Hello All,

Does anyone know what the significance is of the "Control Mode" in the General Tab of the Mach4 Configuration Menu?
The default is "Mill".  What does selecting "3D Printer" actually change that is different from say "Mill"?

I am in the process of figuring out how to setup Mach4 for 3D printing.  Started with the control mode but I didn't really see anything in the setup menus that changed.

Thanks

The control mode changes the interpreter that is used.  Basically, a 3D printer can be used with Mill.  There won't be many differences between the 3D and Mill interpreters.  The major difference is that some 3D printers use the C axis as the extruder feed.  This will be whatever mode the machine is in (ABS or INC) depending on G90 or G91.  So the 3D interpreter adds an E axis that can moves C incrementally regardless of the G90/G91 setting.  Basically E shadows C.  M83 turns E into incremental mode.  M82 turns E into ABS mode.  

At least that is my understanding of it.  But I'm no 3D printer guru either.  

Steve

Cool Steve.  I suppose I could also manually map the C axis to an E axis just the same.
Another thing I discovered about the 3D printing world is that they have utilized the custom M codes available in the M100 to M199 group for controlling 3D printer specific functions.
For example, M104 sets the extruder temperature on most printers.  What I was really hoping for is that setting the control mode to "3D Printer" would tell the interpreter to interpret these custom M codes, but unfortunately I think that is going to require custom Lua scripts to program the custom M codes in Mach4.

C is E and E is C in the 3D interpreter.  Only one axis is mapped (C) to motors.  You use E to control it incrementally, if needed, regardless of G90/G91 setting (that WILL affect C).

Yes, it will all be custom LUA scripts.  Because there really isn't anything standard in the 3D printer world.  It is forming up a little, but not there at all yet. 

Steve

OK, thanks for the info.  That makes it simple.

In fact I think they are slowly starting to phase out many of the custom M codes that the 3D community created as they (we, me, :-) are discovering that nearly any 3D printer function can be mapped back to some existing general G and M code without having to create redundant code.