Messages

771

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed rate changes.

« on: January 18, 2017, 06:36:45 AM »

That is feed-rate override - when code is running you can click the +/- buttons to override the rate set in the code file, also described as FRO.

Its useful if things are not cutting well as you can adjust the feed to find a better speed then use that speed in future code files etc

772

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed rate changes.

« on: January 18, 2017, 03:13:50 AM »

feed rate is generally set in the g-code file with the "F" parameter.

you can use the MDI (manual data input) line to enter a feed rate - to set 1000mm/min click on the MDI line and type F1000 then press enter.

It has no effect on jogging though.

773

General Mach Discussion / Re: only one of the Y motors is malfunctioning

« on: January 15, 2017, 09:51:12 AM »

No direct help I'm afraid but generally when paralleling motors its best to have two drives and two channels on the breakout board, usually the A channel is slaved with X or Y as needed. This keeps full pulse signal strength for each channel and no chance of interaction.

Do you have a spare channel on your BOB ?

774

General Mach Discussion / Re: G28.1 plasma touch off issue

« on: January 12, 2017, 04:21:07 PM »

Its just a useful way of setting/testing the touch-off system and also checking its repeatability, it should run over and over without fault

In ports and pins is the Probe input set as the same pin as Z home by any chance??

775

General Mach Discussion / Re: G28.1 plasma touch off issue

« on: January 12, 2017, 10:43:23 AM »

I would make up a little g-code file, in it place just the homing routine so g28.1, zero, move to a height and so on.

Then place a flat surface on the machine, probe it by running the code and each time watch what occurs, i use this on my plasma to set the switch offset after maintenance/repair etc, it just does a probe / position each time i press start - no X / Y move at all.

I have the routine move to 1mm height each time and use a feeler gauge to verify it, if its off i adjust the switch offset and repeat.

776

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 transfer to another computer

« on: January 12, 2017, 10:34:57 AM »

You need to get a copy of your Mach 3 folder onto a USB stick etc first.

Then set the new machine up, install Mach3, do the port test if using PP, install any custom drivers for controllers, joysticks and so on.

Now i just copy the Mach3 folder form USB and place it over the top of the new install, this will copy your settings, macros etc.

Create a new desktop shortcut if needed and should be good to go.

If using Ethernet smoothstepper controller or UC100/300 etc then these will need installing before copying over your old data.

This is on XP systems, i'm not sure if the newer Win7 setups are so easy.

777

General Mach Discussion / Re: G28.1 plasma touch off issue

« on: January 11, 2017, 03:24:38 PM »

Thats odd, when you use G28.1 it uses the home switch, when you use G31 it uses the Digitize or probe switch - neither use both ??

The G31 has got a travel limit parameter but not the G28.1 AFIK, just an axis and speed parameter at which it should move until the home switch is hit. G28.1 can be told to only move say 100mm regardless of the probe switch activating.

778

General Mach Discussion / Re: G28.1 plasma touch off issue

« on: January 11, 2017, 02:24:17 AM »

Sounds like it might be an issue with the touch-off sensor or switch, i guess it has a floating head and uses the torch to sense plate height?

Could be a switch failing or full of plasma muck or a loose/broken wire.

The thing that makes me feel its not the PC is the random part.

779

General Mach Discussion / Re: Auto stop on spindle overload.

« on: January 10, 2017, 09:37:31 AM »

I'm always of the school of thought that "if it can go wrong, it will" so i'm with the OP here and would certainly link a stop in to Mach somehow to stop ploughing the tool into a non-moving workpiece. No matter how good the users knowledge is, safety-nets to me are just basic machine design and should be fitted.

Just my 2p

780

General Mach Discussion / Re: Constant Velocity settings worked out ... I think

« on: January 10, 2017, 09:33:05 AM »

Error tolerance of course is job based, so it really throws out the concept of "load GCode
and run it" being the best you can do for a job. Carefull consideration of feedrates in various sections of code always seemed the best route.

It certainly is more complex than i imagined

The job i had is one i do repeats of occasionally, it has long straights and some very small sharp details here and there, Its in aluminium so i use the high speed spindle and rough out with a 5mm tool then drop to a 2mm tool for details - this is fine as the sharp internal corners are made by "dog-boning" the corner so it will accept a square part. When the machine was not following the path Mach ignored the dog-bone completely and instead just made an odd shaped radius which was less than useful

Its working now but i only fixed it by upping acceleration - cuts well now but feels less than happy about the sudden and very frequent direction changes. Not having low friction linear ways does not help either as there is a fair bit of friction in dove-tail ways/slides.