Messages

91

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Plugins wishlist. ( Please add your own to this list )

« on: August 24, 2006, 07:05:45 AM »

Is there any plans for an integrated version of keygrabber as a plugin with Mach as opposed to a seperate executable? I think this would tidy things up nicely.

If this is likely to happen can I make a request. Instead of mapping the pendant button to keystrokes, can we have the ability to map them to buttons on the screen - i.e. press pendant button then click on the screen button you want to assign - that would be nifty!!!

Cheers

Dave

92

Tangent Corner / Re: Denford Orac problem

« on: August 24, 2006, 04:21:55 AM »

Hi John

I presume you are going to have make a new backplate for the chuck? You may want to put the old toolpost on for that as I had to make a special toolholder to step the tool out far enough to machine the plate. Ours had a damaged power chuck on it when we got it so there was no backplate available.

On the toolchanger front we don't use any packing at all - when we do use HSS you just have to be very careful grinding it! If you actualy want to know the largest tip radius it is 6mm - a round nose profile tool! That tool did a hell of a lot of working making long slender specimens and the only time we had chatter was when we ran the spindle too fast. Normally I think we run .4 or .6 tips - depends on whats lying around at the time!

A friend of mine has a toolchanger for his Orac which when it arrived refused to work - a strip down revealed that the grease inside had solidified preventing the motor from turning anything!

I presume you have physically tried moving the front (tool) plate back and forth and checked the tightness of the 3 screws that hold the plate on ? There is not much to really go wrong inside them!

Cheers

Dave

93

Tangent Corner / Re: Denford Orac problem

« on: August 23, 2006, 02:19:16 PM »

Hi John

Only just found this thread - use an Orac with a toolchanger at work quite often. You shouldn't get any chatter problems - we have used it for 1mm deep cuts in EN24T steel and they came out beautifully. You mention shimming the tools - with a tipped tool the tip top should be level with the top of the tool body. With the packing plate in you set one tool to the correct centre using the adjusting set screw and then the rest should be fine - this should be pretty close to horizontal.

If I read it correctly you are missing the plate and having the toolholder at about 10 degrees of angle to get it on centre? Am I right? Might know someone with a toolchanger in pieces so I can try and get a drawing of the plate if you like.

Gotta go - limit switch problems on my mill 

Cheers

Dave

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feedrate Overide Buttons

« on: August 13, 2006, 04:01:26 PM »

Hi Hood

I had thought about doing it that way - but I thought it was a bit of a fudge as opposed to a proper fix as I want to keep up with the new versions. I currently use 1.90 I think, but the next release will feature a fix I want to use.

Might have a word with Art and see if he will have a look at supplying two sets of screens as default.

Cheers

Dave

95

General Mach Discussion / Feedrate Overide Buttons

« on: August 13, 2006, 01:02:00 PM »

Is there a simple way to get the spindle speed increase/decrease buttons back instead of the slider?

Cheers

Dave

96

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pendant Control

« on: June 08, 2006, 07:41:10 AM »

To change the actual keys you will need to use Screen4. For more details see my post here:-

http://machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=754.0

Cheers

Dave

97

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pendant Control

« on: June 08, 2006, 06:33:19 AM »

As an alternative to changing the screens, can you use keygrabber to redefine the keys? I've just used it to setup my USB wireless gamepad (which is brilliant!)

Cheers

Dave

98

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Event Based Code

« on: June 07, 2006, 08:14:05 AM »

Ah ha

Strangely, doing it that way had crossed my mind but I decided not to go down that route - haven't got a clue why!

The only potential issue is how many user variables are there available ? I imagine that other users with a greater spindle speed range may want to use a large numbered of measured speeds. My spindle only goes from 0-2200 in high gear!

Cheers

Dave

99

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Event Based Code

« on: June 07, 2006, 05:34:56 AM »

Brian

I may have an alternative, allthough cheating, method. Simply append each entry to a text file and then re-read it later. I've got the text file creation working, now I just need to spend some time reading it back in - that will have to wait until my next coffee break at work!

Cheers

Dave

100

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Event Based Code

« on: June 06, 2006, 08:54:27 AM »

Hi Brian

I've got the speed increment working - but I'm not quite sure where is the best place to put the code. Two theories :-
1) Have a 'start' button which initiates everything then the actual increment button writes the values to a 2d array. Each time I click the button will the array remain there? Oh and so far I can only get 1d arrays to work!
2) Have a start button that contains all the code and while loops looking for a button condition - I've tried this and can't get it to work.

The idea I'm working on is to interpolate points between those entered by the user to create enough to allow linearity.dat to be written to and produce a series of straight lines between known points. By allowing the user to enter the value there is no need to have a spindlex index sensor as I would never need one on the mill for what I do.

Cheers

Dave