Messages

1

Forum suggestions and report forum problems. / Re: code wanders off, but only sometimes...

« on: February 25, 2011, 10:04:02 PM »

I don’t pretend to have the right answers to all the coding problems I encounter. For some of those problems, I am using code that I know to be crappy but its a level of crappy that I understand and therefore don’t mind using. But it would feel odd for me to hand off code that is held together with band-aids.

I don't pretend to understand what you are talking about, but if you are implying I'm "handing off code held together with band-aids", perhaps you can be more specific? More importantly, this thread is nearly 3 years old! Nobody ever could explain it, but I worked around it.

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Longtime user lost on install of new version of Mach 3

« on: November 22, 2010, 07:18:59 AM »

IJ mode on General Config page the likely culprit for the wrong arcs.
As for saving your settings, just copy your xml to another drive or computer then if you have issues just place it in the Mach3 folder over writing the old one. There is also a restore function from Operator menu as Mach keeps backups of xmls automatically.
Hood

IJ mode on General Config page the likely culprit for the wrong arcs.
As for saving your settings, just copy your xml to another drive or computer then if you have issues just place it in the Mach3 folder over writing the old one. There is also a restore function from Operator menu as Mach keeps backups of xmls automatically.
Hood

Ah, that was it! Happiness restored... at 6am this morning I ran my part to confirm Now I just need to check for backlash as my circular interpolation isn't perfectly round... Doesn't help that my entire part is only 1/2" in size!

Thanks!

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Longtime user lost on install of new version of Mach 3

« on: November 21, 2010, 04:49:56 PM »

Thank you. I went back through it all again, and found where I missed a setting - been years since I set it up, and didn't save my notes like I should... Did screen shots of all the settings this time!

I did find that on the new version, its not reading my files right out of mastercam.. time to dig into that now - arcs not showing up right.. I'll probably be back crying about that later

Thanks.

4

General Mach Discussion / Longtime user lost on install of new version of Mach 3

« on: November 21, 2010, 03:02:50 PM »

Background
Been using since Master 5 days, on the same computer (XP SP2 1.2g, 512ram stripped down, no floppy, cd, internet etc. dedicated to CNC only) and the same mill with a 4 axis servo controller from Camtronics.

Current issue
Loaded up a part, did a trial cut off the work and as I was about to cut the real thing, the computer locked up. After multiple tries, I wiped all the Mach 3 stuff off and reinstalled, including deleting the folder out of "C", deleting registry entries and deleting the driver out of system/hardware settings. I tried to reconfigure, but now get no output at all. Did I forget some setup or something?

Here's what I set up - did I miss something?
- Std x0378 printer port - confirmed in control panel
- Set units to inches
- In Pins and ports, Set x,y,z pins and ports just like the manual xstep2, dir3, y4/5, z6/7
- Enabled the quadratures and entered the steps per unit (in my case, running 4:1, it has always been 15010 for x&y and 19010 for z)

Is there some other screen I need to set up? this is driving me CRAZY! Not only is there no output at all now, but in the cam window, when I bring up the part, it doesn't even show the right paths!

Thanks in advance.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 24, 2008, 08:35:02 PM »

I set the look ahead to 1 and am not having problems, but I've only run a dozen parts or so. Problem is, I don't have full confidence that the problem is done, or just less likely. The machine crashes not only scare me, but will cost me more money in damaged equipment.

Any more thoughts on root cause resolution?

Thanks

Brian,

Running the file from my C drive did not fix the problem. The first time I ran the file it messed up
After I changed the "look ahead" to 1, the problems seems to dissappear (running on my home PC, not the mill)

I ran the file approx 20 times without problems.
This does not mean I am 100% sure the problem is fixed, because during my last production run of 200 pieces, only 4 pieces went wrong

Anyway, it looks promising, I hope it works as well for Spinnetti

Thanks

Jan

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 07, 2008, 07:04:16 AM »

Thanks for lookin..

I did run a few parts with lookahead set to 1 and it worked ok, but thats not a "for sure".. could have just been luck of the draw. I'm out of town for the rest of the week, but hope to run some more this weekend.

Thanks!

HEY SPINNETTI

                  i was reading your post and thought maybee we had the same problem, we don't. took your program and ran it - could see where it missed x53 move. -went through the code and made sure that every line had a carriage return.
                  here is a copy for you,take a look at it. moving on to my ghost hunt now.

bill

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 06, 2008, 06:28:01 PM »

Thanks.. breezed right over it..
Haven't re-run yet, but did change the config. I hope to try tonight sometime. Thanks.

Hi, Spinnetti

Look Ahead is in Config, General Configuration.

Chip

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 06, 2008, 02:41:51 PM »

Ok, Where do I set the look ahead? I took a look, but don't see where that is.
Thanks.

I am okay with testing the code for you.. I understand that not having a running machine is of no use to you so that is why I ran it so many times I just want to fix the problem... I have an idea where you may be getting this problem from and I will try and have a test rev for you soon... But I am flying blind and this is never a good thing 

I should have a new rev out in a day or so... Please set your look ahead to 1 and tell me if you have the same problem..Thanks
Brian

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 06, 2008, 01:24:20 PM »

Brian,

Thanks for looking at it. I certainly didn't expect you to run it that much. I get it within a few runs. What you are seeing in the pictures I posted is me running it on my Mac (more convenient that going down in the shop). It is on the C drive, though my screen res is 1680x1050. Issue is that when I put the Gcode on my PC which is running the 1024 set, and is certainly on the C:drive (it doesn't even have a floppy or CD drive in it, and no network connection), the result is the same on both my new Mac and my old AMD 1.2gig PC. Any issues running AMD cpus? I've been using it for years without problems until now. What I do is generate the G-code in Mastercam, put on a USB stick then put it on the shop computer. I put it on the Mac to see if I could replicate the problem with a fresh mach 3 download and sure enough, same issue. I still have the crashed part on the mill if you want a pic, and can screen shot on the target computer, but the results are the same on both computers. Can I get older version of Mach to try on? I only need basic functionality anyway. Maybe I should run on Mach 2 or even Master 5?

I have run this file 40 times and have had no trouble... I see that you are not using the 1024.set screen.. Could you please test with the 1024 screen and tell me if you have the same trouble? Also I see that you are not running the files on the C drive... Could you please put the file on the C: drive and tell me if this fixes the problem?  The Problem is that it is a memory mapped file This is needed to run the VERY large files...
Thanks and all told I have run your file about 60 times with no problem I don't think I am going to see the problem but I have a few more machines that I can test on.
Brian

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Code wanders off?

« on: April 06, 2008, 10:31:36 AM »

Brian,

Any chance to look at this yet? From the info I provided, this is all within Mach3, which should help narrow it down. If I can't fix this, I'm going to have to buy other software which doesn't make me very happy.... I need to cut some parts.....

Thanks.

Hello,
I have only 2 reports of this and so it is very hard to find the problem... I will work to get this fixed as soon as i get back on the 3rd.

Thank you for the XML and I hope this will help to show the trouble!

thanks
Brian