Messages

251

General Mach Discussion / Re: Make Cuts without writing g-code

« on: August 03, 2006, 01:17:43 AM »

You could bump your jog feedrate down to a reasonable speed for the material you need to cut, and hold the jog button down to do it. Another way, but you have to write a SMALL amount of G code, is do it though the MDI text box, e.g., G01 X6 Y0 F3

252

General Mach Discussion / Re: odd shaped circles

« on: August 01, 2006, 05:10:24 PM »

Grab the mill table while it's powered down and see if you can move it any noticable amount, checking for large backlash problems.

253

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / G71, G73 lathe roughing cycles

« on: July 29, 2006, 01:27:37 AM »

Is there any interest in writing a wizard for these two lathe roughing cycles? G71 is a really nice general non reentry roughing cycle, G73 will do a reentry, like a spool, etc. I have been using Surfcam to write the G code for this, but honestly it's a pain to work with, and am guessing that most of the CAM programs around aren't much better as they are all targeted for mill work. Just a thought....

254

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch issues

« on: July 29, 2006, 01:21:42 AM »

Brian, any info on the limit switch info? Thanks!

255

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch issues

« on: July 24, 2006, 12:23:01 AM »

Yes, limit and home are the same pin. One thing I noticed tonight, the setting that drives the axis off the switch has no effect, I had both set at .100", and then wondered if the X, beacuse a lot (but not all) settings are in radius, that it was actually only going .050", which I think it is. I changed it, all the way up to .500", and it never drove off any more than it did when it was set at .100". Tried closing the program down and opening it again to see if that made a difference, nope.

256

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need help again, programming portion (using the wizard)

« on: July 23, 2006, 06:05:14 PM »

The threading wizard is referring to diameter, do you have diameter checked on the setup? also, although the wizard is in diameter, the actual cut depth is in radius, so be careful of that or you will get a double depth cut. Run the thread without material in the chuck and note the cut depths in each pass, that they aren't too large. Most tools and materials work well with a .010" first pass, and I use the smallest pass at.001", and one cleanup cut as well.

257

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle problem

« on: July 23, 2006, 01:52:23 AM »

I may have this wrong, isn't pin 17 for the charge pump, the safety power up controller pin?

258

General Mach Discussion / Re: Probe for part touch off

« on: July 23, 2006, 01:41:56 AM »

Have a look at this one... http://www.imsrv.com/deskcnc/probe.htm
Dave.

259

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch issues

« on: July 22, 2006, 11:18:23 AM »

Yes, the X axis does, and it's the one I have a problem with, the Z axis switch is in the middle of the travel, and never gives this problem.

260

General Mach Discussion / Limit switch issues

« on: July 22, 2006, 12:32:53 AM »

My lathe has it's X axis home/ limit switch at the end of the axis' travel. The Z axis one is somewhere in the middle of it's travel. My problem is, when I go to set home with both, the Z axis will go there, then reverse off and stop, with no problems. The X axis however, when it goes there, then reverses, I get a limit switch triggered error, and I can't jog or go anywhere anymore. I have used a workaround in tabbing to the jog flyout screen, then switching off the limits override button, then jogging off, then switching the limits override back on again, but it shouldn't be like this. Any ideas?