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Author Topic: newbie on macros...M3 dwell  (Read 5651 times)

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newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« on: November 11, 2009, 07:00:01 AM »
Hello experts on Mach!I have a problem i think can be solves with macros, but since i´m completely dumb on macro, I dont even know how to start. Here´s the thing: I´m running mach 3 on a laser cutting/marking machine for non-metalic material (wood,leather,acrylic, and so on) and every time the laser turns on to start a cut (M3), the axis moviments kinda dwells for about 0.5 seconds before following the path. As the laser beam is held for a while in a spot, this widens the cut, so theres always a hole where the cut starts. I´ve tried all sorts of menu configurations, hardware and tried also by Gcode, all useless. My thought was to make a dwell between the M3 code reading and the effective M3 activation of the laser. Theres any way that i can tell mach to hold for a while before sending the M3 signal to the hardware?

Many thanks for your kind support, sorry about the bad english....

Arturo Pugliesi
Brazil.
Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2009, 07:37:04 AM »
Hi,

Try this:

Under Config, Port and pins, Spindle setup tab, Under General Parameters, there is a delay you can adjust for the spindle (in second)

Try with zero delay.

Hope this help but not sure at all

Jeff

Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2009, 08:43:21 AM »
I´ve tried that too...tried with 0, 0.00001, negative numbers...nothing worked! I think its more like a communication problem, because a laser signal is just on/off, but to run the servomotors, it deals with acceleration, positioning through encoder...that takes more time to process (my guess)...i think that dwell on the M3 will work...i just dont know how to do it!!

Thanks again!

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2009, 02:43:40 AM »
Hi Arturo,

The M3 pause is no problem when used with a spindle motor but, as you have found, it is undesirable with lasers. Others have been here before and have had success by using the undocumented M10/M11 combination, which is much faster but requires careful programing to get it just right. This link refers :-  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,6629.msg43375.html#msg43375
I have found that the M7/M9 combination work for me (this is almost 10xfaster than M3/M5) and can be easily configured using a GCode editor to modify the standard GCode program.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2009, 05:47:30 AM »
Gee, the guy from the other post was quite rude...though have same name and almost same problem...it aint me! hehe...About the M10/M11...its hard for me to understand how to get it done! Well, the gcode is generated from a dxf file through lazycam, which sets M3/M5 according to the path (thats how i understand it). So what i suppose to do? Tell mach to performe M10 when it reads a M3? What M10/M11 actually does? turns on/off the flood? I think i have to set at ports and pins the new output signal that controls the laser (M10 instead of M3)...is it right? Sh**t, i´m so dumb on this mather....many thanks!!!

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2009, 06:42:45 AM »
Setting up the M10/M11 is a bit complex but this link should explain that.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12653.0.html

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2009, 07:34:59 AM »
Thanks a lot tweakie!! It makes sense now...i´ll give it a try, my only concern is on the gcode, because it is written automatically, some times with more than 50,000 lines!! gotta figure a way to the change M3/M5 to M10/M11...

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: newbie on macros...M3 dwell
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2009, 07:46:06 AM »
Just a suggestion but you could try using 'find and replace' in Microsoft Word or else use a GCode editor such as EditCNC.

Tweakie.
PEACE