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Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« on: October 15, 2018, 06:56:51 PM »
Hello everybody!

I recently changed over to using mach 3 from using supercam xp with my micro mill by taig tools.
This has been within the past 2 months that I've switched out the Motors from servo to stepper and learning the new cnc program, mach3.

The thing that I'm running into that im having a hard to figuring out is cut and travel speeds...
in supercam I had the option of changing the speed and which axis Z cut into the metal and then started the cutting of X and Y.
also had the option of changing to speed and which the travel speed from chain to chain(point of start cut) traveled at.
also had the option of changing the height that Z axis moved to above the surface of material when traveling from point to point...

Im cutting very small engraving designs in gold and silver with .010 engraving bits so normally run and slower speeds like .008-.010.

wondering how I can go about inputting any of these options into mach3 as im very new to this program...
any help is greatly appreciated

I've attached a photo of the speeds and slews of what I've inputted into supercam ( the old cam software I've used before )

Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2018, 07:03:33 PM »
Photo attached below
« Last Edit: October 15, 2018, 07:05:14 PM by lukekanahele »

Offline ger21

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Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2018, 07:36:33 PM »
The only options you have in Mach3 are your acceleration rate, and maximum velocity.
Cutting feedrates, and Z axis heights should all be handled by your CAM program, and should be in the g-code.

Mach3 just does what the g-code tells it to do.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2018, 07:41:50 PM »
Your previous program essentially dumbed your machine down to avoid using G-code, the universal CNC language. However once Mach 3 is setup you get way more capability using the wizards that come with it or by using a Cam program like CamBam to write the code. Like everything there is no gain without at least a little pain.
Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2018, 07:59:17 PM »
thanks for this! im using lazy cam at the moment and thats where I found how to input plunge speed, cutting speed and all the other variables for cutting..
which would you prefer? lazy cam or cambam? im just getting familiar with lazy cam but its still a little confusing as far as terminology goes... layers, chains, etc...
any suggestions?

Offline ger21

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Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2018, 08:15:25 PM »
Anything but LazyCAM, which is basically buggy, unfinished software.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: Mach 3 Cut and travel seeds question
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2018, 01:48:26 PM »
Yes LazyCam is very poor. Software is PC personal, I happen to like CamBam but there are plenty of choices like Fusion 360, Vectrix etc.