Messages

2571

General Mach Discussion / Re: CV Control Help For Beginners....

« on: February 07, 2014, 02:30:20 PM »

Ok so is the route to CV nirvana found with the "plasma mode" check box turned off then??

Seems a bit contradictory if so

2572

General Mach Discussion / Re: CV Control Help For Beginners....

« on: February 07, 2014, 10:49:27 AM »

Thanks that seems to be ok.

Why it would work less better with "Plasma Mode" turned on is a bit baffling but as long as its working I'm happy

2573

General Mach Discussion / CV Control Help For Beginners....

« on: February 07, 2014, 08:29:16 AM »

Messing about with my plasma table this morning (no torch yet, just felt tip pen) and i thought as it was a plasma i would flip the "Plasma Mode" checkbox to on?

Anyway as the tests got harder, I noticed it was running very jerky on curves and was not happy at all so i have just flipped "Plasma Mode" off again and all is well again.

Could someone explain what is happening here and what, if anything should be in the "CV Dist Tol" box and "Stop CV on Angles >" box?

Just want to make sure I have every option  I should have ticked and set right while im learning


Thanks

2574

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 & safety devices...

« on: February 06, 2014, 04:44:08 AM »

Yes the enable port is controlled by the breakout board but pC's tend to start up with the parallel port in the wrong configuration and has the plasma torch on etc until mach is running.

The torch is easy as i can wire the torch control through my safety contactor which will also disconnect the PSU for the drive boards, i think thats a safe thing to do. This will leave the BOB and pc powered up but kill the torch and motors.

Is it ok to kill the power to drive boards if they are running or is that not a good strategy??

2575

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 & safety devices...

« on: February 05, 2014, 02:54:25 PM »

Ok thanks, will have to workaround it.

2576

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 & safety devices...

« on: February 05, 2014, 03:46:02 AM »

Apart from the charge pump (which my BOB does not recognise), is there any signal that mach gives out via the BOB that would indicate it is loaded and ready for reset??

Just trying to figure out a decent safety control plan.

2577

General Mach Discussion / Auto Z setting, macro help....

« on: February 03, 2014, 03:35:42 PM »

Can someone tell me what this code would do if placed at the start of the M3 command....

DoOEMButton (1010) 'reset z DRO
Code "G4 P1" 'wait
Code "G31 Z-100 F250" 'probe surface
While isMoving()
Wend
ZprobePos = GetVar(2002) 'get contact point
Code "G0 Z" &ZprobePos 'return to point to remove overshoot
While IsMoving()
Wend
DoOEMButton (1010) 'reset z DRO
Code "G0 Z20" 'remove floating head travel
DoOEMButton (1010) 'reset the z DRO

Would that not probe the surface and leave my Z DRO at zero ready for the M3 command to complete?

This is all theory but I do write VB programs in my day job and it's very similar, what I want is for mach to reference the material surface at the start of EVERY plasma pierce/cut.

Any ideas

Thanks

2578

General Mach Discussion / Re: Floating torch head, how?

« on: February 03, 2014, 01:34:30 PM »

Well I've got the floating head working using the G31 method, can someone explain why this might not be a good idea, or at least tell me where it can go wrong?

It's all embedded into sheetcam post processor and seems to work but where are the pitfalls if any?

Here's what I've been feeding it today...

G31 Z-100 F300 this lowered the head from wherever it was sitting and stopped when the probe switch closed.
G92 Z0 Set offset to zero.
G00 Z20 This moved the head back up by the amount of float head travel I have.
G92 Z0 Set offset to zero.
G00 Z1 This raised the head a further millimetre.

2579

General Mach Discussion / Re: Floating torch head, how?

« on: February 02, 2014, 04:21:12 AM »

Well I've been searching and found some ideas but keep getting conflicting replies, the post processor in sheetcam uses offsets apparently and I have been told these are not good as they remain in place after the job has been run therefore risking messing up the next job etc unless a G92.1 code is issued.

I was told to search for macros but found little that made sense and what I did find seemed to use the same G31 offset coding??

So  I'm getting a bit baffled now, is there a working code that sheetcam can trigger before every cut that will sensibly probe the top of the metal using the floating head switch??

One idea I did have was alter the post processor to insert a G92.1 code after the job finishes??

2580

General Mach Discussion / Re: Floating torch head, how?

« on: February 01, 2014, 09:25:10 AM »

I've had a look at the mach/THC post processor file in sheetcam and it's all laid out ready for a couple of variables to be set and it should ref the top of material at the start and then every 500mm I think. I will look at altering this so it ref's at the start of every pierce as I don't have THC yet and time is of no importance.

If I understand things properly, I connect the head switch to the probe input in mach.

I have also just ordered the full license for mach