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Messages - DAlgie

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171
General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Threading
« on: November 09, 2007, 08:42:14 PM »
Well, for starters, 1000rpm is very fast for threading for even a high end CNC lathe. My guess is that you have backlash enabled and the groove in the end is caused by the time it takes for the machine to reverse the X axis stepper until the mechanics can catch up and draw the tool away and out on the 45 degree taper as it's supposed to. Drop the rpm down to maybe 500 or less and possibly see what the backlash speed is set to. Exact stop should be fine for this.

172
General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe controls
« on: October 28, 2007, 11:45:17 PM »
Optical switches are the most accurate, all other things considered. However, you really don't need great accuracy on the Z axis, a mechanical switch there is just fine. A lathe needs high homing accuracy on the X axis because you keep all the tools set, or at least the main ones anyway, roughing, finishing, parting off. So, you need to have good accuracy on the X axis so that these tools will always be set to maintain your diameters, different stock materials will slightly alter your finish diameters though. The Z axis, on the other hand, you usually set the Z zero point off the end of the stock with each new job, so the Z axis does not need to be as accurate.
                   DaveA.

173
General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed rate problem
« on: October 25, 2007, 10:15:31 PM »
Brains and flash screens are all very nice, but the lathe version of Lazycam is not out yet, and I have been crying out for a roughing/ reentrant cycle, same as the Fanuc G71/ G73, as necessary as the pocketing cycles are for mill. We have no way of roughing out an arbitrary shape in lathe at all, without resorting to expensive CAM programs, which, in my opinion, are less than complete for lathe work. Mills rule in the CAM world, but the lathe is all but forgotten because it's a 2 axis machine.
                              DaveA.

174
General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed rate problem
« on: October 25, 2007, 06:00:42 PM »
"Right now, Art, Brian, Zealous and others are adding sooooooooooooooo many goodies. The past year has brought a rain of gifts to us Mach users."

Wondering when the rain of goodies will spill over onto us lathe users. It's been awhile.
                       DaveA.

175
General Mach Discussion / Re: glass scales and servo's
« on: October 16, 2007, 01:58:40 AM »
Don't think you would like both encoders and linear scales. The Accurite mill setup has these. While I feel the Accurite has some of the easiest to learn and use interfaces around, it can be a finicky machine as well. Have one that, unless you use a new mill, it will fault out from a small amount of chatter, and nobody seems to be able to fix it. Most of these are problem free, but it's something to do with the linear scales and encoders not being happy with each other. Like others here said, just stick with encoders, millions of machines around the world work well like that, without a problem.

176
General Mach Discussion / Re: Question on OD Arc 3 In turn wizards
« on: October 07, 2007, 03:00:08 PM »
None of the wizard profiles have reentrant cycles in them so it really doesen't matter at all. The main thing is the tool tip radius, which it will use.
             DaveA.

177
General Mach Discussion / Re: lazycam with turn
« on: September 24, 2007, 09:59:12 PM »
There are wizards included in Mach3 Turn which will do most basic shapes. Yes, you can round the end of a bar with a G3 move, but that doesen't allow for roughing and will get ugly in a real hurry if there's any real stock to remove, and you try to machine it off in one pass! The wizards allow you to set your roughing cut depth and finish depth of cut, really are nice. Brian and Art are now (hopefully) working on lazycam for lathe which will allow you to rough and finish any shape you supply a DXF file for, basic cut in the Z quadrant and reentrant roughing as well.
      DaveA.

178
General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach-3 and L-cam for the lathe
« on: September 19, 2007, 10:53:49 PM »
Sounds good Brian, thank you for this. Just wondering, will the Lcam for lathe replace the wizards already there, or will it be a DXF input type addition to the wizards? As I have never used Lcam, is it integral with Mach, or a stand alone program?
             Dave A.

179
VB and the development of wizards / Re: Profile Shape Wizard (multi-shapes)
« on: September 16, 2007, 10:38:17 AM »
I have access to Surfcam at work, which I would have thought would be good, but it's a real pain to use. The thing is, the lathe wizards are very good and if two user profile wizards were added it would be complete. Really a replacement for the G71 roughing cycle and the G73 reentrant cycle is all that's needed. I know it's some work, but there is so much going into Lazycam for mills, and there are quite a few of us on here with lathes now. Squeaky wheel gets the oil...?

180
VB and the development of wizards / Re: Profile Shape Wizard (multi-shapes)
« on: September 15, 2007, 11:44:51 PM »
Scott, I saw your wizards and wondered how they might be applied to turn, for a roughing wizard from a DXF file. Mach3 turn will import a DXF file, but can then only machine the final profile, which is next to useless as it won't rough it beforehand. Mach3 mill has all these wonderful pocket, etc wizards which have to rough, by nature, but this is missing in turn. I can do this, sort of, in my CAM system, but most CAM systems are poor with turning operations and hard to use, if at all useful. I have asked about this issue on these forums from time to time and never get anywhere, I am willing to pay to have this done if I am the only one that wants it within reason.
   DaveA.

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