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Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« on: November 20, 2013, 11:00:14 PM »
Hey everybody! Besides my intro post, this will be our second. My comrade-in-robotics and I are going to use the same account to simplify things, to explain why I frequently reference "we."

Alright, so this is our setup:

CNCRouterParts.com Pro 4'X8'
Prewired Nema 34 1.8 kit with Gecko 201x' and a 5th axis capability
We haven't purchased the router yet - any tips on that would be welcomed. We'll be working mostly with wood, periodically with long run times.
Mach3, of course.
PMDX-126 2012-10-19 N4 PRO pre-set XML profile from CNCRouterParts.com

So the machine runs - we even were able to get it to simulate cutting out a skull & cross bones from some Gcode that came with the XML profile. There are some questions that linger though, after reading the Mach3 manual, watching some MachSupport tutorials, and referencing other materials.

1. I have established soft limits in the homing/limits settings, but the axes stop moving a couple inches before they reach the limits I've actually set up....not sure how to understand that.

2. In spite of establishing soft limits (currently inactive), the "red outline" of the table display the video tutorial suggests we should see does not exist. I have not been able to find any setting that makes this appear, and I have enabled "Machine Boundaries" in the ToolPath configuration to no effect.

3. When we load Gcode, it seems that the bottom left hand corner of the Gcode pattern is actually our X home positive - my impression from the tutorial video is that the bottom left corner in Mach3 should be your X home negative. I have not been able to find settings that reverse or correct this.

4. We have run a couple of tests with other Gcode, and in spite of Ref All Home for Machine Coordinates, when we activate the Gcode, it slams backwards into the bumpers and limit switches (running towards the negative) as though the pattern was extended far past the actual table. What am I doing dumb here? I can't wrap my head around where this mistake would be coming from.

5. I set a safe limit for the Z axis, but even after establishing that it will jog right past it as though I never set anything. This is kind of a general theme actually - the coordinates in my settings do not seem to respond exactly to my real world coordinates and I can't understand where the variance is. We tested the steps per unit that were preestablished by the provided XML profile and they were exactly correct. Where am I losing/gaining inches? Machine Coordinates should be highlighted red when I Ref All Home to establish the minus limits of the table, and that should serve as a good baseline for additional testing, correct?

- I

Offline Hood

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Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2013, 03:59:10 AM »
Please attach your xml so I can look at your config whilst I read your questions.
Hood
Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2013, 12:22:11 PM »
Thanks Hood for your reply. I've included the link to the XML.

http://www.cncrouterparts.com/Mach3XML/PMDX-126%202012-10-19%20N34%20PRO.zip

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Offline Hood

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Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2013, 01:21:01 PM »
I need your xml as there may be settings changed from the one you were supplied.
Hood
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« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2013, 02:06:12 PM »
Ah, I see. I'll have to upload that this evening.

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Offline Bodini

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Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2013, 02:10:27 PM »
We haven't purchased the router yet - any tips on that would be welcomed. We'll be working mostly with wood, periodically with long run times.

Whats the price range?  On the cheap side, I like Porter-Cables only because of the collets available here: http://precisebits.com/products/equipment/porter-cable_0429_collets.asp?tsPT=!!!Porter-Cable_0429!!!Collet!!!PG!!!

However the bearings in the P-C's don't last all that long.
Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2013, 06:24:26 PM »
We anticipate the router will see some long run times and a significant amount of use, so we're not sure what we need to shoot for yet, but I think purchasing a starter router is not out of the question. Thanks for the suggestion!

- I
Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2013, 06:26:37 PM »
Here is the link to view or download our XML profile:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9tPQDmW2J6aYlhGMHZpZmdrX0k/edit?usp=sharing

Offline Hood

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Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2013, 03:42:50 AM »

1. I have established soft limits in the homing/limits settings, but the axes stop moving a couple inches before they reach the limits I've actually set up....not sure how to understand that.

It is normal to have X and Y min and Z max as zero and X and Y Max as the value of your travels and Z Min as the value of Z travel but as a negative value.



Quote
2. In spite of establishing soft limits (currently inactive), the "red outline" of the table display the video tutorial suggests we should see does not exist. I have not been able to find any setting that makes this appear, and I have enabled "Machine Boundaries" in the ToolPath configuration to no effect.
If you press the Display button and then Regen you will move into Table view which should show the area covered in your soft limits.



Quote
3. When we load Gcode, it seems that the bottom left hand corner of the Gcode pattern is actually our X home positive - my impression from the tutorial video is that the bottom left corner in Mach3 should be your X home negative. I have not been able to find settings that reverse or correct this.

Which direction do your axes move when jogging positive?
Which direction does the machine move when homing?



Quote
4. We have run a couple of tests with other Gcode, and in spite of Ref All Home for Machine Coordinates, when we activate the Gcode, it slams backwards into the bumpers and limit switches (running towards the negative) as though the pattern was extended far past the actual table.

Sounds like you have axes or possibly homing reversed, answers to previous questions may help establish which.

Quote
5. I set a safe limit for the Z axis, but even after establishing that it will jog right past it as though I never set anything. This is kind of a general theme actually - the coordinates in my settings do not seem to respond exactly to my real world coordinates and I can't understand where the variance is. We tested the steps per unit that were preestablished by the provided XML profile and they were exactly correct. Where am I losing/gaining inches? Machine Coordinates should be highlighted red when I Ref All Home to establish the minus limits of the table, and that should serve as a good baseline for additional testing, correct?

You do not seem to have home switches on Z so it will be set to machine zero where ever your Z is when you press Ref All. Because of that you will have to make sure that the Z is fully up before you press the RefAll.

Hood

Hood

Offline ger21

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Re: Here's our setup - and we've got some questions
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2013, 07:33:10 AM »
Most of these issues sound like you're origin (Machine coordinates 0,0) is not where it's supposed to be, or possibly where your g-code thinks it is? Or, you may have one or more axis reversed. COuld also be an issue with offsets.

2) The video used a very old version of Mach3. I don't think the red outline is used in newer version of Mach3.

3) The lower left corner should be X zero Y zero. Where are your home switches located? In Config>Homing Limits, "Reverse" changes axis direction, and "Home Negative" reverses homeing direction. If you're homing to 0,0, the X should home to the left, and the Y should home toward you.

4) Again, I think you have your origin set wrong/ axis reversed.

5) What do you mean you have a "safe limit" set? Do you mean soft limits? If so, do you have a limit switch at the top of the axis which sets Z zero at the top, with downaward travel being negative?

You don't have to have Machine Coordinates selected when doing Ref All. Ref All (homing) is always done in Machine Coordinates. Again, it all comes down to where your switches are, and how you have Mach3 configured to use them.
The more info you can provide, the easier it is to help.
Gerry

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