Messages

131

General Mach Discussion / Re: Turn feedrate override buttons

« on: May 31, 2008, 10:17:58 PM »

So if I open the screen in screen4 I should be able to see what code is there to change the feedrate, maybe Silverblue lathe is messed up or not completed possibly?

132

General Mach Discussion / Re: Tool diameter measurement

« on: May 22, 2008, 09:32:50 PM »

My experience with end mills that are worn, it is a mill we are talking about here I assume, is that you don't need to measure them, if they are worn you will know it by the noise the cut is making and the surface quality you are getting. To me, either of these degrade, then it is time to simply throw the mill away and put a new one in the holder, simple as that.
   DaveA.

133

General Mach Discussion / Turn feedrate override buttons

« on: May 16, 2008, 03:36:22 PM »

I was trying the other night to use the feedrate override buttons on the mach turn silverblue screen and realised that they don't seem to do anything, either in G94 or G95 use. This maybe should be posted in screens but I am wondering if the regular screen feedrate buttons work there either. Is the problem with the screen or is it something I don't know about the feed buttons? Thanks,
     DaveA.

134

General Mach Discussion / Re: Conversational programation of mach3 lathe

« on: May 16, 2008, 03:29:18 PM »

Well, actually that IS how you build a program right now in turn. I use a wizard to write the G code for the first part of a program, , then open that G code to edit it and do a save as to a new file name. Then go back to the wizards again and run another one for the next part of the program you need. Open that to edit and do a cut and paste that code into the first one you saved as. It's a little laborious but all things considered, not too bad. Note that, when you paste multiple programs together you need to add rapid away moves, tool changes and just generally check to make sure you don't add a crash in there. Mach's toolpath view will mostly show you if there is a problem with a rapid through solid objects too.
   DaveA.

135

General Mach Discussion / Re: mach3 crashes

« on: May 12, 2008, 04:40:42 PM »

The turn wizards work great for me, always have, and I've never had an error with them. I'm using turn 1.84 FWIW, which seems to be the last real updated version of turn there is.
   DaveA.

136

General Mach Discussion / Re: Conversational programation of mach3 lathe

« on: May 02, 2008, 02:44:37 PM »

"Are you saying that G70 and G71 are implemented in Mach 3. "
No, I wish! The code I posted earlier is for a Fanuc controlled machine. I'm just pointing out how simple it is to machine complex profiles on a Fanuc machine using these three canned cycles. BUT, I think that it would be relative task to write wizards that would do this, based on the complex pocketing that Lazycam uses, it just wouldn't machine one of the corners which would be the clearance point on the corner of the barstock on the lathe. let's face it, you COULD use a lazycam pocket cycle, swap the X and Y for Z and X and let it go, but it would take a long time to machine because the tool diameter would have to be the tool tip radius, and it would be at cut speeds out where it should be using a rapid to move back to the start of thr barstock each time.

137

General Mach Discussion / Re: Conversational programation of mach3 lathe

« on: May 02, 2008, 10:57:20 AM »

Here's some code to machine a part. Rapid to the clearance of thw workpiece. You call out the G71, first line is the roughing depth of cut. Second G71 line, P60 is the first line of the part profile, Q160 is the last and the U and the W are how much material to leave on the part to be finished later, and the feedrate is the F of course. Then, just write the G code of the profile start to finish. It will rough down to this profile, leaving the stock there you called out for, and then return to the start rapid in point when done. Then rapid away, call out a toolchange to the finishing tool, rapid in again and use G70 to call that same section of G code to finish, all in one line. Rapid away again and you're done. So, no need to use any CAM at all, the G71 will do it for you and the G70 finishes it using the same piece of called out code. If you think about it, it's really only like a pocket clearance program for a mill, but you don't clear one corner of it out, the rapid in point.
%
:2008
N10 G20 G95 G97 G42 M03 S750
N20 T0101
N30 G00 X3.3 Z.05 M08
N40 G71 U.06
N50 G71 P60 Q160 U.01 W.005 F.005
N60 G00 X0
N70 G01 Z0
N80 X1.485 R.08
N90 Z-1.48 R.08
N100 X1.813 R.08
N110 Z-2.2638 R.08
N120 X2.249 C.02
N130 Z-2.39
N140 X3 C.02
N150 Z-2.55
N160 X3.3
N170 G00 X4 Z4 M09
N180 T0 M01
N190 T0202
N200 G00 X3.3 Z.05 M08
N210 G70 P60 Q160 F.003
N220 G00 X4 Z5 M09
N230 M30
%

138

General Mach Discussion / Re: Conversational programation of mach3 lathe

« on: May 01, 2008, 04:31:02 PM »

I have used a Fanuc based lathe for years, and never needed anything more than the G71 roughing, G73 reentrant and G70 finish cycles, never used CAM for the lathe. I am using CAM for my Mach3 lathe now as a necessity, but it's somewhat slow to use and has more crash potential than the Fanuc cycles. Crashes on mills are usually nothing much, snap a mill off, etc, but it's a very scary thing on a lathe, heard of whole toolchanger turrets being broken off the ways and thrown into the door, etc. Nasty.
CAM seems to be written for mostly mill work, and is often neglected in functionality for the lathe, even though it would seem to be simple for the CAM software writers, it's only 2D after all!

139

General Mach Discussion / Re: Conversational programation of mach3 lathe

« on: April 30, 2008, 10:52:07 PM »

"Yes - I had a lathe, CNC ready - but coukd not, as I used to on my manual lathe, sit down and do anything."
I use version 1.84 still on my lathe. It has a nice selection of wizards in it, which work well and are easy to use. As for conversational programming, well, it's kinda what I have been asking for over the last two years, to be able to machine a part to a non standard profile, basically from  a DXF profile or similar. You can import a DXF profile but it has no real method of roughing it out unless you draw all the roughing offset lines and save them all on different layers. Those familiar with the Fanuc machines will know this as a G71 roughing, along with a G73 reentrant cycle. As I always say, I will help pay for these to be written if needed. One day....!

140

General Mach Discussion / Re: Calibration???

« on: April 13, 2008, 08:12:09 PM »

Mill bit is too small, it's walking around one way on the inside cut and the other way on the outside cut. Use as big a mill as possible when you can.