Hi, just moving into the cnc World. I have a friend who has a Bridgeport EZ-Path S and as well as using g-code it has manual handles so he can use the lathe manually. No I know that you can jog the carriage in Mach3 using the keyboard/pendant on the X and Z axis (lathe) but he can also lock both axis to produce say a 45 degree angle. Handy for quick jobs that don't warrant full blown cnc. Can you do this In mach3?

thanks
Rimmel

wow no one knows 

Are you meaning he can lock the axis to an angle via the controller or via a combined axis movement using code?
I would assume you could do the same in Mach via a macro and screen button. Someone else needs to verify. 

RICH

Yes exactly, I thought you might be able to create something like a dummy axis (lets say K) and assign that the dual movement (X and Z) on a lathe. Obviously the ratio of the X/Z movement would define the angle. But I cannot find anything about it in the documentation. The dummy axis could then be selected at anytime giving you an angled jog at your finger tips. (Obviously you'd need 2 for the different directions).

Thank you for the reply.

You may be able to use a Brain or the Formulas to do it but in all honesty I do not really see any benefit to it. MDI can do that and in a smooth and controlled manner.
Hood

Hi, just moving into the cnc World.

With that in mind - what is MDI?

thanks

I just use the Wizards for simple stuff like that.

MDI is the manual data input screen where you type in one line commands.

I just use the Wizards for simple stuff like that.

MDI is the manual data input screen where you type in one line commands.

Thank you.

Once you move to CNC I think it is best to fully embrace it instead of trying to use it as a half manual half CNC. Using a MPG (Electronic hand wheel) will not give you anything like the feel or control that a manual handle will and even a manual handle will be no where as smooth and consistent as using the motors/CNC to move. For positioning,  a MPG is great but for actual cutting you will not get great motion and thus not the best finish.

MDI is as has been mentioned just an area you can enter code one line at a time and hit Enter and it will be executed, so once you get into the swing of things you can be typing away merrily and hitting enter line after line. Of course if it is anything other than a simple few moves then using a wizard or using CAM or even writing a programme by hand would be the sensible thing to do rather than everything MDI.
Mach4 however will have a very nice feature, you will be able to type into MDI with multiple lines and then when you have your code done you just press Start and off it goes.

Of course that is just my personal opinion

Hood

Once you move to CNC I think it is best to fully embrace it instead of trying to use it as a half manual half CNC. Using a MPG (Electronic hand wheel) will not give you anything like the feel or control that a manual handle will and even a manual handle will be no where as smooth and consistent as using the motors/CNC to move. For positioning,  a MPG is great but for actual cutting you will not get great motion and thus not the best finish.

MDI is as has been mentioned just an area you can enter code one line at a time and hit Enter and it will be executed, so once you get into the swing of things you can be typing away merrily and hitting enter line after line. Of course if it is anything other than a simple few moves then using a wizard or using CAM or even writing a programme by hand would be the sensible thing to do rather than everything MDI.
Mach4 however will have a very nice feature, you will be able to type into MDI with multiple lines and then when you have your code done you just press Start and off it goes.

Of course that is just my personal opinion

Hood

Already using cnc Bridgeport EZ-Path S (that has handles) and the handles are great for quick one off jobs - hence the asking about mach3.