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Author Topic: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4  (Read 17596 times)

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Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #30 on: April 23, 2018, 10:49:08 AM »
Hello all,

I want to address two things briefly, so please forgive my interruption to your discussion. First, I have recreated the original post as a locked sticky topic so that users who *want* to switch to Mach4 have the worksheet readily available. I respect that not all Mach3 users fall into that category and did not want to silence any discourse on that pros and cons of switching so I have left this topic open and unlocked. I try not to get involved in these discussions normally because I am not here for marketing purposes and I don't imagine anyone would take my opinions on these matters at face value as I am an employee of this company.

That brings me to the second thing I wanted to address that was brought up in this thread. Hobby customers are important to both me personally and to this company as a whole. While the investments made via the Industrial channel are what fuel new developments, they are not kept solely to Industrial customers. As new features are created, we try to include them in Hobby releases when applicable--and for no additional cost. As I mentioned before, I usually don't respond to posts with a negative hue to them but I do read them. I always want to know what customers have to say so that we can make improvements and adjustments.

TLDR; a duplicate of the original post has been created but this thread will remain intact and Hobby customers are important to Newfangled Solutions and to me.

-Bryanna
Newfangled Solutions Helpdesk: http://support.machsupport.com
YouTube Support Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MachSupportOfficial
Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #31 on: May 14, 2018, 08:35:23 AM »
Hi , all
I recently purchased TAIG 3000 ,15 years old, without computer and software.
What will you advise to install Mach3 or Mach4?
What an addition utilities can  I need?

Thanks

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #32 on: May 14, 2018, 12:02:21 PM »
If it was me...

Mach 4
Gecko G540  https://www.geckodrive.com/support.html
ESS  https://www.warp9td.com/
Vectric CAD / CAM software http://www.vectric.com/
Various other stuff, the list goes on and on  :)

Check out the above linked websites, there is lots of useful information there.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #33 on: November 17, 2019, 06:35:32 PM »
Fast forward 18 months——, any new thoughts on switching from Mach3 to Mach4?

I too thought the home screen on the demo was confusing.

Thanks,
Chuck

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #34 on: November 18, 2019, 01:16:38 AM »
Quote
Fast forward 18 months——, any new thoughts on switching from Mach3 to Mach4?

A very good question Chuck  ;)

When transitioning from Mach3 to Mach4 we would be aware that they are two very different products (apples and oranges come to mind) but we would constantly be making comparisons between the two for ease of use, results produced, etc.

With this in mind I have found one major consideration…

The required motion controller should be chosen carefully and dependant on what your machine is to be used for.

One particular motion controller may be better at Plasma, another at Turn, another at Laser, etc. and in my case, having a multi-purpose machine, I now have five different motion controllers – each excel at a particular task.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #35 on: November 18, 2019, 02:18:17 AM »
Thanks for the input Tweakie.

I have purchased Mach4 but have not installed it yet. The machine I would install it on does 4 axis milling and laser cutting. It has an ESS.

As you may remember I was having xml corruption issues with Mach3 and chose to switch over to Mach4. Fortunately Mach3 has been stable lately.

Before installing Mach4 I decided to see what other were  saying about switching over.

I ran across this somewhat negative Mach4 post but it was 18 months old.

Was hoping to get some positive info on the update process, like “an update wizard “, I know, wishful thinking.

Cheers,
Chuck

Ps
On one of your posting a while back you said something to the effect “laser cutting and laser raster engraving should be dedication difference machines”

I have decided to go that route and not use Mach4 for laser cutting and raster imagines on the same machine.

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #36 on: November 18, 2019, 03:01:40 AM »
Quote
On one of your posting a while back you said something to the effect “laser cutting and laser raster engraving should be dedication difference machines”

Hi Chuck,

I don't recall posting that (after all I use the same machine for both purposes) but the machine set-up for each process may be a lot different and having a dedicated machine for each task would be nice.

Tweakie.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2019, 05:20:39 AM by Tweakie.CNC »
PEACE
Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #37 on: November 18, 2019, 01:30:21 PM »
Tweakie,

Good point “ after all I use the same machine for both purposes”

Sorry, I must have misread the post.

With the setup I now have,  fixed position laser(no mirrors) and moving 2000 # table, I would be jerking around a lot of mass to do raster work like you are doing.

I was thinking of a K40 but now thinking of building one from scratch similar to yours.

Cheers
Chuck

Offline Chris.Botha

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Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #38 on: January 07, 2020, 04:53:33 PM »
If it was me... Tweakie.

SOrry to hop on the back of this and going sideways.. but.. presumably there is a "transfer settings" style transition from mach3 to mach4, requiring no further setup, and also presumably if you are using a "standard" monitor 1080p the default screens will fit? Thanks mate, kind of on the fence on hopping over because with 5th axis XYZAB simultaneous is SLOW AF and im hoping the advance on mach4 will allow for faster motion. 
« Last Edit: January 07, 2020, 04:58:16 PM by Chris.Botha »
Re: Switching from Mach3 to Mach4
« Reply #39 on: January 07, 2020, 05:13:32 PM »
Hi Chris,

Quote
but.. presumably there is a "transfer settings" style transition from mach3 to mach4, requiring no further setup, and also presumably if you are using a "standard" monitor 1080p the default screens will fit?

No, not really. There is a spreadsheet that will help the transition but Mach4 IS A DIFFERENT program and much of what know about Mach3 will have to
be unlearnt so you can get yourself going with Mach4.

Mach3 screens DO NOT work in Mach4. If you download Mach4 you will see the standard screens it ships with. Are those adequate?
Editing screens and/or composing new screens is very much easier in Mach4 than Mach3, having said that composing a new screen from scratch is time
consuming, if have have a real need then fine but otherwise editing or tweaking a standard screen set is the way to go. Mach4 screens display equally
well in many resolutions as befits a more modern program.

I'm not at all sure that the toolpath display in Mach4 is up to five axis stuff, there is some details on four axis display. Whether the toolpath display is
useful or believable should have no bearing whatever on the speed of the motion however.

My experience is that Mach4 toolpath following/zooming/rotation does not cause Mach to pause or otherwise 'bobble' as used to be the case with Mach3.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'