Messages

1201

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / another sub-routine problem

« on: July 21, 2007, 07:57:45 AM »

I am running up a g-code program, which involves cutting a shape out of steel, and then machine various rebates in it. The rebates are mostly all the same.

The g-code for the shape is in a subroutine which I call with M98 - and it closes on M99 and returns - the program carries on.
The second rountine is called with the M98 - but when it show up in the g-code box on Mach3 mill, the M99 return code is missing and so the program stops when it gets to there.

M99 is present on all the subroutines in the subroutines folder - but when this one is loaded, it disappears.

Can anybody help, please - I am at a loss to understand this.

1202

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G code subroutines ??

« on: July 20, 2007, 09:17:50 AM »

Thanks Dan - Yes - I ran off at the mouth again. I studied the forum and came up with the answer, but thanks anyway.

1203

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / G code subroutines ??

« on: July 20, 2007, 06:30:31 AM »

Is there any way of doing subroutines in G code - as in computer programming.

I am trying to do a program to cut steel connecting rods for locomotives out of 1/2 inch bar, I have done the outline in G code and tested in. I now want to repeat that as many times as is necessary to cut through the 1/2inch bar. In computer programming the outline cut would be a suroutine and I would call it as many times as necessary, dropping the cutter each time.

I see there is something similar in the canned cycles, for repeat drilling - but does it extend to making your own canned cycle for general use

1204

General Mach Discussion / Re: Near crash

« on: July 20, 2007, 04:56:47 AM »

George - checking lines of code is a bit of a ****. Again all I can say is get the program into an editor and try and paragraph it so that it makes more sense and is easier to find particular parts of the program. Name each paragraph.

The trouble with Lazycam ( and don't get me wrong, I think it is a good program) it doesn't speak English.

As far as the Z -1.0 is concerned, the reason it did that is because that is what it was set at. Identify that point in the program and then trace back and see what the LAST setting for Z was. That is where the trouble lies, because that is where Z will stay. You need to lift Z by putting in another command before the rapid move. Looking at it if you swap lines 55 and 60 it will rapid up and then traverse instead of the other way round.

If you use an editor like WORD, you can use the search facility to quickly identify all the mentions of Z or even identify the Z-0.1 and Z10.
If you change the font colour for them, and you can do this for X and Y as well,  as well as G0 and G1 commands, it will make it much easier to read the printed version of the program and see what is happening if each has a different colour.

It sounds like a bit of a **** but if you do it once, and read through it you will find it is not all goobledygook, but is in a very logical sequence.

1205

General Mach Discussion / Re: Near crash

« on: July 19, 2007, 05:27:06 AM »

If the Z command is the one that lifts the cutter then YES.

You can still use a G0 to lift the cutter.
I try and write my code with the command and the co-ordinates on each line - so I can easily see the co-ordinates the command refers to.
I repeat the command code - so what - at least I can follow what is going on easily without having to remember what the last command was.

G0 Z10.1 - (lift the cutter)(although we don't know what co-ord the cutter was at before)
G0 X225.7769 Y35.6699 (rapid move table - both co-ords move at once if on the same line, all three move if three co-ords)
G1 Z-1.000 F50 (move cutter down 11.1 at the above position at feedrate 50) (assuming +Z is up and -Z is down)
You could put another G0 code in to fast move the cutter down to the workpiece, before doing the G1 cut.

Just think about what you want the machine to do - bit by bit - and write the line of code for that bit.
If you want to make it simple, like programming a computer, write each line in English first, then run through it again, filling in the appropriate lines of code from your cribsheet.

e.g Lift cutter to safe height.
      Fast move to position B
      Drill hole to depth  at B

Hope this helps - I'm not an expert - but thats how I do it.
I wouldn't worry about your underpants - I got some steel railway wheels (for our miniature railway) cut at a professional machine shop about a month ago.
I took in the appropriate number of blanks - but I should have taken in a couple of extra ones. The first one had chew marks all over where they had forgotten to pull the cutter up !!!  The other favourite is forgetting where the clamps and other bits and pieces are.

Even the experts make mistakes - and some of their stuff weighs 300 Kgs

1206

General Mach Discussion / Re: Set Machine Coordinates in VB or G-code

« on: July 19, 2007, 04:54:06 AM »

I am still learning so pardon me asking - why On Mach3 turn you can jog to a suitable point - usually a known place on your workpiece and then zero the co-ordinates, so the program knows where it is.

I cannot see why you want to introduce co-ordinates from the program, when the table doesn't know where it is

Or are you trying to do a shadow of your original cut merely by moving the start co-ordinates ?? (I just though of that !!)

1207

General Mach Discussion / Re: Soft Limits Stop Short

« on: July 19, 2007, 04:26:30 AM »

Walt -

I think what I would do in the circumstances is use a packing in front of the switch say the 0.1 (or anything really that you can measure with a digital caliper) that the table is stopping short, then move the software limit in by the same amount. See if the fault repeats itself.

If it does it is a software fault, if it doesn't it might be a mecanical fault.  At the ends of my traverses, I have "sticky" bits that are not used a lot, and the steppers sometimes miss a few steps.  It is not too important at the moment, because I am trying to find out the limits of travel, so I'm watching for it, but it will bother me  when I want to set it up properly.


Jim

1208

General Mach Discussion / Re: Soft Limits Stop Short

« on: July 18, 2007, 02:05:07 PM »

This is just a shot in the dark, because I don't really know what I am talking about, but it helps my understanding, if not yours !!!

If it is happening on all the axis, it would seem that Mach 3 is making some sort of adjustment, and it would appear to me that a tool diameter or something similar is being allowed for, or some other safe offset is being introduced.

1209

General Mach Discussion / Re: help

« on: July 18, 2007, 09:14:44 AM »

I have got verbal ****  I will shut up - I have just seen your downloaded motor diagram - forget the above.

1210

General Mach Discussion / Re: help

« on: July 18, 2007, 09:12:08 AM »

False alarm - No I haven't.

The wires shown on my diagram are yellow, blue, purple,, brown, red, black, white and green.
To make the motor bi-polar series then

join yellow to blue and insulate, purple to brown and insulate.

Winding 1 is then the red and black pair, winding 2 is the white and green pair.