Messages

101

General Mach Discussion / Re: frustration time, no signal to motor controllers

« on: September 25, 2018, 08:42:17 AM »

Your controllers are only rated for 40 VDC  >https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/kl-stepper-drivers/kl-4030driver

 I agree with Gerry its in the Port address or type of LPT port  selected.

 Frankly I tried the WinXP parallel port on mine and was not a happy camper.  Got tired of screwing around and did what I was advised to do on here..... go to a Ethernet based controller.  I used this and my problems went away. https://cnc4pc.com/uc400eth-ethernet-motion-controller-b.html

 And I am sure you realize the outputs to the motors are steps to each phase, not just voltage.

102

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 on a laser cutter...

« on: September 21, 2018, 08:21:45 AM »

I was using GRBL USB and a blue light diode rated at about 3 watts.  It was like watching paint dry, it did line by line and the gcode file was large for what needed to be done. Yes I am sure the Warp9 ESS way would work if Tweakie says it does. But I gave up and went back to using my commercial co2 machine.

103

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 on a laser cutter...

« on: September 19, 2018, 09:35:44 AM »

I would imagine the g code  file for that would be huge.  Try doing one on granite 300 mm square.

104

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 on a laser cutter...

« on: September 18, 2018, 05:57:11 PM »

Engraving on a laser means cycling the beam (dot) on and off very rapidly and sometimes changing the power while moving the X and Y.  Mach3 I am sure is not anywhere close to fast enough. You can do a solid line engraving, or cutting without issue I am sure.  But in this regard the Chinese DSP controller is the way to go, along with the software for that controller.

105

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 on a laser cutter...

« on: September 16, 2018, 05:10:35 PM »

Having owned and operated several co2 machines and one galvo fiber laser I can speak from some background.  Not sure of what power your talking about and material.  But my 40 or 50 watt machines can cut  .250 or 6 mm plywood without an issues, cedar wood or pine same thickness it does a better job.  The glue in the plywood is sometimes an  issue.  Anodized aluminum engraves without issues.  Dust or smoke removable via exhaust fans to outside.  At one time I looked into building one, but its cheaper just to purchase a pre-built Chinese and fix as needed.  .    The more expensive US and German machines use a air cooled RF metal tube.

Tube (glass) is fixed at one place, water cooled usually in the Chinese ones. Mirrors direct the beam, the moving carriage has the last mirror and it reflects down thru the lens to focus the dot.   The really larger machines, as the Kern has the tube mounted so it moves with the gantry.

If you want to engrave, Mach3 is not the way  to go, cutting yes.  The DSP controllers do a great job for engraving and cutting.

106

Finished Screens / Re: 3 Axis mill with ATC

« on: September 15, 2018, 01:01:44 PM »

It needs a Reset, Cycle Start, Pause, Stop large buttons easy to see, and the Loading Code and etc does not need to be taking up so much screen.

107

General Mach Discussion / Re: No Motor Tuning Menu after Installing Simple Screen Set

« on: September 15, 2018, 12:16:46 PM »

OK Tweakie that worked Great!!  As soon as I could EDIT that button I just Deleted the old script, Copy and Pasted the new OEM from Mach3 and its not version .44 its whatever Warp9 has as a suggested version.  

It works as it should and also the Pause Button works, and Cycle Start, starts from where it left off.  Wow!! I can see the screen and its a Simple Screen.  

Now having taught for 12 years (HVAC)  I know the reason why things are disabled so students can not access. If they can, they will and usually they screw it up.

Thanks again to you and Gerry for the Help.    And Gerry that is why I have unlimited Data on my cell phone so it can be a Hotspot when the regular Internet goes down.

108

General Mach Discussion / Re: No Motor Tuning Menu after Installing Simple Screen Set

« on: September 14, 2018, 07:55:54 PM »

Gerry and Tweakie that all worked.  But the new Homing button does not.  The Operator, Edit Buttons does not work and I loaded in the Hidden File m1s file and it was empty unlike the the examples given elsewhere.  So I give up, going back to a OEM working screen and program.

109

General Mach Discussion / Re: No Motor Tuning Menu after Installing Simple Screen Set

« on: September 14, 2018, 08:11:48 AM »

I hoped you two experts would reply.  Yes I did a copy paste or maybe rename of the folder. I will do the new install and hope I save the right files!!  Thanks guys.

  Lucky for me I get my knee worked on today so I will have a little down time today to mess with the shop computer.

110

General Mach Discussion / Re: No Motor Tuning Menu after Installing Simple Screen Set

« on: September 14, 2018, 07:58:46 AM »

So part of this or all may be I copied and pasted part or all of the Mach3 install, but I swear all was working fine until the new Screen Set ?  Maybe a new install of the correct version again for the Warp9 ESS?