Messages

1141

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tweaking the Tool-Change...

« on: September 21, 2016, 01:28:46 PM »

Nice idea.

Normally it would go to a park position, but after running a few jobs I realised that could be dangerous - having a tool in the spindle and going to machine zero as the code did once would have been fatal as i have a large vise bolted near the machine home area.

Then there was the custom G28 position - tried that and it was better but still could send the table in a direction that would cause bad things to happen if, as i did this weekend, have a large lump of metal overhanging the rear of table - it would have just mashed it into the rear column

So, the best option is to just do nothing - turn the spindle off and let me jog it where i know it is safe and then change the tool

I have modified the M06 start to simply raise the Z and stop.

The M06End now has a probing routine in it, it knows where the last position was so it can return there, what the last feed was etc, it should probe, warn me to remove the plate, rapid to the last position, restart the cycle.

Will test it out soon (on some dummy tools )

1142

General Mach Discussion / Re: Does this product exist?

« on: September 21, 2016, 10:11:32 AM »

Thats quite a neat idea, i have no idea how accurate the trigger repeatability is for the proxy though - may not be good enough. I have a load of that stuff here so might be easy to test.

1143

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tweaking the Tool-Change...

« on: September 21, 2016, 07:34:08 AM »

Ok, yes, that mod works much better, safer too I have no idea if the rest of the remaining code has any operational effect now but I'll leave it where it is.

Next - when Mach hits an M06 and gets to the "Press cycle start to continue.." point (manual tool change), is it possible, ok or unwise to run another macro?

I'm working on smoothing out the tool change on my aux spindle (no fixed height tooling), but is it possible to run a Z probe routine while at the above point in the M06 cycle???

I have been advised by a learned chap to simply create the g-code one file per tool, but that seems a little kludgy having been using the excellent semi-auto setup on the 2010 screen-set

1144

General Mach Discussion / Re: Does this product exist?

« on: September 21, 2016, 05:29:06 AM »

Hmm, seems they shelved it - i cant find it if it is out there

1145

General Mach Discussion / Does this product exist?

« on: September 21, 2016, 03:20:54 AM »

If not, the idea was mine....

Having seen the carnage caused by the failure of a Z-probing routine for tool height a couple of times now, I was thinking if there was a probe plate on the market that was spring loaded - heavy springs will be needed, had the top surface as the normal probe plate and then as the springs compressed due to a failure of some sort, the extra movement triggered an e-stop?

Having heavy springs will make it appear as a solid to the probe routine, but still be able to compress and hit the e-stop.

Just wondering 

1146

General Mach Discussion / Re: Axis calibration precise but inconsistent

« on: September 21, 2016, 02:11:47 AM »

If your movements are good, the difference is probably a code problem, put some code up and show what is wrong with it.

Also, what happens when you try a square? Is the issue related only to circles?

1147

General Mach Discussion / Re: how to configure the estop?

« on: September 20, 2016, 08:43:20 AM »

Go Ports & Pins -> Inputs

Check that Emergency stop is not emulated and also that it is enabled

1148

General Mach Discussion / Re: how to configure the estop?

« on: September 20, 2016, 05:45:20 AM »

does mach go into reset when you trigger the e-stop?

1149

General Mach Discussion / Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?

« on: September 19, 2016, 02:20:38 PM »

New spindle arrived today, did it fit my 3d designed and cnc machined quill clamp?

Damn right it did, fitted like a glove 

Setup the VFD - totally different than the mini-mill, the CSMIO seems to be far better and with spindle pulleys at std setup - 0-24,000 rpm it matched speed 100%, no messing no fuss.

Just got to finish machining the sub-table now, could have got it done at the weekend if i didn't bend the probe on my Haimer  and no, I didn't remember to order a spare tip 

Got two on the way to me now though, lesson learnt.

In the above post, i mentioned being able to set the feed rate and retract when tapping with the TapMatic head - This was wrong, the post calculates all the settings based upon the tap pitch chosen in the tool library - much easier, I just need to get the actual speed as close to selected speed as possible.

1150

General Mach Discussion / Re: External EStop Requested - These random estop's are killing me!

« on: September 19, 2016, 07:15:11 AM »

Try this if possible, run the supply to the VFD from a socket in another room or many feet away.

Any decent extension cable will do it, then repeat the air-cut test.

What sort of limit switches have you got, a dodgy limit switch or lose wire on a N/C limit loop can throw an e-stop.