Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Configuring Keys In Key Board Inputs Configuration Table

« on: January 27, 2019, 01:46:01 PM »

I have been attempting to assign the key board keys to certain functions under the Key Board configuration menu. I have been able to to assign the jog functions for each axis but I cannot create any for such things as e-stop, Jog rate %, spindle on/off and so on. The issue I have is in the function column on the Key Board configuration table does not have the functions like e-stop and the others listed so although I can fill in the other columns on the table as desired but the function column lacks, from what I see, most functions other than axis movement functions.
Is there a way to add functions to the column of that table so they can be assigned to a key?
Thanks for reading....

2

Third party software and hardware support forums. / PMDX-414 motion coms error

« on: January 22, 2019, 11:10:56 AM »

Last winter I upgraded my cnc with a PMDX 414 and 407 board so I could run the mach 4 on my Chinese made cnc mill. The only issue I have is that it will give me the error message "PMDX: Could not disable the PMDX-SmartBOB-USB, error 'Cannot communicate with device'". It will do it randomly while running some times and other times just when I start the machine via the cycle run or select basically one of the commands on the screen to initiate a command to the cnc from a stopped or non-running state. For a while I assumed it may be a noise issue as it would occasionally occur when I started my pump for my coolant but it doesn't always. I have checked and swapped out USB cords and I never had this issue with the original OEM Chinese motion controller and mach 3.
The computer is a Dell Optiplex with windows 7 and I have to unplug the cord and restart mach 4 to clear the error.
Anyway I wanted to post this question to see if anyone else may have had or has this same issue and/or if anyone has a solution.
Thanks for reading.
Shawn

3

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Recommended CAM Software

« on: November 22, 2018, 10:16:49 PM »

 ???I know this question may have been asked before on here and I have researched the internet some but I was hoping some of you with experience with CAM and 4 axis machines might be able to give me a little direction. I have tested or trialed a few cam programs and i am looking for the least inexpensive one that handles 4 axis machining. As I type this I am running a project that I used DeskProto 7 on and found that the Y axis is basically disabled. Although it did cut my piece ok it would have been much more desirable if it could have just done some of the cutting on the x,y axis instead of the x,a axis. Other than that I would probably pick DeskProto if I had to make a snap decision and get one. i also tried out fusion 360 but with all the annual licensing that it appears you have to subscribe and pay for annually along with it being not very intuitive compared to a couple others I read about and like DeskProto I don't see that one as a very feasible option either. If the y axis in deskproto wasn't disabled during rotational functions I would be completely satisfied with it. I am strictly a hobby guy so that is why I am looking for something that is practical in functionality and price as well for my use.
Any comments, suggestions on any that have used a specific brand of cam software with maybe a short pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks....    

4

General Mach Discussion / Forum search error

« on: November 22, 2018, 05:16:48 PM »

 
Is anyone else receiving the same error seen below when attempting to do a search on the forums page? I have had this same issue on two different computers, locations and operating systems.

2: pspell_new(): PSPELL couldn't open the dictionary. reason: No word lists can be found for the language "en".
File: /var/www/vhosts/machsupport.com/forum.machsupport.com/forum/Sources/Search.php
Line: 700

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Another Mach 4 issu not tool path display

« on: April 07, 2018, 05:09:48 PM »

Today I loaded a gcode program and in the toolpath display nothing showed up, not even the xyz coordinate reference that is normally in the lower left corner. I rebooted everything several times, made no changes to any mach 4 configuration only loaded a gcode. Loaded other programs that I have ran before several times with no change. On all of the programs all I get is a blue screen in the toolpath and once in a while a red vertical line but nothing else. Zooming in and out to extents and panning around reveals nothing either. Has any one seen this issue or had this problem?
Thanks..........

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Mapping F5 Key in mach 4

« on: April 06, 2018, 11:31:55 AM »

I attempted to map the F5 key to a specific function the other day but when I enter the info on the Input Signals tab under configuration it does not seem to retain the the settings. It will keep the green check marks selected for the mapping enabled and active low columns but "keyboard" under the device column and the name I select under Input Name column disappear after I close the configuration window and go back in to it. I have the name I chose set up for the F5 key established under the keyboard configuration tab and I have successfully mapped other keys to other functions but for some reason it appears that Mach 4 will not accept or allow mapping a function to the F5 key. Has anyone else seen this issue or know why this may be occurring?
Thanks.......

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach 4 stops processing gcode

« on: April 04, 2018, 12:03:55 PM »

If anyone has seen this or has any ideas of what to look for I would appreciate their suggestions/input:

ISSUE: Yesterday while turning an object on my 4 axis cnc, the machine and program stopped and about 50 lines from the end of the code. Total length of code was about 1350 lines. It stopped on an axis move and all commands before and after were all just axis movements. I was able to get the rest of the program to execute by selecting the Single Block function and then clicking the cycle start to complete the project one line at a time. It reported no errors and the line of code it stopped on did not appear to have any syntax errors or be any different from the previous lines of codes. Also the last two lines of code are an M5 spindle stop and honestly don't remember the very last it may have been a go to home coordinate command but after  at the last move of the axis I had to actually click in the window on the M5 command and then hit cycle start twice to get it to complete the last two lines of the code.
Thanks for reading.....

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach 4 scaling and keyboard button mapping

« on: March 22, 2018, 11:33:02 PM »

I have two issues with mach 4, just upgraded motion control card and up from mach 3.

1) mach 3 had scaling boxes next to the DROs to scale your project up or down and I did see a little bit on a thread where it appears someone added the same to their mach 4 back in 2014. I am by no means a programmer, i just build, import or convert pictures and models to cad drawings to create the toolpath and gcode for and that is about as far as I am interested in programming. So is there a simple/easy way to add the scale feature as was found in the mach 3 that I was running?

2) In regards to keyboard mapping, it appears the mapping feature that can be done in mach 4 under configure>plugins>Keyboard Shortcuts - Newfangled Solutions is pretty limited to the 4 axis movements and can't really assign a key for stop, e-stop, increase/decrease jog, spindle speed and so on. Is there a way to add those functions to the functions column in that table for configuring keyboard inputs?