Messages

281

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 12:16:40 PM »

Well, sort of yes but no

I am using a MAC laptop running parallels and the Win7 is a virtual machine so yes its a mac keyboard but in windows mode

Anyway, just tried the code and it gets further but still freaked out, I added a G90 before the probe surface sub and that helped a lot.

Now it seems to have direction issues  - it will probe like this -  fast Y+, slow Y+, then instead of reversing it will jump Y+ instead of switching to Y-

Baffling

I tried increasing all the Sleep() to 200 from 50, no change

it works on your setup? Even more baffling.

I was unsure if it needed 0-variable to get a negative instead of just -variable maybe that is an issue, maybe it just sucks 100%

282

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 11:46:19 AM »

Interesting, thanks

I'm not sure which keyboard is doing that, maybe the laptop.

Off out to retry the code.......

283

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 11:25:27 AM »

ok tryed to run your posted code.
gave me scripter Compiler error:


Sleep(250) ’***Needed or UserDRO's fail to update

changed it to:


Sleep(250) '***Needed or UserDRO's fail to update

then it run fine on V022 and V066

Thomas

Hi

what was changed here??

284

General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing switches - optical?

« on: April 11, 2018, 09:47:21 AM »

Plenty options - very common

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-LJ12A3-4-Z-BX-Inductive-Proximity-Sensor-Detection-Switch-NPN-DC6-36V-4mm/122206045078?hash=item1c740c4396:g:hJkAAOSwdzVXuulS

for example.

need to choose NPN, PNP etc as needed.

Is this on a stepper drive machine?

285

General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing switches - optical?

« on: April 11, 2018, 09:22:21 AM »

I would go for inductive proximity sensors myself, pretty accurate if setup right and not so prone to dust/swarf etc as optical

286

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 09:20:02 AM »

Thanks Rich,

I'm not too automated but I know what i want (what i really really want) and its just not giving it to me

I am fairly customised though.

I use the 2010 screen set and have added buttons and DRO's to that to suit my wants, I have an off-machine tool setter with on-screen DRO and a button that loads the reading into the tool table - pretty essential for me.

I have the file load routine comment out all G43 H.. lines as my M6 macros pass the tool length to the knee (C) axis at tool change, read from the tool table, essential.

The probing, I wanted to use the screen wizard for 2010 which is nice and all macro controlled. I want edge probe, surface probe, pocket probe, outside faces probe & centre etc.

Just getting a bit vexed now as i seem to have reached the limits for Mach3 - it keeps fighting back now which to me is a sign that it does not want to play any further.

287

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 07:54:01 AM »

It is connected with soft limits - turn them OFF and you can do a simple, single axis G31 routine.

Try and do a two-axis and on the second axis G31 you get a “probe ignored” error and it fails.

Absolutely broken I think, not only is it linked to soft limits for an unknown reason, it crashes if you try more than one axis.

So, clearly its not going to play, I have been reading a lot today and theres historic ‘net content stating G31 and M31 are broken on all but a few setups - needs version 022 of Mach which i cant use as my screen set fails on it - too old, there is a lot of non-probing people out there

A few have ditched CSLABS kit and gone UC300eth etc

A few have ditched due to poor/rude customer support

I just don’t know now, what to do, I have a probe i cant use, an unreliable setup and so on - any suggestions??

288

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 03:16:55 AM »

HI

Code below, simple Y+ edge detect.

Yes its usually Wojtek that eventually replies but the delay is terrible - this kit is not cheap stuff after all, probably the most expensive DIY controllers out there. I have been looking at their new SimCNC software but with this level of support it could take years to get a solution running

I cant install v022 that CSL recommend as theres an internal Mach bug that breaks my 2010 screen set, plus a few other issues i think.

