Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / mach 3 upgrade problems

« on: May 19, 2011, 04:49:54 PM »

Hi

I have just upgraded my copy of mach to the very latest locked down version.

I unistalled the old version and then installed the new one.

I have two configurations one for a lathe and one for a mill.

when i tried to use the mill it appears that the lathe config is being applied as the the input apears to be doubled but there is no button to turn of diameter in the mill.

The main reason for the upgrade was to use the backlash comp on the Smooth Stepper but i cannot get it to work.

I have the latest plugin and version of mach.

i have entered the backlash com in the backlash option screen, click enable the OK and restart mach.

i move all the axis in the neg direction the hit reference but then the when i try and jog or mdi i am not getting a comp move at 20% feed.

can someone help.

22

General Mach Discussion / Re: Stream lining Key Grabber

« on: March 03, 2011, 04:25:50 PM »

Hood

It took you so long!

Cheers, I thought you would come up with the answer.

23

General Mach Discussion / Stream lining Key Grabber

« on: March 03, 2011, 03:57:48 PM »

I was wondering if there was a way of modifying the mach short cut to load mach without directly going into the key grabber screens then hitting star mach then loading the profile?

24

General Mach Discussion / thread cutting VS hobbing

« on: January 31, 2011, 04:02:44 PM »

Hi Gent and Ladies

i have been thinking to my self about gear hobbing and how similar it is to tread cutting. I am just thinking that the two processes are very similar, effectively you have a spindle that is rotating in sympathy to a feeding axis though the second axis is rotating. then you have a third axis feeding the cut which is not relative to anything out.

My question is that if you run the spindle at a constant speed and have a signal pulse on the axis and is good enough for thread cutting why is it not good enough for hobbing. My guess and probably the answer to my own question is that due to the time in cut the timing drifts and therefore destroys the gear.

this is just a thought provoking question.

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: G540 / Smooth Stepper and an E Stop

« on: January 24, 2011, 04:53:49 AM »

Thanks for the help. I was planning on using the charge pump signal as i am running a reasonable laptop that can drop the smouth stepper and i want to be double sure that it trips out. The machine that i am build does have the power to destroy itself unlike my old machine.

Thanks again!

26

General Mach Discussion / G540 / Smooth Stepper and an E Stop

« on: January 24, 2011, 03:47:18 AM »

I am trying to get my G540 drive to work with the smooth stepper. The issue that i have is when i start the mach and the smooth stepper the e stop input won't clear due to the charge pump not firing up because mach won't start the smooth stepper due to the estop.

I am using the error line on the G540 as the E-stop input at the moment.

I know everything is working as i can disable the E stop and no problems. Effectively i need to delay or over ride the estop untill the smooth stepper generates the charge pump signal.

And heres some retro CNC for you!

27

General Mach Discussion / lathe z direction

« on: November 26, 2010, 03:31:42 PM »

Hi,

I am helping a friend set up his lathe but i cannot get the z axis to run in the correct direction. AKA DRO Z+ traveling left to right away from the spindle when the spindle is on your left side.

So far i have tried.

changing the direction pin in Ports and Pin - this corrects it but the arrow keys work the wrong way.
i have also tried to change the Home/Limits reverse setting and combinations of the two.

All has the affect of having the DRO count the wrong way or having the jog go the wrong way.

I have also tried to reverse the motor by switching 2 of the stepper motor wire but this did not seam to have an affect.

is there a method of just changing the key configuration as everything else works fine. I did not build this machine and is a denford mach 3 conversion. i have built two machine and never been stuck like this, and spending excess time in a garage an 2deg C with no progress is not conducive to a clear train of thought.

Matt

28

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle Status Signal

« on: May 04, 2010, 06:52:21 AM »

I would use the M3 to start the spindle and have it wait for the spindle started command.

BUT i would also like it to check in the background like the E stop but not cause the machine to e stop but feed hold.

This is partly due to the increased speed reduces the torque that is supplied by the motor which is particularly evident with drilling.

I am unsure of the in the background check.

29

General Mach Discussion / Spindle Status Signal

« on: May 04, 2010, 05:11:54 AM »

Hi,

I have converted my X1 to cnc and have been running it for 3-4 years. Everything is AAA but i feel more machine development is required.

I am running the standard motor but have designed a belt drive conversion and have been running it for a couple of years.

I am in the process of going to a smooth stepper as getting a reliable PC to run is increasingly difficult and i also went for a relay board to control the spindle. On the current controller this is difficult to implement as it pops fuses if you interrupt the motor leads. So i am designing a pic controlled circuit that integrates with the original controller that ramps up and down the motor. It is also will display the RPM on an LCD screen and i want to include a mach status signal.

My question is how do i get mach to use the Speed Active signal to feed hold the program if this signal is not present?

thanks matt

i am sure it is not dificult but i don't know were to start.

30

Mach3 under Vista / Exit stability issues

« on: June 30, 2008, 03:11:34 PM »

Hi,

I am having issues when exiting mach 3.

Runs and cuts great but crashes my machine. Seams to be better when i turn anti virus off but i still cannot save some of my setting.

The one that really catches me out is the ignore tool changes which nearly got me this evening. Is there a fix for the issues that i am having.

Matt