Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Soft warning on z max

« on: December 02, 2017, 04:01:39 PM »

below are a few lines of code.  I get the message "soft warning on Z-max". 
G55 setting are: x-10.0000 y-10.0000 z0.0 a0.0   
In soft limit settings, z is set to 0.0000

where is my code wrong for getting this error?  I have no other
z settings in the code except for the g55
please help

(bridge experiment)
%
g0g49g40g17g80g90
m6t0
g64
g20
g0g90g55
g1a-30f3500.0
g01a30f3500.0
g01y0.0625
g01a-30f3500.0
g01y0.1250

thanks bob

2

General Mach Discussion / Alright fellow campers...a frankenstein moment!!

« on: November 12, 2017, 05:40:58 PM »

So the situation is this:  I have a mach 3 running a cnc gantry style and I have added a forth axis (A axis)  It has its own power supply and control board.

My spindle runs separately and it is not controlled by mach 3.  I turn it on manually.  There are no wires running from the inverter vfd that runs the spindle, and control board--none!. So the vfd, spindle electrical cable, and spindle are not wired to the control board that runs a-axis or to the other control board that runs any other stepper motor!.  A-axis lathe is run by a stepper driver and stepper motor.

But the following happens: When the spindle is activated by turning on the vfd ---the A-axis rotary starts turning, but it sounds like its grumbling badly as it spins up to rapid.  Its not suppose to do anything.  If I disconnect the usb cable between the A-axis control board and the computer, and then start the spindle running, then A-axis does nothing.  Plug it back in with the spindle already running--and a-axis revs back up, grumbling.  Actually its sounds like a growling cat or something tearing itself apart.  If I disconnect the energy cable from the spindle motor, a=axis still turns (vfd still turned on).

IF I EXIT MACH 3 ALTOGETHER... AND THEN TURN ON THE VFD, THE A-AXIS still SPINS UP!! 

Hitting the emergency switch, stops x-y-z movement, but the *7!@# lathe keeps on turning...(its alive!!)
Hitting the home switch for a-axis does nothing... still keeps turning.

Ok you wizards... where did I f*** up.  bob

3

General Mach Discussion / what kind of device do i need

« on: November 06, 2017, 02:07:09 PM »

Please look at the attachment jpg.  You can see I have a lathe-type device connected to mach 3, with some of the inherent issues that mach 3 has, that is I have a lot of problems just getting lathe to turn on at a certain speed and then have the x-y-z axis do their thing.  I have reached the conclusion that I need to run the lathe from a controller that is independent of a computer.  That is I would plug it into the wall socket and by adjusting a couple of knobs (whatever) the lathe would turn clockwise or CCW and with another knob or feature I could increase or decrease the speed.

Now what would I call a unit like that, and where might I look.  Looking for your suggestions.  Thanks, bob

4

General Mach Discussion / MDI question

« on: November 04, 2017, 10:31:48 PM »

Ok, I'm wrestling with MDI...its winning.

when I type in a line of code, and hit enter, it executes that line and puts it up above like its stacking and waits for the next line of code to be input.
my issues is that I want to clear that line out and start fresh... if I hit escape it clears any code from the big input bar, but the code still sits in in the small bar above.  What do I do to clear the old code out and start fresh...I have been having to exit the program and reload...looked in the manual under mdi but it did not state how to do this.

thanks bob

5

General Mach Discussion / A-axis rotary lathe question for Mach 3

« on: November 03, 2017, 12:21:42 AM »

Hi,  This is a Mach3 question. I purchased a Rotary lathe for A-axis.  Set it up and got it to turn.  Now my situation is that I need the rotary axis to turn at on speed and then I need to have the y axis move the spindle forward so that it "trues" the wooden dowel.  I have the spindle speed in manual so I can adjust that independent of the other factors.  So can someone help me understand how to set up codes in MDi so that while the a-axis lathe is turning at one speed, while the y-axis moves forward (y- in my case) at another speed? Right now, the rotary turns but none of the other axis will move.  For instance if the A-axis rotary is turning and  then I go to the jog-screen, none of the keys that would normally get the x or y axis to move will work.  Pressing the shift-arrow keys for instance have no effect.  All help appreciated.

6

General Mach Discussion / Getting 2nd port to show its pins on diagnostics page...

« on: October 12, 2017, 02:40:12 AM »

Hi,

I have added a 2nd port card for running a 4th axis lathe, but cant get the 2nd port to show up on the diagnostics pages, so I can figure out the setup.   Can anyone give me the procedure to cause the 2nd port to show up so I can see all 48 pins etc..

Thanks Halfmill