Is it just that the changeover is slow. or is it a programming issue IE having to massage the code by hand.
Thank You
archie =) =) =)
I'm not sure what you are asking here. There is a feature in MACH called 'swapaxis' that can be used alternately connect the spindle axis and the A axis to your 4th axis. I used that initially and then later created a small circuit board to accomplish the same feature in hardware. Either method is essentially instantaneous. There are some caveats to using the internal MACH command which I think are detailed elsewhere in this thread.
You have to message the code in any case, so that is not a factor in deciding how to control your 4th axis motor. On that topic, a couple of my buyers are working on post processors that embed the codes for the InTurn™ and there are three editors that make it quick and easy to embed the codes.
*The most sophisticated is an editor by CNCcookbook. Bob Warfield added a feature for the InTurn™ (or equiv) code 'massaging' that that actually looks at the context of the G-code and can differentiate where a command should be embedded and where it is should not. A 'smart' editor, if you will.
*There is free editor called NotePad ++ that has the ability to replace a line with several lines. This is the 'secret' to fast and easy editing to add InTurn™ commands.
*A third CNC code editor has promised to add a similar feature, but so far I have not heard back from them and I have not gone searching to see if it is done yet.