Dave

Code: [Select]

Sub Main()
'***Y+ Probing Macro
'***Written by and for DD Metal Products Ltd 2018
'***Metric units only in use
'***Using CSLABS Controller M31 macro code
'***Axis scaling not expected or handled
'***Probe offset must be calibrated at "Slow Feedrate" value and set in "Probe Tip Dia" DRO first
'***Probe Z axis position is set by user first to correct height
'***Probe Y position must be within the value set in "Max Distance" DRO

Dim FeedFast, FeedSlow
Dim ProbeOffset
Dim MaxDistance
Dim X_SENSE
Dim Y_SENSE
Dim Z_SENSE
Dim CurrentAbsInc

'***Load Variables From Screen DRO's
FeedFast = GetUserDRO(1821)
FeedSlow = GetUserDRO(1822)
MaxDistance = GetUserDRO(1823)
ProbeOffset = GetUserDRO(1829)

'***Error checks
If GetOemLed(16)<>0 Then '***Check for machine coordinates setting
  Message "Please Change To Working Coordinates"
  Exit Sub
End If

If GetOemLed(825)<>0 Then '***Probe is not connected or cable broken
  Message "Probe Connection Error"
  Exit Sub
End If

'***Get the current G90/G91 state
CurrentAbsInc = GetOemLED(48)   

'***Start Probing
Message "Probing In Y+ Direction"
Sleep (1000)

Code "F" & Feedfast

SetUserDRO(1511, 0) '***X Axis
SetUserDRO(1512, MaxDistance) '***Y Axis
SetUserDRO(1513, 0) '***Z Axis

Call ProbeSurface()

X_SENSE = GetVar(2000)
Y_SENSE = GetVar(2001)
Z_SENSE = GetVar(2002)

Code "G91 G0 Y-3" '***Step back
While IsMoving()
  Sleep(50)
Wend

Code "F" & FeedSlow

SetUserDRO(1511, 0) '***X Axis
SetUserDRO(1512, 5) '***Y Axis - Must be within 5mm of travel
SetUserDRO(1513, 0) '***Z Axis

Call ProbeSurface()

X_SENSE = GetVar(2000)
Y_SENSE = GetVar(2001)
Z_SENSE = GetVar(2002)

'***Step back to release the probe
Code "G91 G0 Y-5"
While IsMoving()
  Sleep(50)
Wend

'***Raise the spindle to clear part
Code "G91 G0 Z10"
While IsMoving()
  Sleep(50)
Wend

'***Move Y axis to edge and zero the DRO
Code "G90 G0 Y" & Y_SENSE + ProbeOffset
While IsMoving()
  Sleep(50)
Wend
SetOemDRO(801,0)

'***Retract the spindle fully
Code "G53 G0 Z0"
While IsMoving()
  Sleep(50)
Wend

'***If G91 was in effect before then return to it
If CurrentAbsInc = 0 Then
  Code "G91"
Else
  Code "G90"
End If

Message "Y+ Probing Complete"

End Sub




Sub ProbeSurface()

Sleep(250)’***Needed or UserDRO's fail to update

NotifyPlugins(10103)

SetUserDRO(1510, 0)
While(GetUserDRO(1510) = 0)
  Sleep(50)
  NotifyPlugins(10104)
Wend

If(GetUserDRO(1510) = 2) Then '***Probing error - no detection in distance = abort
  Message "Probing Error - No Surface Found"
  End
End If

End Sub       


289

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 11, 2018, 02:02:19 AM »

hi

Yes, but no - I used the exact M31 code but put it inline with my own macro so i didn't need to risk calling a macro from within a macro:)

It worked a couple of times, then i tried another macro which had the compile error despite being ok, it then just started ignoring the motion and as soon as you issued a M31 it just said move finished with probe being hit and then faulted out on the retract G91 move after.

Now it won't run at all even after a full reboot a day later.

I did ask CS labs but their support is terrible.

290

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probing - what would i need?

« on: April 10, 2018, 04:39:20 PM »

Well, things have not progressed well.

I did get a probe routine to run, twice, then a scripter compile error.

The next macro i tried just did nothing, now if i try G31 probing, it thinks the machine is not referenced home and goes into reset.

G31 causes no motion at all - the message line thinks the probe finished without contact.

Not sure how to fix this really, something has broken the probing calls within the CS labs controller plugin i guess.

Seems there are a few horror stories on the 'net re CS labs & Mach3 & probing but nothing definite as usual, I can't downgrade to 028 as they say because IIRC rigid tapping does not work in the version.

Is there a way to fix probing or is the start of the end for me and Mach3???