Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 Not saving the current tool number at shut-down

« on: December 29, 2022, 04:12:16 AM »

Hi Everybody,

I run Mach3 on an OMNI router with a ATC spindle. All works fine except the system function, current tool number, is not stored during shut-down. I assume all system functions would be saved in the XML configuration file? What am I doing wrong?

Kind regards and thank you

Danie

2

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 M6 for ATC requires a Cycle Start to continue after tool change

« on: August 09, 2022, 03:38:55 PM »

Hi All,

I have recently added a winerack-style ATC for my OMNI CNC router. In the Mach3 configuration I have selected "Auto Tool Changer"; my gcode is generated from VCarve using the Mach3 ATC mm post-processor. All my tool-changing code is in the M6Start macro, the M6End macro is basically empty. The tool-change code in my g-code that is created by the post-processor looks something like:
End of previous tool routine ....
N450 M09
N460 T3M6
N470 G43H3
N480 S12000M03
N490 M08
Start of new tool routine ...

The M6Start routine seems to work perfectly: the previous tool is stored and new tool is collected but then the machine gets stuck after line N460 or N470 and it requires a Cycle Start to continue. My question is what is required for Mach3 to automatically continue using the next tool?

Any inputs or ideas would be highly appreciated.

Kind regards

Danie

3

PoKeys / Mach4 Lathe with Pokeys57cnc using rotary axis for toolchanger

« on: May 19, 2022, 06:16:35 AM »

Hi All,

I have upgraded a Denford ORAC lathe to work with a Pokeys57cnc card and Mach4. All the basics are running very well. Then I also would like to use an A axis for a rotary 6-station tool-changer. In principle that works as well but the rotary tool-changer has a ratchet-lock and can thus only move from one tool-station position to the next in one direction (say clock-wise).

Then inside my M6 or T macro: Say the current tool is 2 and the next tool is 1 it should move clockwise (360-60)deg to get to position 1 but the mathematics wants to move from position 2 to position 1 using the shortest path, that being anti-clockwise.

Any ideas how I can force it to only move in one direction would be highly appreciated.

Kind regards

Danie

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach4 toolpath display of 4th axis operation on mill

« on: September 14, 2021, 08:40:18 AM »

Hi,

I have been generating rotary axis toolpaths (Y axis wrapped around A axis) using VCarve 11 and cutting it on my mill running Mach4 version 4.2.0.4300. Although the part seems to be cut perfectly I really have problems setting up Mach4's toolpath display to display the process while part is being cut. Any suggestions will be highly appreciated,

Regards Danie

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Setting Zero Fixture Z to zero using an external button

« on: August 06, 2021, 09:43:43 AM »

Hi,

On my Denford CNC lathe, running a Pokeys57 card and Mach4 I'm trying to zero the Zero Fixture Z using an external button. I have done that very successfully for Cycle Start, Spindle Start and Spindle Stop by mapping external buttons to inputs and then editing the Mach4 Screen using "Edit Screen". Then I loaded the "Screen Load Script" and adding:

[mc.ISIG.INPUT0]=function (state)
        if (state ==1) then
               CycleStart()
        end
end,

I assume I need to replace the CycleStart() with a variable the refers to the "Zero Fixture Z"; for the "Zero Fixture Z" key, under properties/events I found the variable "Zero Z" but that gives me a compiler error....

Hope you can help,

Kind regards and thank you
Danie

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Lathe Threading (metric) with Mach4 and Pokeys57

« on: January 11, 2021, 02:00:12 PM »

Hi,

I'm trying to cut metric thread on my Denford Starturn lathe using Mach4 and a Pokeys57 card. I only use a index pulse which seems to be stable and accurate. I believe the Pokeys configurations is set-up correctly.

I've used the Mach4 Turn Cycles conversational programming to generate the code, using the 2-line G76 command.
In this attached file I tried to achieve a pitch of 2mm but I have tried various larger pitch sizes, thread depth is set at 0.25 mm. The actual RPM was around 480.

The process seems to be correct but the depth of cut is wrong and the cut pitch is always around 0.6 mm, irrespective of my pitch setting.

What am I doing wrong? Thank you very much

Danie