Messages

891

General Mach Discussion / Re: 6axis screen, default X-Z plane, default feedrate problem

« on: February 21, 2008, 11:38:26 AM »

The active plane is set under General Config.

As far as I know, under Mach 3, the maximum feedrate - i.e. G0, is set when you set up your axis motors. What you set there becomes your maximum feedrate. If you want to slow it, then you need a G1 F*** command.

892

General Mach Discussion / Re: siemens 6sc610 drive

« on: February 21, 2008, 11:34:44 AM »

If you Google the drive, there are a couple of repair firms that come up listing this drive in the UK.

A telephone call to them might help you.

893

General Mach Discussion / Re: How to use sensors in Mach3 ?

« on: February 21, 2008, 04:41:56 AM »

Or do you mean a failsafe switch - where you have to hold the switch down (or up) to make the machine work

894

General Mach Discussion / Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?

« on: February 19, 2008, 07:17:41 AM »

I bought a camera at Christmas, but when I set it up, it will work on "My Computer". Unfortunately when I try the video window n Mach3, it says "unable to start camera" or something similar.

I seem to have the right drivers - what am I missing

895

General Mach Discussion / Re: Prices for one-on-one phone tech support.

« on: February 17, 2008, 12:03:35 PM »

Brett - Whilst I don't necessarily agree with Drew, I can see that there will be Mach 3 users to whom a failure in their system will lead to serious financial loss to them, whereas I, as a hobby type user, can afford to wait for a result.

It seems to me you should offer several levels of support - speed apparently being of the essence, and, having purchased one of these levels of support, we can ring in and, perhaps, quote a code. Whem you are analysing the first calls, the code then gives you the order in which to answer.

It may be, on some days, the 5 cent option gets the 100 dollar service, because there are no other calls. On other days, everybody has to be strictly dealt with on the basis that, as Drew says, those who pay most get the fastest service.

To my mind, a premium payment initially - which gets you the "speed" code, but after that I think a standard charge for the actual time used for the problem. My problem might be just as important "to me" as Drews is to him. He pays a premium, therefore gets the first service, I dont, therefore have to take pot luck. After that everybody pays the same for your expertise.

This, I think, is fair and understandable to everybody.

896

General Mach Discussion / Re: Angular short rotation on G0 question??

« on: February 13, 2008, 02:44:22 PM »

The answer is yes - if you check it out on an unconected PC. I haven't had a real play with it, but on G90 it goes the shortest way to the required position. On G91 the move is incremental to the posiition you are at so moves in the 0 - 180 bracket move you forward, moves in the 180 to 360 bracket move you in reverse. However - say you are at 10 degrees - G0 A10 moves you to 20, G0 A350 moves you to 0.

Is there something deep in that - or could you just use G0 A-10 instead

897

General Mach Discussion / Re: G68 and feedhold problem

« on: February 13, 2008, 02:14:25 PM »

G68 is co-ordinate system rotation - whatever that is. What are you trying to do.

Other prople have difficulty with G68 - if you google  "G Code G68"

I cannot see the relevance of the M4 command (reverse rotation of spindle) either, before the M1
You can use M30 without the prceeding M0

898

General Mach Discussion / Re: Laser Crosshair

« on: February 13, 2008, 01:36:12 PM »

I am also using a laser to align the lathe. Basically I need three references.  1) The lathe centre in relation to my front tool post - so that I can reference all my tooling to it.2) Positions for two drilling posts, mounted on the cross slide - to take the place of the tailstock, so that I can centre drill, and drill holes in the work peice from within a G-Code program.

I am using a laser mounted on the cross slide, shining parallel to the lathe bed to three Osram detectors mounted near the headstock. The idea is the cross slide will move across until the laser shines on one of the detectors, and stops - in exactly the right position.

I see no problem in incorporating the "homing" program in this. It is already written and set up. I have tried it, albeit with microswitches and it works well. Even using cheap micro-switches it was accurate to less that a thou. My idea is to write a macro - using absolute addresses, to bring the cross slide near to where I know it should stop, and then use the homing program to complete the movement the theory being the movement will be all in the same direction and since it uses the same program, will al be to the same accuracy.

The laser came today - watch this space.

Just as a by-word. I gave up with the micro switches, because if I over ran them, I bent all the switches and had to reset them. At least with the laser, physical damage should be avoided.

 

899

General Mach Discussion / Re: setting up a reflective object sensor for dummy's

« on: February 13, 2008, 03:51:36 AM »

keithmech

I think the long and the short of this was that the various opto-isolation bits and pieces on the breakout board were destroying the signal from the speed sensor.

As I said fairly early on in this post, the signal from your speed sensor - providing it is NOT above 5 volts - and if you have a scope, you can check this - should be fed DIRECTLY back to your computer via one of the input pins. Mine is and works perfectly - but then I don't have this fancy Campbell break out board, all my signals go directly back to the computer.

Jim

900

General Mach Discussion / Re: pcdreh hardware all axes over 1 pinnumber

« on: February 12, 2008, 02:36:35 PM »

I have looked at PCDREH website and as far as I can see the connection to your computer is a SERIAL connection using rs232/USB.

Mach 3 uses the 25 pin PARALLEL port (the printer port) which has seperate outputs (12 in all) and inputs (5 in all). Signals to drive your stepper motor cards generally go out in pairs (one step pin and one direction pin) for each axis. Therefore the x axis would use pins 2 & 3, y axis pins 4 & 5, z axis pins 6 & 7. There are then spare pins to drive your spindle controller, your coolant, and the input pins carry signals from your spindle encoder, and your limit switches.

The system uses the parallel port because of the speed, and closer control on the relative movement of the axis.

Your really need to download the tutorials on connections to the computer, which will explain it all.