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Author Topic: Mach4 Lathe problems  (Read 2789 times)

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Offline Hood

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Mach4 Lathe problems
« on: August 27, 2016, 04:40:33 AM »
First thing to say is I have only been testing Lathe but it is likely that the screen problems will aslo be present in Mill.

Screen problems
1. Image toggle buttons do not resize correctly until they have been used once, after that they are fine unless the screen is again resized, when they again need clicked once to be correct.
 If the resolution of the monitor is the same as the screenset resolution then there are no such problems.

2. Image button for Feed Hold gets smaller each time you click it until eventually it disappears .



Units Mode
1. With units set to Metric the active plane gets changed to Y-Z next time you look at Mach Config. If you change it to X-Z and press apply it changes  but if you then close and go back to Config you see it has reverted back to Y-Z.   When Units are set to Inch then there is no such problem.

CSS issues
1. When using CSS and you press Feed Hold Mach4 will lock up and the only way to get out of it is to force Mach to close. Feed Hold will usually work ok if the rpm is not changing or in other words the rpm has reached the cap set  by a G50 or the max spindle rpm set in Mach but the axis is still moving or where you are cutting  along the Z axis only and the rpm is not changing.

2. When using Metric Machine Setup G96 needs commanded in cm/min rather than the m/min it should be, for example 200m/min needs entered as 20000.

3. When using a Metric Machine and running metric code the rpm in CSS equates to 20% more surface speed than has been commanded. ie you want 200m/min you need to command 20000 but the rpm at any given diameter is for 240m/min (24000 in code)
So to give an example.
200m/min surface speed at 66mm dia should have the rpm as 964rpm, Mach4 has the rpm at 1157

4. When using G21 (Metric code), on a machine that is set up in Inch units, the G96 is read in feet per minute rather than the m/min it should be. So basically Mach 4 is ignoring the G21 command with regards the G96S*** and always runs it as ft/min.


Hood
« Last Edit: August 27, 2016, 04:45:21 AM by Hood »

Offline Hood

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Re: Mach4 Lathe problems
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2016, 07:33:52 AM »
I have now also tested a profile set up in Imperial units  with Imperial CSS code and it too will crash Mach on feedhold whilst the spindle speed in changing.
However the commanded surface speed (feet/min) gives the correct rpm for the diameter unlike when metric profile is used.

Hood

Offline Hood

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Re: Mach4 Lathe problems
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2016, 08:16:25 AM »


Screen problems

2. Image button for Feed Hold gets smaller each time you click it until eventually it disappears .
Rob has found that having the FeedHold button set to work on Key Down causes the problem but Key Up is fine, so it is no longer an issue as such although why the Key Down option causes it is still being investigated.


Quote

CSS issues

2. When using Metric Machine Setup G96 needs commanded in cm/min rather than the m/min it should be, for example 200m/min needs entered as 20000.

3. When using a Metric Machine and running metric code the rpm in CSS equates to 20% more surface speed than has been commanded. ie you want 200m/min you need to command 20000 but the rpm at any given diameter is for 240m/min (24000 in code)
So to give an example.
200m/min surface speed at 66mm dia should have the rpm as 964rpm, Mach4 has the rpm at 1157

4. When using G21 (Metric code), on a machine that is set up in Inch units, the G96 is read in feet per minute rather than the m/min it should be. So basically Mach 4 is ignoring the G21 command with regards the G96S*** and always runs it as ft/min.


The problem for these has been found and a work around of setting the PLC script from true to false in this line

mc.mcSpindleCalcCSSToRPM(inst, xDia, true)

cures the issue but will need changed back and forth depending on native units, there will be a solution worked out to correct this automatically.