Hello Guest it is March 29, 2024, 10:34:55 AM

Author Topic: Turn Screens  (Read 3746 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Turn Screens
« on: January 23, 2009, 10:21:26 AM »
I have an X/Y plotter which works identically to a CNC Lathe which belongs to my employer. The plotter is used to view cutting paths that the lathe performs... to scale on paper.  I am using this plotter to learn to set up Mach3 (see my earlier post "getting started" a few lines down the list)  I can successfully plot drawings using X/Y axis, running simple G-Godes, drawing lines & arcs. I can operate the spindle motor relay On/Off using M3 and M5 and I can control the speed of the stepper motors just fine... but I'm using a "Mill" setup.

Now, I am looking at the Turn Screen 1024.lset  which appears to be intended for a CNC lathe... but this screen uses X and Z axis. A sketch comes up as the program loads which appears to look like a vertical lathe. Is this the intended purpose of this screen... Vertical Lathes? Our lathe is Horizontal  

I want to traverse the tool post left/right using the X-Axis and In/Out using the Y-Axis.  Do I simply need to stick with the Mill configuration and not use the Lathe files?  The Lathe files have no X-Axis and I don't see an easy way to change that in the setup.

I am open for suggestions

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Screens
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2009, 10:36:17 AM »
It isĀ  X and Z for a standard lathe, X being in and out and Z being right to left along the stock. On a lathe the offset Z zero is normally set as the end of the stock furthes from the chuck and all Z dimensions when cutting will be a negative number as you move towards the stock
 If your code is X and Y it is not meant for a standard lathe, also you are using the X axis in your code where it should be Z and the Y should be X.
Where are you getting the code from?
Hood
Re: Turn Screens
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2009, 10:51:40 AM »
I am sorry, but I have no experience operating or programming CNC equipment. The lathe I mention here was "home built" it presently runs under DOS and the profiles are all written in BASIC.

My employer has asked me to figure out how to convert this equipment, both the lathe and the plotter to operate using industry-standard CNC methods.

OK, I can set up the stepper motors to use the Z-Axis and I can wire the Left/right motor at the controller to move the toolpost to the left, using negative values of Z.  I would then set the X-Axis to replace (what presently is the Y-Axis) to move the toolpost in/out.  Will the jog buttons then follow accordingly?

You ask Where are you getting the code from? I am presently writing simple G-Codes by hand. I simply chose X&Y, because it seemed to make sense to me.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Screens
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2009, 11:02:46 AM »
Yes that is correct.
 If you think of a mill and you chucked up a piece of stock in the spindle and  held a tool in the vice you would see how the axis on the lathe are actually as they should be. If you wrote code for the mill as set up above you would use the  X to machine the diameter and  the Z would be used to cut along the length of the stock. Basically if you think of a mill lying on its back then you have a lathe.

Hood
Re: Turn Screens
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2009, 12:57:21 PM »
OK, I got it!

With the following code,

M03
G01 X7.5 Z0.0   F75.0
G01 X7.0 Z0.0   F75.0
G01 X7.0 Z-15.0 F75.0
G01 X6.5 Z-15.0 F75.0
G01 X6.5 Z0.0   F75.0
M05

I get the cut path shown in the attached image below...


Now, Can I modify the cursor keys to emulate the toolpost movement when jogging?

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Turn Screens
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2009, 01:02:04 PM »
Yes, if you go to Config menu then down to system Hotkeys you can change them there. Just slick on x++ and a box will apear and you just press the arrow key you want etc etc.
Hood