take "M6 T0101".

Is this correct? Is there a reason for it? Or am I doing something wrong/missed something?

thanks
Rim

34

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 ACPI and windows 7 - maybe helpful information

« on: June 22, 2014, 06:55:11 AM »

Hi, got a Denford Milling machine converted to Mach3, it was running on an AMD desktop but had all sorts of issues with the LPT port. So I was scouting around for an old XP compatible machine when I came across a Dual Core laptop in the cupboard. It has Windows 7 installed on it - so I thought what the hell I'll give a try.

I disabled all non essential services/updates mechanisms, setting the power plan to High performance, disabling sound card etc and initially things went OK. Then after 15 - 20 minutes of starting I would lose control of the Z, Y and A axis. Strangely the X axis was unaffected. This happened 100% of the time.

On many newer (win7 era) laptops and desktops for that matter you cannot disable ACPI in the BIOS (this laptop included) so that wasn't an option - I was just about to give up on it and I read that other people (not mach3 related) who were suffering latency problems whilst gaming disabled the ACPI Battery and their problems went away..

I tried this and haven't had a single problem since. That was 2 days ago and the machine has been running a test program almost 24/7.

It may help someone.

cheers
Rim

35

General Mach Discussion / Mach Mill best version

« on: June 16, 2014, 09:24:38 AM »

I am running a Denford mill with ATC - could some kind gent tell me the best version of mach for a Miller please?

e.g. I was using 066 for the lathe and found out it wasn't good for lathe use, Hood advised 062 and haven't looked back.

So are there any versions to steer clear of?

thanks
Rim

36

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 OD Taper wizard

« on: June 10, 2014, 09:18:07 AM »

The OD taper wizard seems to assume that the taper is always on the end - e.g. it overshoots on the center.

I am trying to make this shape (see pic) any ideas?

37

General Mach Discussion / Ignoring feed bug or me got it wrong?

« on: June 02, 2014, 04:23:26 PM »

Using latest version 3.043.066.

I am in Metric mode and feed is set to mm/min, CSS.

When I start a program the feed g-code command is ignored, and if I go to the manual screen the feed commands commands are ignored.

e.g. if the feed is set to 6.0 (default on startup) on the manual screen and I type F75.0, nothing changes. It's not the keyboard because if I type S800 then the screen setting changes to 800. Everything else works.

So after a bit of messing around I found that if I set the feed to anything below 1 then it suddenly springs to life and then I can set the feed to 75.

So:
F0.50
F75.0

works!

The same in g-code programs - if at the top I put F0.50 then the code then reads the feed commands, if i don't it ignores them.

A I doing something wrong or is it a known bug?

thanks

  
 

38

General Mach Discussion / EMI Filter wiring recommendations please (for VFD)

« on: May 30, 2014, 07:29:19 AM »

Hi just got a couple of EMI filters from www.soigeneris.com - nice quality.

However looking at them they have 3 inputs (Live, Neutral and Earth) but only a Live and Neutral output.

Any ideas what is the best way to wire the Earth? I have googled and it is suggested that the output should be looped from the input and then others where you should do this but put ferrite rings in the Earth.

e.g.
http://vk3kid.org/?page_id=1725

Any help appreciated.

thanks

39

General Mach Discussion / Softlimits warning... read other posts still stuck.

« on: May 28, 2014, 06:40:48 AM »

Hi, I have a soft limits warning on every single program I run. The program does run fine though.

Background: The lathe Z axis homes to the right of the machine and the X axis homes to the front of the machine on limit/homing switches.

X travel from front (home) to back is 185mm.
Z travel from right (home) to left (spindle) is 444mm.

I have included a screenshot of the homing limits and also the warning screen I get. I have read other Soft limits warning threads but can't see the problem.

Simple G-code:
G18 G21 G64 G80 G90 G40 G49 G94
M6 T0404
M0 ( TOOL 04 )
S750
F25
M3
G4 P0.1
M8
G4 P5
( Start Spring cut 01 )
G0 Z-23.14
G0 X10.5
G1 X5.8
G0 X10.5
( End Spring cut 01 )
( Start Spring cut 02 )
G0 Z-25.64
G1 X5.7
G1 Z-23.14
G1 Z-23.4 X6.0
G0 X10.5
( End Spring cut 02 )
( Part Off )
G0 Z-28.14
G1 X0.0
G0 Z50
G0 X50
M5
M9
M30

Any help appreciated

40

SmoothStepper USB / ESS starting spindle kills my USB mouse and keyboard

« on: May 20, 2014, 12:42:59 PM »

Right a bit of background - got a perfectly well working lathe with a Uniport V3 and v3 spindle card. I have been using it with a UC100 and all is well except a bit of back lash on the x axis. The Mach3 backlash does not seem to work once I have homed the machine   I also had the machine running directly from the parallel port with no problems - just a lower speed.

So looking at it all i had to do was swap over the UC100 and connect up the ESS (obviously adding the ethernet and a 5v supply) -

All went well and the z axis is - great, x axis - great, suds pump - great, then spindle - NOTHING. so went into the config and set the spindle t0 step/dir mode in 5 us mode (same as mach3). Then tried the spindle again - YAY it works, however when the spindle starts the mouse and keyboard lock up. This sort of makes using it in my mach 3 a bit useless. I have to hit an estop then wait 15 - 30 seconds to get the mouse and keyboard back.

WinXP sp3 dual core 2gig ram. Latest version of mach3 from the main site and version ESS_v10h2d1a of the ess plugin.

I have tried all sorts of settings.

Help please...........  

thanks
Rim

PS just double checked and it physically knocks out the USB - e.g the lights go out on the mouse and keyboard.