Messages

261

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mill or Turn?

« on: April 14, 2019, 10:14:30 PM »

And also to add, CSS does not work in Mach3.

https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=25647.0
Myth BUSTED?

262

General Mach Discussion / Re: Assorted Questions

« on: April 14, 2019, 10:02:32 PM »

Thanks, again, for your input, gents. Much appreciated.

The supplier of my system "provided" me with what they claimed was a legitimate copy of Mach3. When I unzipped their file, my anti-virus went off like my dog when she sees the mailman. It had the ******************66 build version, and so I figured it must be pirated. But, while it may be pirated, based on what Craig was saying, it may be that they have "tailored" their build to their board. I don't REALLY want to try it, but perhaps..........we'll see what tomorrow brings.

How does one determine legal copy, or not, besides looking for the license code?

Try it, copy out the MACH3mill.xml profile.
There are 3 versions:-
1. OEM versions (some light versions that usually will not support addons and plugins) bundled by machine hardware sellers. May allow gcodes with more than 500 lines.
2. DEMO version - gcodes limited to 500 lines. Kernel speed limited to 25.000Hz for parallel ports.
3. Full Version

Just like you buy a CD drive and you get an OEM version to do basic functions.
YOU have to upgrade to full licensed software if you want to enjoy full capabilities.

It is NOT right to consider OEM (light) versions as pirated copies - provided the OEM had paid NFS for the right to bundle those OEM copies with their machines.

263

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mill or Turn?

« on: April 14, 2019, 03:07:08 PM »

Hi all,

i want to add basic turning to my mill conversion by building a servo driven spindle to mount on the table.

Is Mach3 Turn just a screen-set or totally different build of Mach?

Does Mill understand constant-surface-speed commands?


Thanks

dave

MACH3 turn is a different profile turning MACH3 into a different "sub-product" with different screensets (*.lset   - different to  *.set for mill), different plug-ins, wizards and different set of macros. 

YOU cannot use a MILL profile for turning.
But you can have turn (lathe) sreensets with more than 2 axes.

264

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Weird spindle problem

« on: April 13, 2019, 08:46:52 PM »

Hi
I use a SSD hard disk and it has not had any problems I also have a standard hard disk in the machine that I keep the backups on ( as well as a separate computer)

I personally suspect a file is opened in Mach4 and then not closed properly and left open I have seen this before and causes random problem but in the past it has always ascii characters    the corruption in this case seems  not to be random character's
Windows did down load a update while the machine was running but did not install it until I closed every thing off and then went to shut the computer down and I do not believe this to be a problem …...BUT
RegardS Ray

If you use INTEL brand SSDs, they will never have a bad sector on reboot. Intel SSD will always check new sectors before writing to them so will relocate to good sectors BEFORE writing to ensure data is always readable. 
Other Brand SSDs can lose data just like a HDD if there is a bad sector due to S.M.A.R.T logic on reboot.

265

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Weird spindle problem

« on: April 13, 2019, 07:30:04 PM »

Why would it be corrupted it was working and shut down properly and where would the corruption  likely to be
Any ideas any one ?
Regards Ray

If you are still using a Hard Disk - migrate to a SSD.
The phenomenon is very likely because you had ONE "bad block" in the HDD which is automatically relocated by the drive's internal logic but unfortunately with LOSS of some data. If the bad block is the directory track you won't be able to boot PC.

Don't waste you time analyzing - it is very common.
(I still custom build and sell computers for plasmacam  CNC machines but now only with SSDs).
JUST upgrade to a Solid State Drive.

266

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: probe error : no contact with probe

« on: April 13, 2019, 08:21:47 AM »

It has been tested  with the pins inverted , so I'm thinking ess rather than port with a Bob .
I had issues with linuxcnc , the probing that was programmed to the motion control worked but g31 was an issue . That is leading me to believe it maybe an issue with Bob.  Correct me if I'm wrong!

if you follow this thread
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=34520.0
you will notice that ESS had probing problems too. Then someone wrote a custom LUA script to get his G31.1 going.
So the problem is MACH4's default G31 script may have a bug that requires a workaround.
Perhaps you could contact NFS technical support directly as they are supposed to be still supporting MACH4 customers via email.

267

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: probe error : no contact with probe

« on: April 12, 2019, 11:37:02 PM »

Hi,
OP has previously established (reply #2) that the probe LED operates as expected ie the BoB is correctly signaling
Mach.

Craig

Sorry, my bad.
Thanks.
But some BOBs have only one or 2 fast pins (with fast opto-isolation chips) for probes. The rest of the inputs have SLOWWW opto chips.

ALSO the pin could be inverted ie. already active (normally CLOSED) just like limit switches. May need to try inverting the pin for probes - to normally OPEN.

268

General Mach Discussion / Re: Bad Circles

« on: April 12, 2019, 11:32:00 PM »

Thanks, never thought of that but will check it out tomorrow morning

Untick the "auto screen enlarge" in Config. |general config in MACH3 if you must use a widescreen monitor for other programs.

269

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: probe error : no contact with probe

« on: April 12, 2019, 09:34:12 PM »

I'm thinking I need to go with a controller and not parallel port .

An external motion controller still need to talk to parallel port type Break Out Board(S). So if the problem is the B.O.B. settings, buying an external motion controller will still have the same problem.
Do check the B.O.B. settings and power supply. Some B.O.B. have OPTO-ISOLATION for their input pins and so will need a separate 12-24V POWER supply and you may need 2 wires for the probe since the optically isolated input sometimes is often not be connected to the machine body earth.

270

General Mach Discussion / Re: Bad Circles

« on: April 12, 2019, 09:17:08 PM »

"but on my display mode in Mach3 it is show the  circles are egg shaped. "

MACH3 screen was written for 1024x768 (5:4 aspect ratio) monitor.

Are you using a widescreen monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio?