Messages

51

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3.00 problems

« on: January 02, 2008, 07:58:17 PM »

I downloaded and installed 3.00 and I have been having some problems:
I am running on XP-Pro on a recent and fast computer and a Taig Micromill DSLS 3000.  The G-code worked previously and after reinstalling 2.58 all was OK again.  #2 & #3 are repeatable problems; I only tried the installation once.

1.   Upgrading previous versions has worked just fine by installing it in the Mach 3 folder.  This time some of the pin configurations were changed and of course it took a while to realize what had happened.
2.   On a rapid move of a couple of inches, it tried to accelerate too fast and it got out of sync after about half an inch.  It is not a speed problem since it never had time to get up any speed.
3.   The feed rate override control quit working in the middle of the program.  I had it set to 200% and it worked fine cutting pockets and then halfway through the program it drops the actual federate to 100% although the screen says 200%.
Bertho

52

LazyCam (Beta) / Layer-Chains out of sync

« on: January 02, 2008, 08:47:48 AM »

I have a DXF file with 7 rectangular cutouts with radiused corners.  It imports OK and I clean and optimize.  All looks good so far.  I then offset each one identically inside and it create 7 new layers: Offset2, Offset2, Offset3, Offset4 Offset5, Offset6, Offset7.  Note dual Offset2.

The first Offset2 lights up the cutting path when selected by clicking on it in the left panel.  Clicking on the associated chain under that layer lights up another layer’s chain! 

Under the second Offset2 there is no layer!

Am I overlooking something obvious or is this a bug and if so, how do I work around it?
TIA
Bertho

53

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Insects

« on: January 02, 2008, 07:50:40 AM »

It would be very useful and a great timesaver if known problems are officially listed in a sticky post.  If there are known workarounds, they ought to be included in the same spot.

There can also be a list of suspected but not verified problems.  In that case users can submit samples and information to help define the possible problem.

A bug list is not something negative.  The little insects always exists, especially on fast developing programs that are frequently updated with more features.
Keep up the great work!
Bertho

54

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: LazyCAM Beta- Pro installation

« on: January 02, 2008, 07:39:26 AM »

Thanks Chip & Paul,
I got it working after copying the License.dat file to the Mach 3 directory.
I think the previous versions had a note in the "About" section how to upgrade and I kept looking for it.  If I am mistaken, it would be a good thing to add there.
As usual: Operator problems!
Bertho

55

LazyCam (Beta) / LazyCAM Beta- Pro installation

« on: January 01, 2008, 11:00:11 PM »

I downloaded the LazyCAM 3.00 and installed it on my office computer and it worked fine.  I looked all over and I cannot find the option to enter my PRO registration code.  I gave up and then on the workshop computer downloaded the full MACH3 and it installed Mach3 and optionally LazyCAM.  That version recognized my Pro registration code so all is well there.

Now, how can I install just the LazyCAM Pro version on my desktop?  I do not want to install Mach3 since it will never be used there and I cannot find an installable LazyCAM 3.00 Pro version.
TIA
Bertho
M Beta- Pro installation

56

LazyCam (Beta) / Insects

« on: January 01, 2008, 10:47:53 PM »

Is there a list of known problems and suspected ones?  I hate to go through verifying and documenting a problem if it is already known.  Here are a few that I have noticed in the latest version:

1.   If a DXF file is open in AutoCAD, there is no error message except it says no chains loaded.  It ought to explain why.  It took me long time to figure out what was wrong.  Regardless, it ought to open the file since there is no conflict that LazyCAM will try to write data to an open file.

2.   Offsetting sometimes happens outside even though I specify inside.

3.   Clicking on a chain and selecting it and then hitting the delete key often does not work.  I have to deselect the chain and then select it again and then it finally works as expected.
Bertho

57

General Mach Discussion / Re: Accurate homing

« on: August 22, 2007, 11:08:31 PM »

I tested opto-interrupters.  It turns out that they are amazingly accurate.  See:

http://www.vinland.com/Opto-Interrupter.html
Bertho

58

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Latest Vers of LazyCam?

« on: August 22, 2007, 10:35:42 PM »

Now I am confused:  Current version is listed as 2.02 but I have 2.076 downloaded in June.
What is happening?
TIA
Bertho

59

LazyCam (Beta) / List of problems & bugs

« on: June 25, 2007, 02:29:12 AM »

It would be a very big timesaver for a lot of people if we had a "sticky" list
with known limitations, problems, and bugs.

Preferably it could be arranged in sections:
Limitations and not yet implemented features
Verified problems
Multiple reported problems but not verified yet
Suspected problems.

It is discouraging to spend a long time fighting with a problem, finally verifying it and
then do a careful write up so it will be easy for Art and Brian to fix if the problem,
and than it turns out that it is an already known problem.

I am not complaining about problems, this is a beta, and even if it wasn’t, problems
happen.  We need to try to be efficient about finding and correcting them.

Here are a few possible problems with the latest download:
Equipment: New fast computer with Win-XP and all updates and LazyCam Pro. 
Also please remember that I am very new with both Mach3 and LazyCam.  I only
tried to use the regular version once before just now switching to the beta.
(The project is a rectangular panel about 75 x 500mm, with 5 milled holes, not pockets, in it)

1.  Selecting the zoom box and then drawing a zooming rectangle, it fails to
zoom to the drawn box size.  The zoom area is approximately twice the size of the drawn box.

2.  Using offsets to allow for the cutter size works except backwards:  I have to select “outside”
to create an inside cutter path.  This was OK on the previous version.

3.  Deleting a chain does not update the outline, which is presumably OK, but creating an offset updates it.

4.  I do not think it is a problem but at least initially it was confusing: There is a fast plunge
depth in the layer menu and there is another one on the post menu.  The two offset add together.

5.  There used to be an option to add opening and closing G-codes in that post menu on the
previous revision and it is missing now or I did not find the option.

6.  I saved a LazyCAM project and then opened it again and it had changed.  A deleted chain came
back and two chains got linked somehow.  Selecting one and the other one also got selected
and I do not know how to split them apart.  I have not tried this last again but the previous
items are repeatable happening.

Comment/ question:
The absolute positions of the holes are critical as referenced to the physical panel which goes
into a fixture with 0/0 set.  If I run the “clean” command it sets the reference to the lower
left which is good.  Since I do not want to cut the outside of the panel since it is already finished,
I remove that outside chain.  If any time later, the Clean” command is used, I will loose the physical
reference of the lower left corner.  I saw a button with something about permanent references
or something but do not know how to use it.

How should I handle this situation?  Now I only clean once before removing that outside chain.

The work piece size and clamping are typically not mentioned in the great videos.  It shows a
workspace that is the full size of the project but not how to fixture it and that often the work
piece is bigger than the final product.

A similar list for Mach3 would also be desirable.
Bertho

60

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange backlash compensation

« on: June 24, 2007, 08:31:08 AM »

Would cutting a circle not also work automatically the same way? 
When one axis changes direction of the movement, for example X, Y is moving at its
highest feed rate while X is basically standing still.  Eventually, there will be a request
for a “microscopic” movement in the other direction of X and at that time the backlash
steps would be added as part of that microscopic move.
Bertho