Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting up Auto Z Touch Plate

« on: April 28, 2015, 01:29:55 PM »

Ok, that is a start now just a matter of what exactly to hook it up to

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting up Auto Z Touch Plate

« on: April 28, 2015, 01:25:04 PM »

So I am assuming it would connect here somewhere since it is the only area left?

3

General Mach Discussion / Setting up Auto Z Touch Plate

« on: April 28, 2015, 11:27:48 AM »

I bought this auto z touch plate

http://www.cncrouterparts.com/auto-z-touch-plate-instructions-p-291.html

I am not too familiar with the electronics so i am not sure how to hook it up. I am attaching a few pics of inside my electronics cabinet and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash Settings?

« on: January 02, 2015, 12:19:59 PM »

It was at 350 and 12. Now I am at i think 262.5 and 9. I have some stuff to run later. I will report back and let you know. Also the X is at 400 and 12. Should that be reduced to make it comparable to the Y?

5

General Mach Discussion / Backlash Settings?

« on: January 02, 2015, 09:30:45 AM »

I am not 100% sure that this is what it is but it is what I am thinking. Here is what is happening. I have an Industrial CNC A404 running mach 3. I do not have an auto tool changer. I cut my parts using a 3/8 bit and then I change to my 1/8 bit to drill holes and run the new file. Every time I do that my Y axis seems to be off about 1/8- 3/16. It is almost like after it cuts everything it doesn't come back to the exact same spot I started at so it ends up starting from a slightly different point. This is resulting in holes being drilled in the rong spot. The X axis seems fine though. It is only the Y. I have used a dial indicator and calibrated the machine with the steps per inch. It was pretty much dead on. The machine is about 6 months old and I have had this problem pretty much from day 1. Any suggestions.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help!!

« on: August 11, 2014, 03:31:01 PM »

Some water cooled 3 HP china motor. I don"t think it's the motor. I have done fine line engraving that has come out perfect. I would think it wouldn't if there was an issue with a balance issue in the motor. I only have a problem when the machine is under a load from actually cutting material which keeps taking me back to a flex issue in the structure

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help!!

« on: August 11, 2014, 02:56:57 PM »

As I keep bracing it is improving. Before jogging around was creating a very loud vibration and just turning on the spindle would cause everything to vibrate. Now I can barely hear it jogging around or the spindle running. Even at 24k rpm its extremely quiet. Hopefully eliminating this vibration will have a positive effect on the cutting as well

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help!!

« on: August 11, 2014, 01:25:48 PM »

That's the problem right now. I used to do all this same stuff by hand with jigs and got stellar results. Just takes to long and I can't keep up which is why I bought a machine. If it was an intermittent problem I can possibly understand the computer issue as far as an inconsistency in pulse. It appears that there is extreme vibration though. It seems to be in the machine though not the work piece. I have clamped screwed and glued pieces down and gotten the same results. I have tried different bits, spindle speeds, and feed rates with no change. The y axis isn't bad but the x is horrible which is why I am leaning toward machine. I would think if it was software or computer related it would be on all axis not just consistently on one of them. Rigidity is the only thing I can think of at this point.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help!!

« on: August 11, 2014, 10:13:04 AM »

I paid 10,500 + shipping, + computer + software, etc, etc for this one. I figured I was getting a decent machine but apparently not. The manufacturer is saying it might be my computer not giving a consistent pulse stream. I find it hard to believe that its not mechanical though considering one axis is way worse than the other.

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Please Help!!

« on: August 11, 2014, 08:20:59 AM »

Thanks guys. I am leaning toward machine flex. All the steel on this machine has no corner braces. For example where the spindle is mounted is a vertical 3/4 inch steel plate and then a horizontal 3/4 inch steel plate bolted together creating an "L" shape. Now i am no professional as far as cnc machines go but I have been in the building and construction industry all my life. Basically it doesn't matter how thick the steel is the only support you are getting is from the bolts. The gantry is the same. There are just vertical 1 inch steel plates bolted to the gantry beam. With me putting a very small amount of pressure on it I can cause it to flex. I would think a precision machine should be a little sturdier than that. I am going to try adding some corer braces and I will update. Unfortunately I am just going to have to bolt them in right now due to my small mig not being able to weld steel that thick but I am sure if that is the cause I should see some improvement and if so I will have some strong and thick gusset plates welded in. Any thoughts on this would be great. Thanks again!